Phnom Penh International Airport Arrival
Arrived!
Suostei Cambodia! Susadei Phnom Penh! Nice seeing you again! Oh wow you have changed for the best! I silently said all of those, after what I have seen from the air!
This place has a very special place in my memory and in my heart, for I have seen it in its 'backward past' or should I say its 'lagging-behind-all-of-ASEAN-situation' then.
Let's continue my arrival encounters from the last story.
A modern airport terminal compared to what this was that I saw in the 1990s.
Airport personnel are not anymore sloppily dressed in khaki airbase-like uniforms!
Those folks down there were having a briefing (I'm sure of that). They're surely part of the ground servicing crew (cleaning, etc.) waiting for their cue to step into action.
When will that "action" be? When all of us passengers have already disembarked.
Look at my fellow passengers. Happy to note that the world has started pouring in!
Some of them came from Doha, some of them (like me) joined this flight in Saigon. But hard to tell 'which ones are which' - because I was late at the check-in counters!
If I had more transit time, those that I'd have seen at check-in, were the ones joining this Qatar Airways flight from SGN. Those from Doha I'd have only seen at boarding.
Anyway, while still at the gangway, I took a photo of the outside, especially the roof.
And I told me, myself, and I... no doubt, that is a lotus flower in the building's design.
Good arrival concourse leading to their immigration and baggage claim areas.
I got curious who goes down and who goes straight. No one to ask for that info. So, I just assumed that during peak times both sections are used. Good "back-up" plan!
It's still great down at the baggage claim area. International standards, I must say!
I am saying all those because, Pochentong International Airport was never like this!
Oh did you know that? Yep, in the past this was Pochentong International Airport. In 1999 or 2000, when this building was built they changed the name to what it is now.
Yes, Phnom Penh International Airport in Pochentong District.
And I got my bag ahead of many, because I was last to check-in! Shhh, ganun yan!
Not that I did that on purpose, but becuse I was last at check-in (almost didn't catch this flight, remember?), my bag was also last to be loaded - maybe by bulk doorway!
So natural, pagbukas nila, bag ko unang nakita at ipinadala dyan sa carousel!
Let's go to the lobby and look for my ride to the city.
My hotel in Phnom Penh has a free airport shuttle. Toyoko Inn. Mura'g sa JMall diha sa Mandaue! They don't have desks or kiosks at airports so I went out looking for it.
It helped that I recalled my Cebu experience. When I called the hotel, they told me to wait in front of 7-Eleven, I should see a staff in Toyoko Inn uniform - with signboard.
So I called Toyoko Inn Cambodia, they told me to just sit by the Angkor Wat Statue, I should see a staff in Toyoko Inn uniform, with signboard. So I did. Masunuring bata!
I sat on that circular base of the statue (yun sabi eh). Wala pa. So I people-watched!
Parang sa atin! Daming tao waiting for passengers. But here, madaming foreigners.
The Toyoko guy eventually came (he's also the driver). But he told me to wait about 10 minutes more as another pax was arriving on another flight. Smoking time. Yes!
Ayun sya, the guy in white Toyoko Inn shirt, at left, waiting for the other passenger.
Smoking area is just right across the arrival lobby. But as I stood there, I saw that to our right (left of arrival area), is the departure area. So I went there for the photo-op!
On this last photo, I was in front of the departure area entrance, and that far edge of the building is the arrival area. Similar layout to many of our provincial airports, 'no?!
Look at the left edge of that photo again. Few steps left is the 'airport train station'!
Alright, I do not know how many minutes passed, I was still enjoying looking around but the other passenger already arrived, and the driver waved at me. So sige na nga!
We boarded the Toyoko Inn Shuttle (van), just two of us passengers, and I was a bit interestedly fascinatedly surprised, Mr. Driver went to that automated booth, to pay!
O di ba? Parang wala pang ganyan sa ating mga parking areas - whether at airports or malls. Meron ba? I have not experienced that! I looked around, my neck 'spinned'!
There are many of those booths everywhere in the airport's parking area. Ay, ako pa! When driver returned, I asked him hahaha. And he said "Svay Card". I said "oh okay"!
"Oh okay" daw o! Kunwari alam ang mga ganyan heheh! Syempre, hinugot agad ang talepano at nag-search. Ah okay, Svay Card nga, at wala nga nyan sa ating Pilipinas!
Magaling! Mahusay! Samantalang noong last ako napadpad dito (early 90s na yun), ang airport na ito eh, parang lumang Bacolod Airport lang - yung nasa Goldenfields!
Umandar nanaman ang talepano ko: "Hello Mr. Ang, maglagay ka rin ng Svay Card"!
Hehehe, but that, was something new I just learned. Happy na ako!
So okay, we were finally leaving the airport, and I was able to take this "snapshot".
Snapshot not only of the arrival and parking areas, but a snapshot at how Cambodia treats vehicles. Whether it is at the airport or Royal Palace, they do not discriminate.
