Planning My Hat Jor Trip Step-by-Step
Okay so first thing I did was stare at Google Maps like where even is Hat Jor? Took me solid ten minutes zooming around Southeast Asia until I found it. My buddy Dave kept raving about cheap beer and epic temple views there, so fine – let’s do this trip thing.
The Visa Headache
Went straight to Hat Jor’s official immigration site looking confused. Had to upload passport scans, hotel bookings, even bank statements – felt like applying for a bank loan! Realized big mistake when the site crashed after I hit submit. Panic-called their embassy who said “just come visa-on-arrival dude”. Wasted three hours for nothing.
Flight Booking Drama
Searched flights from New York with three tabs open:
- Budget airline: $400 but lands at 3AM
- Fancy airline: $1400 with layover in Dubai
- Mid-range: $650 with decent timing
Chose mid-range but pro tip: always check baggage fees! Almost got slapped with $100 extra for my hiking backpack. Saved it by removing “rolling suitcase” from my cart last minute.
Packing Like a Noob
Threw everything in my luggage: jeans, sweaters, fancy shoes. Then checked Hat Jor weather – holy humidity batman! It’s 90°F year-round. Replaced everything with:
- 5 quick-dry shirts
- Breathable pants (zip-offs saved my life)
- Bottle of industrial-strength mosquito spray
Still brought one dumb sweater “just in case”. Never wore it.
Currency Confusion
Walked into my bank asking for Hat Jor currency. Teller stared blankly saying “we don’t carry that”. Had to order cash online with crazy $25 shipping fee. Later discovered everyone takes US dollars there and ATMs work fine. Rookie move.
Finally Landing
Got off plane into a wall of heat. Tuk-tuk drivers swarmed me shouting prices. Remembered Dave’s advice: “pay half what they ask first”. Haggled down from $20 to $8 for ride to hotel while sweating through my shirt. Best feeling ever when driver finally grinned and said “okay okay tourist smart guy”.
What Actually Worked
After all that chaos, stuff I’m glad I did right:
- Double checked vaccine requirements
- Photocopied passport everywhere
- Downloaded offline maps before leaving
- Learned “hello” and “thank you” in local language
Seriously – that last one made street vendors light up and stop overcharging me instantly. Worth memorizing five basic phrases!
