CAMBODIA

December 2^nd 1993

Wow! We’re here! - & it’s so warm – but not with the sticky humidity like Vietnam – just dry warm weather. Let’s get back to this morning.

We woke up at 04:00am had a quick shower – got dressed & collected a bag with “out” clothes & hang it on Karen’s door so she could pas it on. Then we tiptoed down to the door – one of the owners friends were going to drive us out to the airport – he was a proud owner of a car – but he didn’t show up – so in the end – the owner of the guesthouse (by the way Xavier had named it Coco Loco) had to take his moped & drive over & wake up the guy. They both came back a bit sleepy – but there wasn’t any traffic at all – when we drove out to the airport in 2^nd gear.

The airport is a real International airport – they even got a duty free shop – but it was closed due to the early hours.

The Flight was one with propellers & the trip up took 40 min. In Phnom Penh we filled out a form – gave them our passport photos & got our visas for 20$. Outside there was a bit of a hassle – everybody wanted to take us to a hotel downtown – we wanted to go to Capitol Guesthouse & found a driver who would take us there for 5$. It on a corner of Phlauv 182 & Phlauv 107 in midtown – it’s very popular among backpackers & have a restaurant under neat with the most terrible food in Asia. But it’s good hang out place if one wants to meet other B.P’s & get info & so. Drink the beers – but don’t eat the food!

We got a huge corner room with a shower for 8$ & we met Tim again & he was stoned. We also met Thomas (a German guy from Saigon who we had nicknamed Arnold Schwarzenegger) He had met up with a British guy (Fergus) & the 4 of us had breakfast together in Capitol restaurant (& survived) Told them to meet us later & then we walked out to check out Phnom Penh – actually we wanted to find Cambodian Air - & we walked & walked through this beautiful town with wide boulevards & beautiful old colony houses.

(It’s so hard to think about what these people & this town had been through not more than 17 years ago – under the regime of Pol Pot & the Red Khmers. Then you walk in the streets you notice that there’s a generation missing – That’s tough – 17000 people was tortured to death in S-21 (Security prison 21) in Phnom Penh – mainly cause they looked different – or someone assumed they thought different from what Pol Pot thought was right – he wanted a totally class free farmer country – people wearing glasses would be intellectual & therefore killed. He is in sane - & the rest of the world let this happen without interact – though 9 westerners lost their lives too. )

Finally we found Cambodian Air & it was closed for the siesta – so we sad outside in the sun & talked to a guard – who also had lost most of his family – then another customer came along – he lived in California – had fled with his family under Pol Pot – but returned every year to invest money into his old home country. There’s still a lot of corruption he said – but we’ll have to leave that alone to survive as a people.

We booked a trip up to Siem Reap for tomorrow. Our backpacks will stay here in P.P. in a storeroom while we’re up there – we’ll only bring the daypacks – we don’t need that much.

The U.N.’s just left here – but there’re still a lot of white jeeps in the streets & here’re tons of French group tourists.

Found Thomas & Fergus & some Belgium’s & decided to go to café No Problem to eat – drove through P.P. in cyclos – it was awesome – the nice soft warm air & the starry night – to this old colony house where the food was French & we paid in cool cash $$. Annemette & I drank Carlsberg & we were ready to become homesick!

December 3^rd 1993

Woke up very early – due to the street noise – had a cold shower – packed the daypack & went down to leave the big in a store room among other left behind backpacks. Ate breakfast with the gang & took a taxi out to the airport – out there we met an elderly couple (Lorraine & Ian from Melbourne) they were really nice. The trip up took 30min. Outside the Siem Reap airport waited a lot of guys who all had “the most fantastic” guesthouse – we had heard about Mom’s – but it was fully booked so we found one 2 houses down the dirt road Mahogany Guesthouse – our host is Mr. Proeun [prune] – it’s a great place – the top is build of mahogany tree the bottom of concrete. 4 houses up the road is Bayon restaurant – where they serve great food.

