Jump to content

Travel Thread


vaportrailer
 Share

Recommended Posts

When I travel, I tend to get songs, or bits of songs, stuck in my head, sometimes suggested by something I've seen or heard, sometimes for no apparent reason at all.

One of my recent "loops" has been the Rush lyric:

"The point of the journey is not to arrive. Anything can happen."

 

I'm not one to quote NP, but that's a pretty good line.

 

Right now I have Plastic Bertrand stuck in my head. Must exorcise this now.

Traveling in Southeast Asian CITIES makes me think of these lyrics:

 

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nancysinatra/thesebootsaremadeforwalkin.html

 

I've got Full Metal Jacket to thank for that.

 

I'll keep messin' where I shouldn't be messin'! :D

Patpong!

 

Ha! I think the messin' in Phnom Penh is more my style (less novelty insertions).

One thing's for sure, there will be plenty of walkin'!

The hotel we're in now is decorated with scenes from the Ramayana, and lots of art involving boobs.

Two thumbs up! (Sorry)

:D

Phnom Penh is certainly an interesting place but you just can't shake some of the depressing historical sites. Still though, I'd like to go back and explore more.

 

Yeah, I found that my first time there. So much intense history to confront. Our second visit was a little easier on the head, and last year's trip was fun fun fun, despite another visit to S-21 (a school that was converted into essentially a chamber of horrors).

There is a great youthful energy in PP, probably due to the fact that the majority of the population are young people.

(Due to the Khmer Rouge basically wiping out an entire generation.)

I really enjoyed walking around the parks in the evening and seeing the locals playing games, exercising, eating, and just hanging out with their families and friends. The architecture and old buildings are also really interesting.

And Khmer ladies are extremely easy on the eyes! ;)

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I travel, I tend to get songs, or bits of songs, stuck in my head, sometimes suggested by something I've seen or heard, sometimes for no apparent reason at all.

One of my recent "loops" has been the Rush lyric:

"The point of the journey is not to arrive. Anything can happen."

 

I'm not one to quote NP, but that's a pretty good line.

 

Right now I have Plastic Bertrand stuck in my head. Must exorcise this now.

Traveling in Southeast Asian CITIES makes me think of these lyrics:

 

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nancysinatra/thesebootsaremadeforwalkin.html

 

I've got Full Metal Jacket to thank for that.

 

I'll keep messin' where I shouldn't be messin'! :D

Patpong!

 

Ha! I think the messin' in Phnom Penh is more my style (less novelty insertions).

One thing's for sure, there will be plenty of walkin'!

The hotel we're in now is decorated with scenes from the Ramayana, and lots of art involving boobs.

Two thumbs up! (Sorry)

:D

Phnom Penh is certainly an interesting place but you just can't shake some of the depressing historical sites. Still though, I'd like to go back and explore more.

 

Yeah, I found that my first time there. So much intense history to confront. Our second visit was a little easier on the head, and last year's trip was fun fun fun, despite another visit to S-21 (a school that was converted into essentially a chamber of horrors).

There is a great youthful energy in PP, probably due to the fact that the majority of the population are young people.

(Due to the Khmer Rouge basically wiping out an entire generation.)

I really enjoyed walking around the parks in the evening and seeing the locals playing games, exercising, eating, and just hanging out with their families and friends. The architecture and old buildings are also really interesting.

And Khmer ladies are extremely easy on the eyes! ;)

Yeah, my time there was pretty short (maybe just 2 days) as the rest of our trip was spent at Angkor Wat and in Saigon. But I did go to S-21 + the Killing Fields and hit up a couple of bars in the evening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of this is oversimplified, some isn't.

 

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/9214256

 

The main thing though is that many just don't have it in their mind to travel. They never grew up with it or they think it's just something unattainable.

Hell, I might take noticeable time off work or take a work break entirely and travel seriously this year

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of this is oversimplified, some isn't.

 

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/9214256

 

The main thing though is that many just don't have it in their mind to travel. They never grew up with it or they think it's just something unattainable.

Hell, I might take noticeable time off work or take a work break entirely and travel seriously this year

Cool. Where to?

 

2004 will probably always be my biggest year of travel. 6 trips--Philippines, Okinawa, Hong Kong, Singapore/Spain (odd combo but that was my route from Japan so I made the most out of 17 hour layover), Seoul, and Florida.

