We had a little problem on Day 9 because our coach ride back to Siem Reap was late at night. However, our check-out timing was 2pm, and according to the staff, we had to pay close to a full day's price if we wanted to check out later. Which of course, after some cow sense calculation & reasoning, we decided to find an alternative hotel to just bunk in and take a shower before we took the overnight coach.
In theory, we could hang around at the poolside till evening time, which was open to guests, and since we were guest-ed, we were entitled to do so. However, we wanted a hot shower before torturing ourselves for yet another dreadful coach ride.
In theory, we could hang around at the poolside till evening time, which was open to guests, and since we were guest-ed, we were entitled to do so. However, we wanted a hot shower before torturing ourselves for yet another dreadful coach ride.
Thankfully, we were able to have ourselves a nice decent lunch before checking out. We walked a few shops down, where the Golden Lion Roundabout was, and settled for the Indian Restaurant, or perhaps cafe would be more appropriate, by the name of Alam Sin-ville. Even though we were the only customers, the food actually tasted home-madily delicious. I can't even remember the name of the dishes we ordered, but from the looks of it in the photo, it was probably Masala Chicken and Pita? The reddish curry dish was spicy, yet saliva inducing. Made some small talk with the owner and realised he came from India with his brother to set up the restaurant over at Sihanoukville.
After the meal, my dear wasn't feeling that well still, so she chilled out at the poolside of Reef Resort while I went around the town, looking for a cheap hotel where we could just bunk in for a few hours to wash up before taking the overnight coach ride back to Siem Reap... one which had electricity. The hotel beside us, The Big Easy, was cheap, but the electricity went dead and has been that way for the past 2 nights.
We finally found a decent hotel along the stretch leading to Ochheuteal Beach, Koh Meas II Guesthouse. It wasn't the best, nor the worst, and fit our criteria of a decent hotel even though we only wanted to bunk in for a few more hours - by decent I mean the provision of electricity and warm water for bathing. When we first checked in, the water was cold, and the owner/receptionist told us that the water will be warm at night. When night came, the electricity was still down and the water was still cold! However, it seems that there was a switch to turn the electricity back on and the water to be warm, which they conveniently "forgot" to tell us.
However, since it wasn't too big a deal as we didn't have to stay the night over there, the bad experience was quickly "forgotten", and forgiven.
There's also an open area in the middle of Ochheuteal/Otres Beach where the Dolphins statue is, where they would sell some nice souvenirs at really good prices. That was where we bought a seashell wind-chime, which is still cosily wrapped up in newspapers in my box containing items for our future house.
Witnessing yet another sunset that day, I can only vouch for the gorgeousness of Sihanoukville's sunsets (even though I've only seen 2). It was different than 2 days before, but almost as beautiful when the big ball of fire lowers itself into the horizon. Every moment we looked at it, it seemed to keep morphing into a different feel and visual stunner. The sun never looked that gorgeous here in Singapore.
It was that day, that night which we also met a friendly tourist who struck a conversation with us... randomly, about asking what's nice to eat around (I think?). He asked if we wanted to hang out with him the next day, which I was initially defensive about. But explained to him that we were going back to Siem Reap that night. We later got to know each other better and he was a German Doctor, if my memory still serves me well... Forgot his name though. Nice guy, nice tourists in Cambodia, with not so nice locals.
Though the overnight sleeper coach ride was quite cramped, the seats were fairly cosy. We got on the coach and I recalled waking up a few stops for toilet breaks in the middle of nowhere. But not before long, we were on our way back to Siem Reap...
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