So after the crazy train from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet, Thailand border to Cambodia, for only 48B, I arrived two hours late and had only ten minutes to get a visa on arrival and make it through the border before 8pm. I walked through while getting hassled to get a taxi, take a tuk tuk, buy drugs, buy cigarettes, and all of the sudden this beautiful Cambodian girl with her daughter asked me if I wanted to go to phnom penh. I said sure and hoped in the bus forgetting about that I didn't have money and the girls sister, Ratha Ngreen, said it would be ok and that they would take care of it. I felt pretty bad but got to Phnom Penh half awake at 3am not knowing where to stay and was pretty scared of the dirty streets filled with motorbike taxi dudes and tuk tuks yelling at me. I luckily found a nice hotel, air con, 13us/night and woke up the next morning to meeting a Brazilian stud, Cesar Augusto, asking me if I wanted to join in on a full tour of the city and I was like two direct peeps in 24 hours is a good sign. We went everywhere from killing fields of sadness and me shedding a few tears, city temple, wat phnom, and a few markets before heading to the city mall for some all you can eat buffet style shabu shabu for only 7.8us. The food was great and freshly prepared by yourself right in front of you. Stuffed. We then went out to soya garden and danced the night away with two beautiful local Cambodian women. I then woke up and headed to a hostel near the Vietnam embassy to get a 30 day 60us costing visa. I hung for a day and relaxed while saying goodbye to Cesar. I then woke up early and headed off to Siem Reap, via 7us dollar bus, to check out some temples and the city of course. I arrived in the day and luckily got hassled really hard about getting a tuk tuk or ride from a motorbike which I refused by saying otday otgone, no thank you in Khmer. I walked around for a bit before finding a hotel that only cost 6us/night and the general Cambodian manger took me out on the town on his motorbike with a friend on it too making three people total on a 1978 scooter. We had a blast going out to all the local hotspot restaurants and bars. I then woke up and set out to the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and all the temples that where all differently amazing. I had a blast and the tuk tuk driver wanted to see if I wanted to play volleyball with him and his buddies which I thought would've been a blast but I wanted to see the night markets so I kindly declined and gave him 14us for all the nice things he told me about the temples and all the history. Beware ever going there and just walking around because people will come up to you and start explaining history and then expect to get 5us out of you. Otday otgone. After that I cruised around the city and got some food, fried rice for 1.75, then headed back to the hotel to sleep before my 730am 7us bus back to Phnom Penh. I got there and headed over to the hostel I stayed at before, white rabbit 4us/night w/fan, and they where all booked so I headed over to blue dog hostel down the street for 5us/night, shittier than white rabbit but got to beat the managers ass in chess for 2x1.5Ltrs. of water. Stayed the night and then hoped on a bus to Ho Chi Minh which is where I'm at now.
Some thoughts...
You'll find me sitting at the top of a temple that has four open doorways facing North, East, South, and West. I look out and imagine which heading will take me the farthest. I realize that it's not about distance outwards but the distance you take inwards and the realization of who you are in this body you have. I climb down and am left with a new door unlocked and opened to endless imagination.
Bye for now...
