I hate border crossings! Unfortunately it seems Asian border crossings are just as horrible as African. I had been told it wasn’t easy and would be expensive, full of scams and hassle. So although I was expecting it I kinda hoped it would be different.

We have done a fair share of land borders now and I guess I should just accept it is part of travelling but for some reason seeing humans take advantage of others just pisses me off. We are very fortunate we can afford to be scammed/over charged but unfortunately it doesn’t just happen to those who can but also those who really can not afford the extra cost, those having to cross for a real life needs such as health not just for a holiday.

Anyway here is our tail of crossing from Thailand onto Cambodia not dramatic or life changing just flipping annoying and one of those things.

We booked a private transfer with the hope of avoiding as much hassle as possible. It was expensive and I’m not convinced it helped with the actual border but at least for the rest of journey the boys had space and freedom to move around.

The first sign things were not going to be straight forward was when the driver continued past the border crossings we were expecting to cross at. As the driver has very little English it wasn’t possible to ask why.

The border crossing he did take us to (or should I say nearly take us too) was the one which we had been told to avoid. And when I say nearly took us to I mean he stopped at a road side cafe 1km away. Nievly we assumed we were just swapping vechicals but no. Our bags were unloaded and before we could ask what was happening the mini bus drove off. A man came out the cafe and asked for our passports, he continued to tell us that it wasn’t possible to get a visa at the border as it takes 7 days! Total bull shit! When I told him I knew otherwise his story changed to 3 days… then to at the border the police would make it very expensive (which they might have I guess).

We told him we would get our own at the border, rudely he told us that was fine but we had to walk to the border… not possible in the heat with the boys and the bags! As he dam right knew! He had given us no option and he knew it! I might have been tempted if it hadn’t been for the fact he refused to tell us how to find our onwards transfer (which we had already paid for)!

The price he charged was $17.50 over what I knew the visa fee was. We weren’t the only ones being scammed… bus loads of people were having the same argument with various “officials ” around us. Some choose to walk, others gave in as we had. Some arguments got heated and swear words were shouted in anger from both sides. Not an environment I wanted the boys in.

Once the money had been handed over we did receive our visa in 20mins and were guided over the border. They tried to tell us we had to wait till the bus load of people that had just turned up were also ready… I firmly told him no, he had already had scammed us out of money and we had paid for a private transfer. He reluctantly organised us a car to the border and a guide to take us over and show us the car on the other side.

Without the guide we would have never found the onwards transfer. The border was chaos, people everywhere. We did bump into a couple who had choose not walk and get their own visas. They confirmed the price for visa was what we had though it should be but they also confirmed the officials made it very difficult to pay the proper price! Making them wait and finding fines to increase the cost. All in all it sounds like getting over the border without paying over the odds and hassle free is impossible.

I don’t know what the solution is or even if there is one while humans have drawn these imaginary lines allover the world but I was glad to be over and on our way to our accommodation.

The whole trip took 11 hours, we had barley eaten in that time and were all pretty fed up and grumpy by the time we arrived.

Cambodia you better be worth it! I do have high hopes.