Anyone that knows me knows that I'm not rich. So I managed to get all of that in without actually being a tightwad. I was just patient and smart with flights & planning and very lucky with accommodations with half of those spots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello from Phnom Penh!

It's sweltering here and I'm relaxed and loving it.

Flew in from southern Thailand yesterday evening. The beach across the street from our hotel there was wonderful. Swam and floated it every day. Watched the sun set one evening from a floating position. Absolutely amazing.

Interestingly enough, a large number of Swedes were vacationing there. Strange to see all the blonde heads!

Reggae/rasta bars are easy to find, although their wares are pricy and quality dicey. Still, for the novelty of it, it was a highly entertaining experience.

 

PP has been fun so far. This morning I went for a walk and happened across a beggar playing traditional music on a 2-string coconut shell fiddle. A rich, vocal sound.

Picked up a couple books in 2nd hand and bootleg book shop. Many books sold here are decent looking photocopies of the real thing for a fraction of the price. They even have photocopied guidebooks!

In their travel section they had a copy of NP's "Masked Rider" for 5$ (not a photocopy).

Murakami seems to be the most photocopied author.

 

Tonight I might go see a Thai horror movie in an old theatre just down the street. I don't know a word of Thai, but I bet there will be fried things on sticks, and a smoking section!

:smoke:

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello from Phnom Penh!

It's sweltering here and I'm relaxed and loving it.

Flew in from southern Thailand yesterday evening. The beach across the street from our hotel there was wonderful. Swam and floated it every day. Watched the sun set one evening from a floating position. Absolutely amazing.

Interestingly enough, a large number of Swedes were vacationing there. Strange to see all the blonde heads!

Reggae/rasta bars are easy to find, although their wares are pricy and quality dicey. Still, for the novelty of it, it was a highly entertaining experience.

 

PP has been fun so far. This morning I went for a walk and happened across a beggar playing traditional music on a 2-string coconut shell fiddle. A rich, vocal sound.

Picked up a couple books in 2nd hand and bootleg book shop. Many books sold here are decent looking photocopies of the real thing for a fraction of the price. They even have photocopied guidebooks!

In their travel section they had a copy of NP's "Masked Rider" for 5$ (not a photocopy).

Murakami seems to be the most photocopied author.

 

Tonight I might go see a Thai horror movie in an old theatre just down the street. I don't know a word of Thai, but I bet there will be fried things on sticks, and a smoking section!

:smoke:

Cool :smoke:

Everything in this post just screams "Southeast Asia".

The only things missing are the beckonings from tuk tuk drivers and prostitutes.

 

This may be an odd thing to mention but at S-21 I remember dozens of bats of various sizes in the stairwells in particular. Just remembering

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello from Phnom Penh!

It's sweltering here and I'm relaxed and loving it.

Flew in from southern Thailand yesterday evening. The beach across the street from our hotel there was wonderful. Swam and floated it every day. Watched the sun set one evening from a floating position. Absolutely amazing.

Interestingly enough, a large number of Swedes were vacationing there. Strange to see all the blonde heads!

Reggae/rasta bars are easy to find, although their wares are pricy and quality dicey. Still, for the novelty of it, it was a highly entertaining experience.

 

PP has been fun so far. This morning I went for a walk and happened across a beggar playing traditional music on a 2-string coconut shell fiddle. A rich, vocal sound.

Picked up a couple books in 2nd hand and bootleg book shop. Many books sold here are decent looking photocopies of the real thing for a fraction of the price. They even have photocopied guidebooks!

In their travel section they had a copy of NP's "Masked Rider" for 5$ (not a photocopy).

Murakami seems to be the most photocopied author.

 

Tonight I might go see a Thai horror movie in an old theatre just down the street. I don't know a word of Thai, but I bet there will be fried things on sticks, and a smoking section!

:smoke:

Cool :smoke:

Everything in this post just screams "Southeast Asia".

The only things missing are the beckonings from tuk tuk drivers and prostitutes.

 

This may be an odd thing to mention but at S-21 I remember dozens of bats of various sizes in the stairwells in particular. Just remembering

 

re: tuktuk drivers and prostitutes, both can still be found here, patiently calling out "hey mister" at every passing tourist.

