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[this is from the trip report forum]
I was recently in Cambodia and have been there 3 times now since 2000 for extended visits; it's a great place to ride dirt bikes and also for fun, although whenever I go there I can't wait to get back to Thailand! one of those "great places to visit but I wouldn't wanna live there" places. here's the deal...
I had to do a Visa run in February and was deciding on maybe taking a week-long trip to Laos with Chompoo {I owe her a long-promised vacation} or back to Cambo for some riding and late-night fun. Some people mentioned Singapore to me.....naaaaa. I decided on Phnom Penh over Luang Prubang [sorry Chom!] and went for a week. My old local friend Sen whom I met in 2000 was easy to find and we had a great reunion, having dinner and some beers and going out lady hunting, despite the fact he is now married. We went to the awesome Sharky's bar and I took home a local Khmer girl that night; 20 years, just in from the country, spoke NO english, and was really sweet with a great giggle. Sen translated for me right up until we got to my room and then biology took over LOL. Good time for 2 hours, 20US dollars, and my first "real" girl in about a year and it was all good. Still prefer ladyboys, but it was cool being with a chick again. Same drill {pun intended LOL} the next night; went to Martini's bar down by the Olympic stadium but I was way too early and it was dead. After midnight till about 5 this place is cruising with 40-50 Viet and Khmer hookers, but at 1030 it was only me and a few other goofy white guys so I went to the Walkabout, which was equally dead. Back to Sharky's; happening, with about 30 skanks playing pool and hustling. This is basically just a hangout; they play great music {rock and heavy metal mostly, occassional hip-hop}, have great food [western....even Taco's!] and 1-dollar a beer for a cold Tiger. can't beat that. and isn't it odd how Cambodia is still using US money? the Riel is around, but only for small change. US 20's and 10's flow like water and it's strange to see.
Took home a pool-playing, ass-sticking- out -while-she-shoots beauty named Navi; a real Khmer professional who knew the game of life very well. A really good screw and great time for an hour, and she spoke perfect english and was smart as hell. Had also been to Bangkok a few times for "work", so when I tried to hand her 20$ she said with a grin "I know the girls in Bangkok make 1500 or 2000 baht, can't I get the same thing here?" No problem.....she was worth the 40 so I gave it to her. The one thing I noticed in the bars while I was there was the lack of Vietnamese hookers this time; Navi told me they were all gone home for Chinese New Year but I wasn't buying it; I think the authorities are all cracking down on illegal entry of the Viet trash coming in from the delta rice paddies for work, and I didn't see any while I was there. There was a time, back in 2000, when going to Svay Pa [now closed down] guaranteed you a shot at over 200 hottie Viet hookers daily, in a dozen brothels all up and down the street. Now they are scarce and while you will occassionally find a few cute Cambodians { I got lucky for sure}, the Viets are generally hotter and cuter, and whiter skin; I liked it better in the good old days.
Ladyboys......none, anywhere. I asked at least 5 people in the scene who would know; bartenders and moto drivers mostly, and they said they had never seen any around. Martinis or Sharky's would be the most likely places for them to hang around and there were none there; streetwalking is out of the question, the city is just too damned dangerous and you never see people on the street. Hell, there aren't even any street lights in this city of over a million people and being out on your 'cycle after midnight is always a looking-over-your-shoulder experience.
After 3 days in the city we went back out to Sen's village, about 4 hours east in the province of Prey Veng near the Vietnamese border. This is like going back in time 100 years ..... I had been there twice already and know his family and neighbors; all amazing people with hearts of gold who live like shit but are so friendly and polite and nice. We stayed a few days and saw some things that blew my mind; is this place Africa or Asia? the poverty is mind-blowing and there is no electricity, a simple car battery on the floor, recharged every 2 weeks, is the sole source of power for eash person in the village. Fans? A/C?? forget it. Food is all locally produced; all these people are farmers and rice is always on the menu, maybe with the occassional chicken or duck thrown in, and there are no "stores"; if you want bottled water
or soda{!}, you must go about 10 kilometers to get it. Staying there is definately 'roughing it', and I slept on a bamboo-slat floor that wasn't exactly comfortable; like all cambodian homes I have seen, this place had no furnitue or beds and everyone sleeps on the floor [me for maybe 3 hours]. The candles go out at 10PM; what else is there to do after dinner at 7 and 2 hours of chatting? so everyone sleeps, but of course I can't because I usually go to bed at about 3AM and I am just not tired so I toss and turn on the bamboo slats and wonder if I am an extra in The Deer Hunter. Of course no toilets; when you ned to piss you go outside near a tree; if you must shit, go out back and good luck with the leaves. I must admit, being outside that house at 1 in the morning taking a leak and just listening to the sound of silience all around you and in a clear night with a million stars visible, it was a surreal experience.
the roosters start making noise at about 5 and people are stirring again, and the smell of fires is in the air and by 6 the village is moving and people are starting their day as the sun rises; this is actually the coolest time of the day and it feels nice. I look across the dirt path and see my old friend Suta, a very nice 12-year old girl whom I had first met 5 years ago, and she is laying across her mother's lap and her mom is picking the lice out of her hair and I wonder again, is this Asia or Africa? But the trails are waiting again and after a nice breakfast of rice and a fresh chicken who was walking around just 30 minutes earlier, we hit the dirt paths and narrow "roads" that make up rural Cambodia's transportation network. What great fun it is out there; if you guys like dirt-biking there is no where better in the world....get yourself a nice 250 baja-style Honda with a lot of torque and go tear it up, it's a blast. You come back to the village at 4PM and need a shower bad; of course there aren't any there, but you wrap a "kroma" [the thing the Khmer Rouge used to wear around their heads when they were killing innocent children] around your waist and head to the well. Loading up buckets of water and washing yourself slowly with cold water dumped on your head with a ladle never felt so good; as usual, 20 small kids and a smattering of adults are standing around watching every move you make; "who the hell is this strange -looking tall guy and why is he so hairy and why is his nose so big?"