We rented a car with a driver & drove out to the temples of Angkor. The first temple we saw was the Bayon – it’s full of mystery sort of smiling faces – 4 on each tower. Took a lot of photos – Then we were transported over to a hill where we could see the sunset over Angkor Wat – up on the hill we met Alfeo (from Italy) – together with him & a girl he had met (from New Zealand) Lesley we ate dinner at the Bayon restaurant.

December 4^th 1993

We got up at 5:00am to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat – it was so peaceful & pretty. The monks in the nearby temple started humming & the kids were eager to show us around – It’s huge majestic temple.

Drove back & had breakfast & hired mopeds with drivers to take us out to the wat (Ta Prohm) which is still kind of swallowed by the jungle – huge trees & roots are climbing in & around every where – it looks the way all the temples looked when the first western explorers came. There are “Danger Mines” signs everywhere on all the little tracks – so we stay on the main roads. We have seen so many temples today - & I’m so sleepy.

Spend the evening on the balcony with Peter & Rene (from Melbourne)

December 5^th 1993

We rented bikes today took the back road – for fun & ended up talking to 2 soldiers with a tank – they invited us down in it – but we talked our self out of that. Then they wanted to have their photos taken with us. Cool enough - they were tiny little & on the photos I tried not to look so tall. That was funny.

When we got out to the temples I realized that I didn’t have the keys to the room – so I drove back in almost no time. ( but of course Mr. Proeun had found it long time ago & put it in his safety –Then  I sad down & drank 1 liter of water in one sip – I talked to another guest John (from USA) - then

I drove back out to the temples on the correct road & met up with Annemette who sad & talked to David & Maria (from Canada) they were nice & on their honeymoon - on the way back to Bayon – Annemette had a flat tire & we had it fixed in a small stall – drove around - & again Annemette had a flat tire – found another stall & had it fixed again  – then we met Peter & Rene – John had fallen on his moped & Rene needed to give him a lift back to town – We lend Peter my bike to go look for the moped John had driven .

 Here’s John’s story on what went on:

“Peter, Rene and I were riding 50cc mopeds on a small dirt road to watch the sunset over Angkor Wat.  They were way ahead of me, so I was alone.  As I rounded a corner, there were 3 Cambodians on one bicycle in my lane since it was smoother.  BAM! I crashed right into them.  One of them broke his arm, one cut his head open, and the other was okay.  Me, my arm was obviously broken.  All I could say for about 5 minutes was "I don't fucking believe this!"

Finally, since I knew we needed medical attention and none of the Cambodians spoke any English (naturally), I left and began walking toward Angkor Wat.  I flagged down a passing moto and he gave me a lift to the temple.  Fortunately, Pete and Rene were Australian ambulance officers, so Rene took me back to the guesthouse and made a sling for my arm, while Pete went to look for the moped (I think you guys gave Pete a lift).  But, the police had already taken off with the moped despite my having locked it.

The guesthouse owner, Mr. Proeun, spoke with the police and I was supposed to go with him at 10 the next morning to meet with them.  The police, who were paid $9 per month at the time, were thinking "Ka-ching! Rich American!" but the reality was I had only $100 in cash and travelers checks I could no longer sign. 

So, like Sir Robin, when danger reared its ugly head, I bravely turned my tail and fled. 

Fortunately, I had left my big rucksack in Bangkok and was only traveling with my daypack.  In the morning, I left my rent in the room, locked the door, and took my daypack, telling the staff I was going to breakfast.  Instead, I had another friend, Carmine; take me to the airport where I inquired about the next flight to Phnom Penh.  It was at 9am, but was sold out, so I said I'd go standby.  Every damn person on the list showed up!  I said "Crap!  When is the next flight?"  And the guy at the counter said "Oh you can take this flight if you don't mind standing."  True!!!  Since it was an internal flight, they didn't have to meet international standards.  Naturally, I said "No problem at all."

You have to go through a police checkpoint before you board the flight, and my heart was beating like the drug smugglers in "Midnight Express" as I climbed the stairs to the plane.  But, the police who wanted the bribe hadn't informed any other police, so I got through.  As it was, three passengers crammed into two seats so I didn't have to stand.