 

Tuktuk drivers are usually pretty relaxed and good sources of information. I can't bring myself to bargain too hard with a guy who sleeps in his tuktuk and has never had a day off. Call me soft-hearted or soft-headed.

Prostitutes are also pretty relaxed except for the ones that aren't, and are good sources of sores and other friendly infections, and can be found pretty much everywhere. There's a 12000 riel massage place around the corner from here. That's approximately 3 dollars U.S.

 

S-21 is also around the corner, but a different one. Walked past it this evening after sunset, and it was surreal, creepy, and awful to see it there surrounded by razor wire and full of ghosts. I've been there twice before and probably will go again. The rooms full of the photographs are the worst. All those eyes asking "Why are you doing this to me?".

(S-21 was a school that was turned into a jail under the Khmer Rouge. Thousands and thousands of people were sent there, and only 15 made it out alive. Many were taken out to an infamous 'killing field' on the outskirts of the city. The Khmer Rouge kept meticulous records of these prisoners, and have photographs of their victims, taken before or after "interrogation". A harrowing place to visit, and the true heart of darkness.)

 

Whoa, I harshed my mellow.

Anyhow, it's all part of this new 'hood that I've taken residence in. It's actually a cool little neighbourhood, with lots of restaurants, shops, and of course prostitutes and tuktuks! Could make a bad joke about, as a westerner, which one's harder to get into, but not really worth it.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still in Phnom Penh, and still loving it.

I keep thinking "hmm, maybe I should head out of the city for a couple of days" but all needs seemed to be fulfilled here.

Getting some work done too, which I was concerned about. Had several epic walks, and more delicious food.

Had Khmer grilled chicken last night that came with the most delicious black pepper dipping sauce. My god it was good.

Washed it down with a tasty banana shake, and then checked out another interesting 2nd hand book store.

In their biography section, they had NPs "Roadshow" book (hardcover). Weird to find 2 NP books in 2 different 2nd hand bookstores here! Picked up 2 more books to add to the pile on my nightstand.

 

Return to Canada scenario:

 

Customs Officer: Do you have anything to declare?

Me: Just a few books, couple of DVDs.

CO: But it says here that you've been away for a month.

Me: Yeah, but I spent most of my money on tuktuks and prostitutes.

CO: Gonna have to check your luggage sir.

Me: But there are no tuktuks or prostitutes in there. Not enough room.

CO: All right wise guy, drop your trousers.

Me: Not again!

 

Walking here is pretty reasonable, despite the heat and oft-times insane traffic.

To cross the road here, you have to keep your eyes to the front, both sides, and behind you, as motorcycles are coming from all directions. And always assume that someone is going to turn directly in front of you, or is going to emerge from the alleyway that you're passing. It's pretty wild crossing some of the main roads here! Never a dull moment!

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still in Phnom Penh, and still loving it.

I keep thinking "hmm, maybe I should head out of the city for a couple of days" but all needs seemed to be fulfilled here.

Getting some work done too, which I was concerned about. Had several epic walks, and more delicious food.

Had Khmer grilled chicken last night that came with the most delicious black pepper dipping sauce. My god it was good.

Washed it down with a tasty banana shake, and then checked out another interesting 2nd hand book store.

In their biography section, they had NPs "Roadshow" book (hardcover). Weird to find 2 NP books in 2 different 2nd hand bookstores here! Picked up 2 more books to add to the pile on my nightstand.

 

Return to Canada scenario:

 

Customs Officer: Do you have anything to declare?

Me: Just a few books, couple of DVDs.

CO: But it says here that you've been away for a month.

Me: Yeah, but I spent most of my money on tuktuks and prostitutes.

CO: Gonna have to check your luggage sir.

Me: But there are no tuktuks or prostitutes in there. Not enough room.

CO: All right wise guy, drop your trousers.

Me: Not again!

 

Walking here is pretty reasonable, despite the heat and oft-times insane traffic.

To cross the road here, you have to keep your eyes to the front, both sides, and behind you, as motorcycles are coming from all directions. And always assume that someone is going to turn directly in front of you, or is going to emerge from the alleyway that you're passing. It's pretty wild crossing some of the main roads here! Never a dull moment!

