Day 129 - We had to say goodbye to the blond-tailed squirrels which lived in the trees near our hotel balcony. (That is my own name for them for I never looked up their scientific name.) The trip back to Siem Reap went exactly as expected. We were up, ate, and checked out of the hotel at around 8:00 AM. We got on a baht-bus which went directly past the bus station, so we spent just 20 Thai baht and had tickets in hand by 8:15. The nine o'clock bus boarded fifteen minutes before it left.
The service to the airport is great. Depending on the traffic, it takes less than two hours. We got to Suvarnabhumi early. Checking into Bangkok Air was smooth and quick. We changed money and then headed to the airline's lounge for some free refreshments. There was also an in-flight meal although the journey was only 55 minutes!
We were welcomed back at the airport on 'Smile Day' or something. We waved at the TV cameras, wore the sash which was presented, and posed for the photographer. It was a nice way to be welcomed back into Cambodia for the remainder of our winter away. It felt strangely familiar coming back into Siem Reap. We were only gone for 12 nights and we'd only stayed here for about a month, but it felt a little more like home than during our initial arrival.