Iberia Airlines Customer Service

I'm doing a lot of research lately to plan for my Europe/African travel. One of the airlines that i might be considered for this trip is the Iberia Airlines.

What i like about this airline is on how they respond to my query through facebook, very very fast. just a few minute after i throw them that message.

See, what is their response as a our future reference:

Chat conversation start SUN 12:26 Hi Iberia Airline. I plan to travel from Madrid to Lisbon using your flight. May i know, can i carry a 60L backpack as a hand carry into the flight as well as a shoulder purse. Thank you

Hello Fara,
As long as your backpack does not exceed the luggage limitations (http://bit.ly/1gF5wPm) you should be able to take it with you and in addition a personal item. Remember your backpack will count as your carry-on luggage.
Regards

See, nice right.

World Visa Requirement For Malaysian

World Visa Requirement For Malaysia

Siam Reap: Part 2 - Angkor Wat - UNESCO World Heritage Site

A chance to visit this ancient city was really a valuable experience to us. Besides, stepping our foot at various places, we also enjoyed and appreciated the knowledge that we could gain from the travelling especially when we visit historic places like the Angkor site.

Basically, the Angkor sites includes many many temples. The most well known temple is the Angkor Wat. Besides, Angkor Wat, other temples are Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, Angkor Thom, Ta Keo and many others.

We spent about 5-6 hours here visiting most of the major temples. If we had more time, sure we will stay another day in Siam Reap and finish our tour. 1 day is not enough. Weather was sooo hot and humid. Both of us got sick once leaving this place.

So, here the map, courtesy from http://traveleatbefree.blogspot.com/2012/07/top-temples-to-see-in-cambodia-part-1.html for easy reference

We started our tour at 5 am. Check out from the lovely hotel very early in the morning and fetch by our   nice tuk tuk driver.

Fee for 1 day tour = USD20

(everything is in USD here)

The ticket counters

Snap some pic for our Angkor Pass

The Angkor Wat, early in the morning. Since, we never did any study before we arrived at Cambodia, we were not aware this was the Angkor Wat. haha.. luckily, we got some time spent and re visited this place before leaving the Angkor site

The Cambodian Government signed restoration and conversion of their temples with various countries. For Angkor Wat, it was with Tokyo. 

So, along the way, we met a lot of Japanese people guided by the Cambodian who speaks Japanese fluently. Really impressive. We thought that we heard a native speaking like that but it was not. Most of the Cambodian make leaving from the tourist business. So, being good at many languages is a must and added advantages. 

Besides, Japanese, we heard the Cambodian assisted the Korean (major tourist), Spanish and English. Really amazed us. 

As told by our tourist guide, this was a long time ago, a Library. There were 2 or 3 libraries build by the ruler. For the royal and high ranking community and for the public

One of the story told by our guide is about how the ruler fight with the bad king with a monkey army who stole the queen or the lady of the ruler. This wall was en crafted with the pics of the rulers fighting with the monkey army.

This is one of the ancient pool. There were a 4 pools within the cloister. Empty.

One of the most visited area in the Angkor Wat Temple. Unfortunately,we were extremely tired and just spent some time around here talking to the guide.

This is our guide. Very fluent in english. better than me.

Another climb. Worth visited.

The guide told us a lot of story about the Angkor and the ancient ruler. But since i am writing this blog 3-4 months after the trip, i cant remember all the details. He talked about how the ruler , Suryavarman II believe himself as a god related to God Vishnu. If i am not mistaken. 

How's temple was built? They engineers at that period utilise the benefit of the nature, river to float the rock to the construction area. And also elephant to pull the stone. The construction began around year 1113. The guide also talked about the war between the Cams and Thais. Can't recall the details. Fortunately, the temples in Cambodia was better preserved than in Thai, Ayuttaya.

Coffee @ Coffee World, Khao San Road

Caffeinated in styles. The only acceptable shop we can had a good coffee, late at night along the Khao San Road.

Other features: Free wifi. Less Crowded since peeps prefer clubs. Air Conditioned.

Tastewise: Average. Cheap coffee. Very light. I would prefer stronger one

Price: Less than 100 Baht. or more or less like many coffee shops in KL

Location: Near McD or KFC. 

Mine is cappuccino and Ms N is the Latte

Overland Border Crossings: Thai-Cambodian

From Bangkok, Thailand -- Aranyaprathet, Thailand -- Poipet, Cambodia --to-- Siam Reap, Cambodia

Crossing the border via road transportation was our biggest and super duper achievement in our travelling diary this year.. both of us, separated by 2 different continents, seldom met, connected via fb and WA, drew up our plan, bought tickets, booked hotels..jumped and just fly.

Since we both love to travel and would prefer visiting many places at one, we decided to take the raya holiday as an opportunity to travel to 2 countries in 1 shot. And Thai - Cambodia was the best option, closest and cheapest..And got 3 UNESCO sites, a must visit place for my travel partner..

We did sort of homework for the cross border plan. Never been this nervous. Read many websites and blogs to find the best way and tips to cross the border safely. 2 girls crossing the land, both we never put our foot on..