Walking across the street in Vietnam is still worse I think. HALF speed ahead but no pausing or you're dead meat. Thank god I was stoned most of the time or else it would've been scary

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still in Phnom Penh, and still loving it.

I keep thinking "hmm, maybe I should head out of the city for a couple of days" but all needs seemed to be fulfilled here.

Getting some work done too, which I was concerned about. Had several epic walks, and more delicious food.

Had Khmer grilled chicken last night that came with the most delicious black pepper dipping sauce. My god it was good.

Washed it down with a tasty banana shake, and then checked out another interesting 2nd hand book store.

In their biography section, they had NPs "Roadshow" book (hardcover). Weird to find 2 NP books in 2 different 2nd hand bookstores here! Picked up 2 more books to add to the pile on my nightstand.

 

Return to Canada scenario:

 

Customs Officer: Do you have anything to declare?

Me: Just a few books, couple of DVDs.

CO: But it says here that you've been away for a month.

Me: Yeah, but I spent most of my money on tuktuks and prostitutes.

CO: Gonna have to check your luggage sir.

Me: But there are no tuktuks or prostitutes in there. Not enough room.

CO: All right wise guy, drop your trousers.

Me: Not again!

 

Walking here is pretty reasonable, despite the heat and oft-times insane traffic.

To cross the road here, you have to keep your eyes to the front, both sides, and behind you, as motorcycles are coming from all directions. And always assume that someone is going to turn directly in front of you, or is going to emerge from the alleyway that you're passing. It's pretty wild crossing some of the main roads here! Never a dull moment!

Walking across the street in Vietnam is still worse I think. HALF speed ahead but no pausing or you're dead meat. Thank god I was stoned most of the time or else it would've been scary

 

:LOL:

 

I dunno, there's a real sense of traffic chaos here that I haven't experienced as intensely elsewhere. As usual, the largest vehicle has the right of way. Maybe because of my size, they see me as a car, or possibly a small bus.

 

I know HCMC has insane traffic, especially in the Saigon district, but there's something just a bit more wild, or untamed here. At least to my occidental eye!

You're absolutely right about 'half speed ahead, no pausing'! And when those motorcycles approach, keep one (occidental) eye on them, and one eye on where you're going. If they know where you're heading, they can avoid you, but if you stop suddenly, then look out! It's not like they want to hit you, just get the hell out of their way.

 

Here, I find it's best to finish one's walks before midnight as that's when the rich kids start ripping around the city in daddy's Lexus. And these guys don't stop, they just flash their headlights like mad, lean on the horn, and pedal to the metal! If they run anyone over, papa will take care of it and make it disappear. Watched a crazy fkr race through this area last night, just after I got in. Full speed ahead all the way. Scary.

I remember reading somewhere that PP/Cambodia experience ridiculous amounts of traffic accidents and fatalities every day. No surprise there, sadly.

Indonesia was pretty tricky for walks, depending on where you are. At least there's a lot of gridlock there, so it's easy to scamper across many streets. Kuala Lumpur I think was the most frustrating, due to many motorcyclists turning the sidewalks into another lane!

 

Stoned walking here is either for the very brave, or the very stoned. I'm not sure where I fall, but probably not with the brave! :LOL:

Stoned tuktuk rides are much more pleasant. Might take one of those later on. :smoke:

 

West bishes, and thanks for reading my crap!

The Occidental Tourist

Edited by vaportrailer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still in Phnom Penh, and still loving it.

I keep thinking "hmm, maybe I should head out of the city for a couple of days" but all needs seemed to be fulfilled here.

Getting some work done too, which I was concerned about. Had several epic walks, and more delicious food.

Had Khmer grilled chicken last night that came with the most delicious black pepper dipping sauce. My god it was good.

Washed it down with a tasty banana shake, and then checked out another interesting 2nd hand book store.

In their biography section, they had NPs "Roadshow" book (hardcover). Weird to find 2 NP books in 2 different 2nd hand bookstores here! Picked up 2 more books to add to the pile on my nightstand.

 

Return to Canada scenario:

 

Customs Officer: Do you have anything to declare?

Me: Just a few books, couple of DVDs.

CO: But it says here that you've been away for a month.

Me: Yeah, but I spent most of my money on tuktuks and prostitutes.

CO: Gonna have to check your luggage sir.

