180 miles in 9 hours-not exactly record breaking

I just got back from Bangkok this afternoon, and the return trip was a little more enjoyable than the trip there.

Let me try to give you a play by play in understanding the concept of crossing the Cambodia/Thailand border... by foot/van/bus.

-We met at Common Grounds at 7 a.m. for the bus to pick us up... we left around 8:10.... yes, those are correct times.

-We drove approx. 3 kilometers and then stopped again to pick up more people-which took 10 minutes.... for some reason I do not know.

-We drove 35 minutes and then had a bathroom break-that lasted 30 minutes... where everyone got off... did I mention there were people from all countries together on this trip?

-We drove 45 minutes and then got off again... not for sure why???

-Drove 10 minutes to the final border where apparently 2 backpacks was not a great idea... I should have ripped back muscles just from that trip.

-We waited in the departure line which is similar to the Lake Forest Middle School lunch line: sweaty, kind of loud, somewhat smelly, and there is potential for someone to yell at you and not be friendly aka... the lunch lady or passport "specialist".

-We walked about 2 kilometers.... waited in the arrival line...

-Got on a van CRAMMED with all of us + luggage for about 5 kilometers

-Then waited at a restaurant/waiting place/place with a regular toilet for 30 minutes...

-Then got on a small van that barely held our luggage and bodies. I had a small bout with claustrophobia but I recovered. (This is a new thing that has crept into my brain in about the past year-it's super annoying.)

-THEN..... stopped an hour down the road... for a bathroom, I think?

-Pretty sure we stopped again an hour later.... where I got some yummy watermelon. (best part of the day!)

-FINALLY made it to Avana Hotel at 5:15 in Bangkok.

Did I mention there were 16 of us? Khmers and Americans all together! It was truly exhausting. I might have been the only one exhausted, but nevertheless, it's how I felt. My diva mentality is being stripped away every day.

AND also... can you imagine doing that with an 18 month old? One our of PCL Cambodian couples have a precious 18 month old boy and he went as well. I am FLABBERGASTED at how different parenting is here. I am going to save several blogs for that. He never made a peep, cried, or whimpered. And they never complained either... and trust me, there were no carseats, bibs, pacifiers, or readily accessible foods.