I live in Chiang Mai, and was delighted to learn there is a direct CM --> Siam Reap flight. Price: 13,000 baht one-way. THAT is about $420 for a short flight! Hey, my plan was to take my bf along, so let's make that 26,000 just to get to Siam Reap from Chiang Mai.

I decided to return from Phnom Penh to BKK -- 10,000 each one-way. Hm, there's another 20,000 baht. Getting back to Chiang Mai would eat up another 4,000.

Hm! 50,000 baht! $1600 just for the airfare -- we haven't even begin with hotels, restaurants, and shopping! And I was thinking to myself: "You know, I could just about take Aot to EUROPE for that amount of airfare. I mean, I used to buy round-trip tickets from the U.S. to Thailand for $1100!! And Cambodia is right next door!!

It wasn't a tough decision. We went to Bangkok, saw the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (new for him!) and had a grand old time shopping in the shopping capital of the world.

Actually, I had another thought. "Screw the planes, I'll just DRIVE to the border." Hmm, guess what? Cambodia does not allow "private vehicles" into the country.

A long time ago, people said there would be a train from Thailand to Angkor Wat. I guess we're still waiting.

At least they have a miniature Angkhor Wat in Wat Phra Kaew, so we stood in front of that, snapped pictures, and PRETENDED that we had been to the real place! :-)