Me: But there are no tuktuks or prostitutes in there. Not enough room.

CO: All right wise guy, drop your trousers.

Me: Not again!

 

Walking here is pretty reasonable, despite the heat and oft-times insane traffic.

To cross the road here, you have to keep your eyes to the front, both sides, and behind you, as motorcycles are coming from all directions. And always assume that someone is going to turn directly in front of you, or is going to emerge from the alleyway that you're passing. It's pretty wild crossing some of the main roads here! Never a dull moment!

Walking across the street in Vietnam is still worse I think. HALF speed ahead but no pausing or you're dead meat. Thank god I was stoned most of the time or else it would've been scary

 

:LOL:

 

I dunno, there's a real sense of traffic chaos here that I haven't experienced as intensely elsewhere. As usual, the largest vehicle has the right of way. Maybe because of my size, they see me as a car, or possibly a small bus.

 

I know HCMC has insane traffic, especially in the Saigon district, but there's something just a bit more wild, or untamed here. At least to my occidental eye!

You're absolutely right about 'half speed ahead, no pausing'! And when those motorcycles approach, keep one (occidental) eye on them, and one eye on where you're going. If they know where you're heading, they can avoid you, but if you stop suddenly, then look out! It's not like they want to hit you, just get the hell out of their way.

 

Here, I find it's best to finish one's walks before midnight as that's when the rich kids start ripping around the city in daddy's Lexus. And these guys don't stop, they just flash their headlights like mad, lean on the horn, and pedal to the metal! If they run anyone over, papa will take care of it and make it disappear. Watched a crazy fkr race through this area last night, just after I got in. Full speed ahead all the way. Scary.

I remember reading somewhere that PP/Cambodia experience ridiculous amounts of traffic accidents and fatalities every day. No surprise there, sadly.

Indonesia was pretty tricky for walks, depending on where you are. At least there's a lot of gridlock there, so it's easy to scamper across many streets. Kuala Lumpur I think was the most frustrating, due to many motorcyclists turning the sidewalks into another lane!

 

Stoned walking here is either for the very brave, or the very stoned. I'm not sure where I fall, but probably not with the brave! :LOL:

Stoned tuktuk rides are much more pleasant. Might take one of those later on. :smoke:

 

West bishes, and thanks for reading my crap!

The Occidental Tourist

I must've been very brave in PP...er, very stoned. :yes: but at the same time it's probably because I wasn't there for very long (48 hours I can't remember) to get enough feel for the city.

 

PP was part 2 of my Siem Reap-PP-Ho Chi Minh odyssey. I think I might've had about 10 lives on that journey...and should've probably died an additional 5 times. Still, it remains as one of my favorite trips ever. :yes:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just having a lazy evening here in PP. Celebrating a day of decent activity with a Purple Jesus, essentially grape drink and vodka, which I put in the freezer until it was slushy. Yum!

 

Had an interesting visit to a bar the other evening. I'm not into bars at all, but felt like having a gin and tonic after a long sweaty walk.

Yes, there were bar-girls, but being a good boy (for the most part), I had my drink outside by the street as opposed to indoors where you can paw at the ladies if you so desire.

Anyway, just sitting there people-watching, and having a fun conversation about nothing at all with a couple of the staff, when Foreigner 1 appears. He looks like a cross between Tony Perkins and Steve Carrell, but with a Bill Haley "kiss-curl", and has a slightly dazed look. He stands outside the bar proper, next to an ATM machine, and begins to tell me a bit about himself, before moving into descriptions of various STDs. Yay! Tell me more about HPV if you please, good sir!

He eventually wanders away, thanking me for some unknown reason.

I'm just about to sip my drink when Foreigner 2 staggers out of the inner bar and makes a beeline towards me. Why me? Is it my Electromagnetc field or some damn thing? Perhaps I look like someone who loves to be talked at. I dunno...

Foreigner 2 is a typical old sozzled guy with leathery skin, matted hair, unshaven, with a strange green stain beside his mouth. He asks where I'm from and begins to tell me that he's a "low level crime lord" and is a frequent traveller to Asia. Then he rambles on about Asia, as he is an "expert". He then somehow forgets where he is, and thinks he's in Thailand; and for some reason he tries talking to a bar-girl in very loud and very poor Malay. He then latches onto another very sassy bar-girl who immediately puts him in an expert arm-lock. After being released, he doesn't miss a beat and begins to tell me about gonorrhoea (can't/won't quote him due to this being a relatively wholesome forum). Wtf? I decide it's time to move on.

