Getting to Battambang was relatively straightforward. I asked in the hotel in Siem Reap where to go for minibuses, but they didn’t know, so sent me in the direction of the old market. I didn’t find any minibuses, but found a bus company I had used before, so bought a bus ticket for about an hour’s time.

I got back slightly early and had a conversation in broken English with the daughter of the woman who ran the closest restaurant, who was about 6. She was asking me things like “do I like chickens” (to eat). It turns out she likes chickens, too.

In Battambang I ended up staying in the first hotel I looked at, despite looking at several others.

Whilst in Battambang, I went to look round the old Pepsi factory, which was built in 1960 but stopped production in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge came to power. It is now derelict and owned by a Japanese company, but since being taken over, you’re not meant to look round it. I didn’t know this and spent at least 2 hours there, walking around and taking photos without any problems. The next stop was the old train station, which is also not in use. After walking around here, I was glad to leave as there was too much rubbish and it was clearly a very poor (or under-maintained) area.

Back in Battambang, I spent the remainder of my time figuring out how I was going to get to Thailand, as, technically, you’re meant to have a ticket for onward travel before setting off (and applying for a visa). I didn’t have this, but decided to set off the next day anyway, attempting to get the Tourist Visa Exemption on arrival.