In Phnom Penh, I went to the Calmet hospital where it was x-rayed and I asked the doctor if he could set it.  He said sure, so without any painkillers he and his assistants tried to yank it into place for about 90 seconds.  It felt like 90 hours - one of the most painful things I've ever experienced.  I would've signed anything ("Yes, I work for the CIA!  Yes, I bomb children!")  to make it stop.  They then put a huge plaster cast on it and told me to come back in a month.  Well, I didn't like the way it looked, so I went back the next day and made them re-x-ray it.  This time I showed it to a French doctor and he said "This needs surgery."  Come back in a month!  Geez, I would've been lobster-boy.

So I flew to Thailand (after convincing American Express to give me some money) where the hospitals are actually quite fine, and the doctor there agreed it required surgery.  As it would have taken all of my remaining money to pay for it, I decided 18 months of travel was enough and I should head home to have the surgery in the U.S.  The doctor offered to give me a smaller travel cast which I readily agreed to.  But, as he was cutting it off, I said "Hey!  You're cutting me!"  "No, no. It only vibrates."  Needless to say he was a bit perplexed when the plaster cast came off and I had three bleeding gashes on my arm.

Finally, 2 days later I arrived on the doorstep of my parents who were none-too-pleased I had broken my arm along with my promise not to go to Cambodia in the first place.

Of course, I want to go back.”

The morality – whatever you do – don’t end up in a traffic accident in Cambodia.

At the guesthouse they were more worried about the bike Peter had borrowed than about John’s arm. John he looked terrible with bruises everywhere & the arm looking very broken.

December 6^th 1993

The big news of today – John had left in the early morning – Mr. Proeun came up to me & asked pretty angry “Where’s your friend John???” – I didn’t have a clue – was told later by Carmine where he was – Mr. Proeun didn’t have to worry too much – his missing moped found its way home later that day.

I had a bucket shower ( in the bathroom the “shower” was a huge container filled with cold water & a scoop to fill & empty over your head – very refreshing) & we went to marked – bought a couple of sarongs – took a walk around town & ate dinner at Bayon with the others.

December 7^th 1993

Flew to Phnom Penh at 09:00am – checked in at Capitol – rented bikes & drove up to the GPO & mailed a couple of letters. Drove back down the water front & found “Rock Hard Café” (no it’s not a mistake it was spelled that way – it had a silver sprayed cyclo hanging over the door) & FCC (Foreign Correspondents’ Club) – found a bench & sat & watched the life on the river – Then we drove over to the National Museum - & walked around for a while – sadly to know – but most of the treasures which should be located here are in display in museums all over the world. But there was one very interesting thing about the museum – between the ceiling & the roof – the biggest colony of bats in an artificial structure in the world are living – a very weird feeling of high sounds & the taste of their droppings in the air.

After that we drove back to Capitol restaurant & met John – who had an odd looking cast on his arm – it was thick as a grill glove & terribly misplaced – his thumb was turning blue. 15 min. later Peter & Rene arrived in taxi from Siem Reap. We drank some beers & Thai Whiskey & ate French fries & all the others start to arrive from Vietnam & Siem Reap & Annemette finally met Carsten we had heard so much about (the guy who had left the Danish Shudidua tape in Dali & who never had applied for visas – just handled it by showing up at the borders & the waited for the police there to get tired of him & let him cross over – he was famous out there in Asia)– in the end we all took cyclos out to “Heart of Darkness” & danced the night away.

It was so great to see Karen again.

December 8^th 1993

Today we spend some time at the central marked – a wonderful building in Art Deco style – “Shop ‘till you drop” – Some of the others wanted to see “Killing Fields” at Choeung Ek – I chicken out – (saw it 2 years later together with S-21) – instead I sad & talked to Beatrice.

Later we went “Happy Hour Jumping” & had a great time.

Goodbye Cambodia – I’ll be back!