Trip to Cambodia-- Phnom Penh, Part 1

Lunar New Year, the halfway point (nearly) of my contract! I had been looking forward to this trip to Southeast Asia since I found out the dates of available vacation time (and that I wasn't, contrary to the assumptions of all teachers here, able to just choose when I would go) and the plans were in the works! My plan left Incheon at 11pm, so I went home and dumped my work stuff, baked some no-sugar, hemp protein pumped banana bread and headed to the airport.

On the longer flight to Malaysia (all Air Asia trips are routed through there), I had planned to sleep, and did for a bit but the plane was super bright for a lot of the trip and everyone else seemed to be awake. I was sitting near a Russian family, so I was trying to eavesdrop and decipher their conversation in between naps. Oh, the exciting travelling I do.

Landed in Malaysia at 5 something in the A.M., and walked through their super low security airport, found a Starbucks--it didn't have chai in any form WTF?--the heavens opened and I grabbed a latte. For whatever reason, the woman checking passports in the line I was in, was super slow and five people in the longer line would pass by the time she opened the book of one person in ours. Whatev's. I got on the plane to Phnom Penh on time. On this shorter leg, I sat next to a couple of Aussies on their first trip abroad--they were 17 and pretty cool.

We landed at 7 or 8am--I felt like it was closer to 3pm, and I parted ways with my plane buddies. Despite Phnom Penh being the capital of Cambodia, its airport is super tiny--not many tourists hit up this city. I was picked up by a driver from the Le Biz Hotel (Wendy graciously made the hotel arrangements ^_^, so I was already pumped because I wasn't going to have to deal with potential hostel drama--rare as it is) and relaxed into the beauty of the surrounding area.

Then we hit the city. Holy crap. The traffic! It seems there are no rules in Cambodia with driving, but I still feel safer than in Korea because folks drive much slower and will stop if someone doesn't seem to be paying attention (more on that later). So many motorbikes and tuk-tuks (a motorcycle with a 4 person trailer on the back)! It was a sea of people and pollution. The skies were blue, the air was warm and everyone was beautifully brown. I felt like I was home.

I got to the Le Biz and they were touching up the breakfast spread, and they had an espresso machine! Oh the joy! After settling in, showering of the travel funk (in the simultaneously future and aggravatingly not separated from the rest of the bathroom shower with voyeur window), and doing a quick taking of the room, I went down stairs for coffee, fruit and baguette. I didn't need a parka. I didn't need thermals. I didn't need long sleeves. It was 80* at least. So nice, when I left Korea it was just below freezing. I sat outside in a skirt and tee shirt! Checked my Facebook and email using my iPhone and the hotel's wifi and waited to set out and collect Wendy that afternoon.

Phnom Penh seems most comparable to a touristy city in Mexico, lots of street vendors selling food, trinkets and such. Buildings not quite up to any code, teeming with life, clothing out to dry, cars and noise everywhere. I wondered around the area by my hotel, immediately felt that this area wasn't as safe as Korea but that I would be okay in the daylight. There were monks in saffron robes with yellow umbrellas weaving through the traffic of the streets to go pray and beg for food or money at the hotel and surrounding restaurants. There were several auto repair shops in the area, and lots of bakeries but nothing really worth checking out, so I went home after wondering down an alley that had tiny stands and shops. I accidentally walked through some sort of Buddhist (I'm assuming) ceremony (there were monks sitting on one side of the alley and a restaurant on the other with people folding fabric while others watched--I hope I didn't ruin a wedding).

I napped for a bit after working out in the room, then headed out to the airport to meet up with Wendy.

Wendy had had quite a trip already, and was telling me all about her adventures through Laos and Thailand--it all sounded pretty cool, and I'm hoping to be able to experience the massages and food of Thailand come August. ^_^ The hospitality of Thailand sounds like something I'll really enjoy, and other vegans have told me that Thailand is one of the easiest places to be vegan in the world.

We got back to the hotel and made a plan to take in the Apsara dance show after dinner, so we set out to find the recommended restaurants by the Mekong river. We couldn't find the restaurants that were on the map (later during the trip we did, but it turns out our tuk-tuk driver didn't know where anything was) so we just went to this huge restaurant on the side by the river with an extensive menu. I handed over the list of things I don't eat and they said "no problem," then brought out spring rolls with shrimp in them. Grr, shrimp was on the list. They switched them out (or removed the shrimp, I don't know) and Wendy and I dove in. The food was okay, the wine was alright but the company made the meal!

After eating, we flagged down a tuk-tuk and tried to get a ride to the Apsara Dance Academy touted as amazing in Lonely Planet, but unknown by any of the people at the hotel as well as this tuk-tuk driver. He didn't tell us he didn't know, he just drove around asking everyone for directions. It ended up being too late for the show anyway, so we went back to the hotel (or maybe this was the night we tried to find the live music, but I think the music search happened the next night or later).

So far, not the best tourist experience, but it was warm and I had a familiar face near me! I was enjoying myself despite the hiccups.