Meeting Up with A Familiar Face – Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I’ve been battling a headache and fatigue since I got to Phnom Penh two days ago.  That 31-hour journey from frigid Virginia to hot Cambodia really sent my body for a loop.  Fortunately, today I feel some semblance of normal.

The view from my balcony of a street food vendor on the left.

Yesterday, I met up with my former co-worker, Tyler, who has been living in SE Asia for the last six years. It was fun to see a familiar face in such an unfamiliar place!

He showed me around the area by motorbike which was terrifying because there was a lot of Friday night traffic and we were coming within inches of other bikes and bodies, which is apparently the norm and nothing to be alarmed about in this alternate reality.

Getting off the bike I burned my leg on the exhaust pipe, a mistake I will make ONCE.  Fortunately, it wasn’t a bad burn, but just enough to let me know that I will forever remember to get off a motorbike on the left-hand side.

Don’t choke the toilet!

We went to a very touristy area beside the Tonie Sap River (which branches off the Mekong River in Phnom Penh).  Caucasian people are everywhere.  “Clubs” with young women outside are everywhere.  It is warm and the nightlife is vibrant.  Drinks are really cheap – from $1-$2 for a cocktail.  The hustle and bustle is a bit overwhelming to me and will take some getting used to.  Tyler tells me Phnom Penh is really mellow compared to Vietnam.  I’m glad then that I stopped here first.

We had a great meal closer to my guesthouse.  Two delicious entrees for $3.00 US total.  Hard to beat that.

Today is the first day I feel well enough to venture out beyond my balcony alone.  Let’s see what I find out there.