I finished my drink, said my goodbyes, and left the bemused staff to figure out the stained and sozzled stranger. An odd night!

 

It's interesting what people will tell a total stranger. Maybe they just want to speak English with someone, or perhaps just feel a need to confess things to an impartial listener? Or maybe bonding over STD talk is the new thang.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just having a lazy evening here in PP. Celebrating a day of decent activity with a Purple Jesus, essentially grape drink and vodka, which I put in the freezer until it was slushy. Yum!

 

Had an interesting visit to a bar the other evening. I'm not into bars at all, but felt like having a gin and tonic after a long sweaty walk.

Yes, there were bar-girls, but being a good boy (for the most part), I had my drink outside by the street as opposed to indoors where you can paw at the ladies if you so desire.

Anyway, just sitting there people-watching, and having a fun conversation about nothing at all with a couple of the staff, when Foreigner 1 appears. He looks like a cross between Tony Perkins and Steve Carrell, but with a Bill Haley "kiss-curl", and has a slightly dazed look. He stands outside the bar proper, next to an ATM machine, and begins to tell me a bit about himself, before moving into descriptions of various STDs. Yay! Tell me more about HPV if you please, good sir!

He eventually wanders away, thanking me for some unknown reason.

I'm just about to sip my drink when Foreigner 2 staggers out of the inner bar and makes a beeline towards me. Why me? Is it my Electromagnetc field or some damn thing? Perhaps I look like someone who loves to be talked at. I dunno...

Foreigner 2 is a typical old sozzled guy with leathery skin, matted hair, unshaven, with a strange green stain beside his mouth. He asks where I'm from and begins to tell me that he's a "low level crime lord" and is a frequent traveller to Asia. Then he rambles on about Asia, as he is an "expert". He then somehow forgets where he is, and thinks he's in Thailand; and for some reason he tries talking to a bar-girl in very loud and very poor Malay. He then latches onto another very sassy bar-girl who immediately puts him in an expert arm-lock. After being released, he doesn't miss a beat and begins to tell me about gonorrhoea (can't/won't quote him due to this being a relatively wholesome forum). Wtf? I decide it's time to move on.

I finished my drink, said my goodbyes, and left the bemused staff to figure out the stained and sozzled stranger. An odd night!

 

It's interesting what people will tell a total stranger. Maybe they just want to speak English with someone, or perhaps just feel a need to confess things to an impartial listener? Or maybe bonding over STD talk is the new thang.

I'm going to go ahead and guess that you've had similar random approaches in the past from westerners while in SE Asia. Maybe not about the STD stuff but peculiar things brought up despite you just sitting there and more or less just listening to them prattle on. I say this because (1) I've had it happen to me numerous times, (2) You've been to SE Asia many times for these types of instances to have already happened. :LOL:

 

I met this one guy from the UK in a Saigon cafe who was going on about how little money he was making there but it not mattering because the cost of living was so low. And I'm talking about how much he told us he made in exact Vietnamese Dong. Then, he converted it into British pounds just to make sure my buddy and I knew exactly how little he made. He was pretty much vermin...but really only because of his (almost definitely underage) "boyfriend". That was pretty gross. Also weird was that he and the "bf" were accompanied by an extremely normal (from what I can tell) decent looking mid-20s blonde girl. It turned out that that girl was a Masters student at the same uni in Florida that I had graduated from a decade earlier. Then, by absolute random chance, she also was from my same hometown (Jacksonville) and had gone to one of my rival high schools. Not sure how she wound up traveling (or at least spending the afternoon) with the scummy, overly talkative, (likely pedophile) Englishman and the young Saigon guy though.

 

The people you meet while traveling SE Asia can be as peculiar as some of the actual spots eh?

 

:blaze:

Edited by JohnnyBlaze
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Winding down in Phnom Penh.

 

Moved back 'uptown' for my last 2 days here, and doing a thorough investigation of my balcony. All is very well indeed, although getting back into normal everyday life is going to be...an adjustment.

Still enjoying some great food, and iced coffees, lime juices, coconut shakes, mango shakes etc etc etc.