Some tips that we can share

1- Take early morning train from Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok
2- Better to overnight at hotel near Chinatown / Hua Lamphong area. Worse case scenario, can just walk to the station from hotel
3- Arrived at Aranyaprathet around 1230 noon, and straightly get a Tuk Tuk to Poipet Border
4- Negotiate the price. It should be around 100 Baht only. I think we paid around 60-70 Baht. And the tuk tuk driver agreed with that offer.
5- Speak clearly- POIPET- and if necessary, shout.
6- The journey took less than 15 minutes via a main road. If it is not a main road, then ur being scammed.
7- tuk tuk might take u to some "CUSTOMS OFFICE/AGENTS" for VISA etc. DON'T GO, DON'T AGREE. DON'T FOLLOW. Go straight to Customs / Immigration Office at the border itself. For Malaysian, NO VISA required. just stamp your passport at the border (once in Thai's and once in Cambodia's)
8- Step from the tuk tuk, pick ur bag, hold tightly, say no to all the HELPERS and walk as fast as you can to  the office. Follow the sign. (pic below)
9- Queue at the Customs/Immigration area and make sure you did not lost your entrance card when you firstly arrived at Bangkok. You need to present the card when you're leaving Thai also. (the white card)

  Pic below taken when we arrived at the Customs/Immigration Office (Thai - Cambodia)

Can't take pic inside the immigration area. Once you're cleared, walked across the landmark below. and WALK FASTER. as fast as you can.

You'll be approached by some local guy claiming that they are some government staff, willing to help u across the border. DON'T STOP. DON'T LISTEN. JUST WALK or RUN until you reached the CUSTOMs of Cambodia

   Walking distance from Thai's office to Cambodia's = 200 m. There is a hotel in between. Lot of local and foreigner. So, just walk.

Got our passport stamp. No scam so far.

Leave the office.

Take the Government bus (which is free) to the international bus station. Please take note. It does not look international at all. Just a normal station bus.

Leave the bus. And get a ticket to Siam Reap at the Counter nearby. Plenty options available:
1- By Bus (USD9) - open to scam - too many people in one ride - u might not reach Siam Reap on time
2- By Taxi (USD40 per cab or around that - quiet expensive but the fastest way. Just make sure u have enough buddies to chip in the taxi fare
3- By Mini Van (USD10 each) - reasonable and not so bad journey. It took us about 2 hours. with a van full with Italiano, Spanish hot guys.

 Pretty straight and boring journey. But arrived in Siam Reap, safe and sound.

Discovery Indo China (Bangkok-Siam Reap-Phnom Penh)

Simple Itinerary of our 5 days 4 nights backpack journey across the overland. 
Period: 16 Aug - 20 Aug 2013

LCCT, Sepang
Overnight at LCCT, Tune Hotel.
Took charter van to LCCT early in the morning, around 4.45am.

Bangkok, Thailand

1^st day

LCCT to Bangkok airport = 645 am

Arrived at Bangkok airport – 845am

Airport to hotel by taxi – ½ hour, 9.15am

Hotel at Chinatown – check in around 930am (booked through Agoda)

Heading to Ayuthaya (unesco heritage site) around 11.00 am (we hire local agent, they drive us they) max for 1 car is 4. U can get a cheaper package at khao san road.. it’s a backpacker area where mat Salleh stay

Reached ayuthaya around 12 pm

Visit the temple for 2-3 hours

Back to hotel = around 330pm

Rest and clean up

Take tuk-tuk and tour the city and walk along the chao praya river = 4pm – 6pm (u can cruise along the river also, many amazing temple)

6pm heading to MBK mall / shopping centre 

Had dinner at Yana restaurant.. in front yana restaurant got food court and some stall sell halal food

Shopping at MBK

10 pm head to khao san road.. (night market)

11pm back to hotel with tuktuk

Tips – Taxi price is quiet reasonable. so, better take taxi than tuktuk

2^nd day

Morning – breakfast at hotel

10 am – head to taling chan floating market – close to Bangkok and chao praya river

1 pm – head to chatucak.. until 5pm

After 5pm – head to MBK mall for dinner at Yana restaurant and do some shopping

Night – back to hotel, ready for a long journey to Cambodia

3^rd day 

4am – subuh at hua lamphong station – near to china town area

6amTake 3rd class train to border of thai - cambodia, aranyapratthet.
12.30pm From Aranyapratthet train station, take tuktuk to the Customs / Immigration Office
Stamp our passport and walk for about 200 m to Poipet, Cambodia area - location of the Cambodia Customs
Take government bus to international bus station
Take van to Siam Reap (2 hours hourney) 
Arrived at Siam Reap / guide office around 4pm. Negotiated the package before heading to hotel.
Reached our hotel at the Siam Reap town 
Clean up and ready for dinner
6pm - Tuk tuk takes us to D'Wau Restaurant
8pm - Night market, Old market, Pub Street
8.30pm - get a massage at the night market area
10pm - get back to hotel

4th day
5am - early in the morning, tuk tuk take us to Angkor Wat (Unesco Heritage area)
Spent half day in that site
12.30pm - leaving for lunch time at D'Wau
2pm - Heading to Tonle Sap (Unesco Heritage Site)
3pm - 4pm - spent about an hour at Tonle Sap, Crocodile pond and fish pond
4pm - Tuktuk takes us to Siam Reap International Airport
8pm - flight to Phnom Penh
10pm - Arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport
Take taxi to Hotel.

5th day
Breakfast at hotel
Walk to Old market
Take tuktuk to the riverside, chill
Had a coffee at Costa Coffee
Back to hotel and pack
Lunch at KFC
Take tuktuk to take us tour the city in 2 hours
Tuk tuk takes us to Airport around 2pm
Flight to KL around 4pm
Reached LCCT around 7pm
Drive back to Rawang

For details, please read the rest in the dedicated article. have fun