Cambodia and Ankor Wat? What do I know about the Geography and history? (Zilch.)
When and where do I get a visa?
What sort of money do they take? Meaning what should I take.
Answers
Lots of booklets from the Cambodian embassy which provides visas for a fixed fee. It's tempting to buy when you get there, just in case your trip is cancelled. However, according to several websites I've read you are better off getting your visa in advance because might be asked for unofficial extra charges if you wait until arrival and try buying at local points.
Language
Four vital, frequent and easy to remember words"
Wat - temple.
Koh - island.
The word Koh appears around this area of Asia, for example Koh Samui.
P s a r - market. The word market is the same or similar in several Asian and Arabic and English languages: Think of p u s a h, p s a a r, b a z a a r.
Cambodian language, like Chinese, has some simple one syllable words, and grammar and sentence structure are simple because you use the word yesterday for the past and tomorrow for the future.
The language is not tonal. If you speak either French or Mandarin, you have a second way of communicating with local people.
Greeting
The local greeting is just like the Namaste, hands together at chest level as if praying and bow - head lower and hands higher to show greater respect. The local greeting is called Chumreap Suar.
Cambodia is a hot country. If your hands are perspiring or wet from holding an iced drink you will be glad not to have to shake hands.
Temples
So you can see that Ankor Wat is a temple. Lots of Wats are around the two major cities and tourist attractions, the capital,
Capital Phnom Penh.
Capital Phnom Penh
P h n o m mountain or hill, named after Lady Penh, like Pennsylvania named after Penn in the USA.
How do I remember the spelling?
P h n o m P e n h - means Pen's hill. The word P h N O M looks like mountain backwards. Or NOt Mountain. Both words start with P, like Pennsylvania P _ _ _ _ Pen_ . Pen's hill not mountain? P H N O M. PEN H. Pen's Hill.
Now add the letter H for hill to both words. PH _ _ _ Pen-H.
Where's my pen? I left my pen in Phnom Penh.
LOCATION
Going north from Singapore we reach Malaysia. (Think of Singapore like Sicily or the Isle or Wight, a little island kicked off the toe of the bigger landmass.) From Malaysia we reach Thailand. Then we can cross into Cambodia. If you have already visited Malaysia or Thailand you will see some familiar features of words and architecture.
VISAS
Please check with your nearest Cambodian embassy (and travel agents for )the latest on visas, currency and other vital facts for your trip because the facts change according to the country where you are starting and the place you are going to within Cambodia - and which website you and I read.
PHONES
Phoning home or phoning for help - or taking photos with your phone. You can buy Sim cards locally. Can be as low as $1.50 or even free.
Maybe you have an old phone you can take with to carry your newly bought Sim card. That way, less risk of losing your new smart phone. In case of loss you have the phone box at home with the number to report the loss. And a phone whose controls are familiar.
You need a passport and visa to get a Sim card.
MONEY
The latest information I saw was that Cambodians take US dollars, although only dollar notes. If you buy something and the price is not an even amount, you will be given the change in local money. (No problem - I love collecting coins - for coin collection, souvenirs. Would I turn small coins into jewellery - him - maybe in a case, not with a hole in the middle because that defaces the coin and I must check I am not piercing the head of a royal or respected person.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, researcher, author and speaker.
I have other posts on Cambodia and worldwide as well as more blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, books on Amazon and Lulu for you to browse or buy.
Please like, follow and share my posts.
No comments:
Post a Comment