Immediately following the border crossing I dealt with several suspicious-looking touts who guided me to a shared truck that was already filling up with passengers. I paid 200 baht to sit in back on the metal railing on the smallish Nissan pickup. After two hours of waiting in the truck to depart, we were ready: they'd packed in 14 adults, 7 kids, several large-sized rice bags, 3 chickens, and a motorcycle. Still, the mood was quite upbeat. I passed Ritz crackers to all the kids, making me the most popular guy in the truck.

Within a few minutes of departure it was obvious the ride was going to be murder. Endless clouds of dust hung over the road even when no cars were visible, the road was just a dirt track, and our drivers were taking their time, stopping at little towns for snacks and smokes - it was going to take more than the promised 4 hours to Siem Reap. 6 hours into the drive a guy started badgering me to pay again - after a while I got rid of him by threatening to go to the police with a picture I'd supposedly taken of the guy I paid earlier. Shortly after that conversation a downpour started. After we had a chance to get thoroughly soaked, a tarp was found to put over us; my arm went numb as I held the flapping tarp at an angle against the wind that would prevent water from getting in. The chickens pecked furiously against my legs, looking for a dry or warm spot underneath.




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