Going to have grilled frog before I leave. Stuffed with pork and spices, and comes with a little plastic bag of coconut-chili sauce. Yum!

The people here are quite friendly, and love to laugh. A few have very patiently taught me some Khmer. My vocabulary consists, of: airport, how are you, no worries, star, stink, and fat.

The tourists, for the most part, are very serious to sour looking, and spend too much time staring into their devices.

 

Had a hilarious 3 dollar street haircut (or khmercut?) earlier today. The barber shop was an old barber chair set up on the sidewalk, with a mirror attached to the outside of a local temple, and a plastic tarp for shade. The barber told me how young I looked, so that got him a tip, and then told me he bicycled here everyday from his home near the airport (10km each way, through some pretty heavy traffic) which got him another tip. He had a tremendously high-pitched laugh that nearly perforated my eardrum, but he ended up making me look less like a potato than I normally do, so I am very pleased.

4 saffron clad monks are walking below my balcony right now, passing 'Danny K's Bar and Massage' and the young and sickly looking girls who work there.

I think I'm in need of a vodka tonic, and another smoke. There we go...

Blaze, you should try to get back here before PP turns into half-assed Bangkok. I'll definitely be doing this again next year, if all goes well.

 

Thanks again for reading my crap, and encouraging it. Dunno if I'll get another post in before I go, but will post some follow-up bullsh1t most likely.

 

The sun is setting, the stomach rumbles. Time for a walk.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Winding down in Phnom Penh.

 

Moved back 'uptown' for my last 2 days here, and doing a thorough investigation of my balcony. All is very well indeed, although getting back into normal everyday life is going to be...an adjustment.

Still enjoying some great food, and iced coffees, lime juices, coconut shakes, mango shakes etc etc etc.

Going to have grilled frog before I leave. Stuffed with pork and spices, and comes with a little plastic bag of coconut-chili sauce. Yum!

The people here are quite friendly, and love to laugh. A few have very patiently taught me some Khmer. My vocabulary consists, of: airport, how are you, no worries, star, stink, and fat.

The tourists, for the most part, are very serious to sour looking, and spend too much time staring into their devices.

 

Had a hilarious 3 dollar street haircut (or khmercut?) earlier today. The barber shop was an old barber chair set up on the sidewalk, with a mirror attached to the outside of a local temple, and a plastic tarp for shade. The barber told me how young I looked, so that got him a tip, and then told me he bicycled here everyday from his home near the airport (10km each way, through some pretty heavy traffic) which got him another tip. He had a tremendously high-pitched laugh that nearly perforated my eardrum, but he ended up making me look less like a potato than I normally do, so I am very pleased.

4 saffron clad monks are walking below my balcony right now, passing 'Danny K's Bar and Massage' and the young and sickly looking girls who work there.

I think I'm in need of a vodka tonic, and another smoke. There we go...

Blaze, you should try to get back here before PP turns into half-assed Bangkok. I'll definitely be doing this again next year, if all goes well.

 

Thanks again for reading my crap, and encouraging it. Dunno if I'll get another post in before I go, but will post some follow-up bullsh1t most likely.

 

The sun is setting, the stomach rumbles. Time for a walk.

I'm sure Mrs. Blaze wouldn't be up for PP. Any future expeditions there or to those areas would have to be done solo OR with a buddy or two. Both are possible but would be less possible than a trip with Mrs. B.

 

We had thought of going to Seoul for a short 4 day trip next month but we're both kind of busy unfortunately. I'm not too heartbroken about that though seeing that it would've been our 3rd time there together and my 4th overall. She wanted to go for shopping, I just wanted to go for the food. Seoul's an alright place (and it's hard to say 'no' given that it's only a 2 hour flight)....

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/andrewq2112/Korea/Picture013.jpg

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/andrewq2112/IMG_6244.jpg

 

...but it IS a metropolis. And I often need something other than that. Especially for trips.

 

SE Asia!

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/andrewq2112/Cambodia/karaokeandnam204.jpg

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/andrewq2112/Cambodia/karaokeandnam151.jpg

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/andrewq2112/Cambodia/karaokeandnam187.jpg

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/andrewq2112/Cambodia/karaokeandnam201.jpg

 

:blaze:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...