Look. Me tuktuk, bisikleta, bus and everything (walang habal-habal in that shot - but yes they also have those). All vehicle-types are allowed in their airports, but all must follow traffic regulations, na hindi discriminatory as to what kind of vehicle they are.
Sa atin? Remember my story of an arriving teacher in Cebu, where her husband was already a few meters, pero itinaboy ng guard dahil bawal daw ang motorsiklo? Why?
Look, a tuktuk, just like other vehicles paying toll and exiting the airport compound.
Mind you nga pala, since we have that picture, toll collectors don't have the privilege of booths. At the international airport na yan ha? At, mas mainit di hamak sa kanila!
Here's more, a "waiting line" for tuktuks - only 50 meters away from the arrival area.
And what is that attractive gate? The VIP Parking Area. Mas malayo di hamak kesa public parking areas. But I think I do understand the 'intelligent logic' why that is so.
So I arrived. Let's roam around the city.
That's next!
Suostei Cambodia! Susadei Phnom Penh! Nice seeing you again! Oh wow you have changed for the best! I silently said all of those, after what I have seen from the air!
This place has a very special place in my memory and in my heart, for I have seen it in its 'backward past' or should I say its 'lagging-behind-all-of-ASEAN-situation' then.
Let's continue my arrival encounters from the last story.
A modern airport terminal compared to what this was that I saw in the 1990s.
Airport personnel are not anymore sloppily dressed in khaki airbase-like uniforms!
When will that "action" be? When all of us passengers have already disembarked.
Look at my fellow passengers. Happy to note that the world has started pouring in!
If I had more transit time, those that I'd have seen at check-in, were the ones joining this Qatar Airways flight from SGN. Those from Doha I'd have only seen at boarding.
Anyway, while still at the gangway, I took a photo of the outside, especially the roof.
Good arrival concourse leading to their immigration and baggage claim areas.
It's still great down at the baggage claim area. International standards, I must say!
Oh did you know that? Yep, in the past this was Pochentong International Airport. In 1999 or 2000, when this building was built they changed the name to what it is now.
Yes, Phnom Penh International Airport in Pochentong District.
And I got my bag ahead of many, because I was last to check-in! Shhh, ganun yan!
So natural, pagbukas nila, bag ko unang nakita at ipinadala dyan sa carousel!
Let's go to the lobby and look for my ride to the city.
My hotel in Phnom Penh has a free airport shuttle. Toyoko Inn. Mura'g sa JMall diha sa Mandaue! They don't have desks or kiosks at airports so I went out looking for it.
So I called Toyoko Inn Cambodia, they told me to just sit by the Angkor Wat Statue, I should see a staff in Toyoko Inn uniform, with signboard. So I did. Masunuring bata!
Parang sa atin! Daming tao waiting for passengers. But here, madaming foreigners.
The Toyoko guy eventually came (he's also the driver). But he told me to wait about 10 minutes more as another pax was arriving on another flight. Smoking time. Yes!
Smoking area is just right across the arrival lobby. But as I stood there, I saw that to our right (left of arrival area), is the departure area. So I went there for the photo-op!
Look at the left edge of that photo again. Few steps left is the 'airport train station'!
Alright, I do not know how many minutes passed, I was still enjoying looking around but the other passenger already arrived, and the driver waved at me. So sige na nga!
We boarded the Toyoko Inn Shuttle (van), just two of us passengers, and I was a bit interestedly fascinatedly surprised, Mr. Driver went to that automated booth, to pay!
There are many of those booths everywhere in the airport's parking area. Ay, ako pa! When driver returned, I asked him hahaha. And he said "Svay Card". I said "oh okay"!
"Oh okay" daw o! Kunwari alam ang mga ganyan heheh! Syempre, hinugot agad ang talepano at nag-search. Ah okay, Svay Card nga, at wala nga nyan sa ating Pilipinas!
Magaling! Mahusay! Samantalang noong last ako napadpad dito (early 90s na yun), ang airport na ito eh, parang lumang Bacolod Airport lang - yung nasa Goldenfields!
Umandar nanaman ang talepano ko: "Hello Mr. Ang, maglagay ka rin ng Svay Card"!
Hehehe, but that, was something new I just learned. Happy na ako!
So okay, we were finally leaving the airport, and I was able to take this "snapshot".
Look. Me tuktuk, bisikleta, bus and everything (walang habal-habal in that shot - but yes they also have those). All vehicle-types are allowed in their airports, but all must follow traffic regulations, na hindi discriminatory as to what kind of vehicle they are.
Sa atin? Remember my story of an arriving teacher in Cebu, where her husband was already a few meters, pero itinaboy ng guard dahil bawal daw ang motorsiklo? Why?
Look, a tuktuk, just like other vehicles paying toll and exiting the airport compound.
Here's more, a "waiting line" for tuktuks - only 50 meters away from the arrival area.
So I arrived. Let's roam around the city.
That's next!
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