One footnote of the visit to my friends village. I had asked him about a girl I saw around, his neighbor in the next "home" [read; shack] over, about 23 years old and pretty good -looking considering the primitive conditions she is living in. Most girls get married at 17 or 18 out there, or else move to the city and make big money in the factories like Sen's 2 sisters; they make 70 bucks a month in Phnom Penh and couldn't be happier. But she was always alone, 'cept for her 3 little ankle-biters hanging around her like glue. He says "You don't really want to know about her", and now of course I HAVE to know. he says "About 2 months ago, she picked up one of these [pointing to a meat cleaver] and cut her husbands throat while he slept. She was a victim of domestic violence and killed him after many years of beatings; now she lives alone with her 3 kids and barely has enough to live, and must come over here many times so her kids can be fed. [long pause] Can we change the subject?" he says, as tears began to well up in his eyes. As we left later that morning I couldn't get that lady out of my mind and after giving his father some money for their hospitality, I gave what I had left to her and she was very thankful and smiled for the first time since I had gotten there. I wish I had more cash on me.
Back to Phnom Penh and the big city again; pollution, crime, dirty, unbearable heat, wrenching poverty........I don't know why, but it's my kind of place! For some reason I just like it there, and with all sincerity I can say that I more enjoyed this vacation than I did the one I took to the Philippines in November. Fun place if you go for the right reasons; there is not a lot to do at night, only 5 or 6 good hangouts and NO ladyboys at all, but if you like dirt-biking or a little bit of adventure, try it out sometime, I think you will be amazed at the things you see and experience there.
I was recently in Cambodia and have been there 3 times now since 2000 for extended visits; it's a great place to ride dirt bikes and also for fun, although whenever I go there I can't wait to get back to Thailand! one of those "great places to visit but I wouldn't wanna live there" places. here's the deal...
I had to do a Visa run in February and was deciding on maybe taking a week-long trip to Laos with Chompoo {I owe her a long-promised vacation} or back to Cambo for some riding and late-night fun. Some people mentioned Singapore to me.....naaaaa. I decided on Phnom Penh over Luang Prubang [sorry Chom!] and went for a week. My old local friend Sen whom I met in 2000 was easy to find and we had a great reunion, having dinner and some beers and going out lady hunting, despite the fact he is now married. We went to the awesome Sharky's bar and I took home a local Khmer girl that night; 20 years, just in from the country, spoke NO english, and was really sweet with a great giggle. Sen translated for me right up until we got to my room and then biology took over LOL. Good time for 2 hours, 20US dollars, and my first "real" girl in about a year and it was all good. Still prefer ladyboys, but it was cool being with a chick again. Same drill {pun intended LOL} the next night; went to Martini's bar down by the Olympic stadium but I was way too early and it was dead. After midnight till about 5 this place is cruising with 40-50 Viet and Khmer hookers, but at 1030 it was only me and a few other goofy white guys so I went to the Walkabout, which was equally dead. Back to Sharky's; happening, with about 30 skanks playing pool and hustling. This is basically just a hangout; they play great music {rock and heavy metal mostly, occassional hip-hop}, have great food [western....even Taco's!] and 1-dollar a beer for a cold Tiger. can't beat that. and isn't it odd how Cambodia is still using US money? the Riel is around, but only for small change. US 20's and 10's flow like water and it's strange to see.
Took home a pool-playing, ass-sticking- out -while-she-shoots beauty named Navi; a real Khmer professional who knew the game of life very well. A really good screw and great time for an hour, and she spoke perfect english and was smart as hell. Had also been to Bangkok a few times for "work", so when I tried to hand her 20$ she said with a grin "I know the girls in Bangkok make 1500 or 2000 baht, can't I get the same thing here?" No problem.....she was worth the 40 so I gave it to her. The one thing I noticed in the bars while I was there was the lack of Vietnamese hookers this time; Navi told me they were all gone home for Chinese New Year but I wasn't buying it; I think the authorities are all cracking down on illegal entry of the Viet trash coming in from the delta rice paddies for work, and I didn't see any while I was there. There was a time, back in 2000, when going to Svay Pa [now closed down] guaranteed you a shot at over 200 hottie Viet hookers daily, in a dozen brothels all up and down the street. Now they are scarce and while you will occassionally find a few cute Cambodians { I got lucky for sure}, the Viets are generally hotter and cuter, and whiter skin; I liked it better in the good old days.
Ladyboys......none, anywhere. I asked at least 5 people in the scene who would know; bartenders and moto drivers mostly, and they said they had never seen any around. Martinis or Sharky's would be the most likely places for them to hang around and there were none there; streetwalking is out of the question, the city is just too damned dangerous and you never see people on the street. Hell, there aren't even any street lights in this city of over a million people and being out on your 'cycle after midnight is always a looking-over-your-shoulder experience.
After 3 days in the city we went back out to Sen's village, about 4 hours east in the province of Prey Veng near the Vietnamese border. This is like going back in time 100 years ..... I had been there twice already and know his family and neighbors; all amazing people with hearts of gold who live like shit but are so friendly and polite and nice. We stayed a few days and saw some things that blew my mind; is this place Africa or Asia? the poverty is mind-blowing and there is no electricity, a simple car battery on the floor, recharged every 2 weeks, is the sole source of power for eash person in the village. Fans? A/C?? forget it. Food is all locally produced; all these people are farmers and rice is always on the menu, maybe with the occassional chicken or duck thrown in, and there are no "stores"; if you want bottled water
or soda{!}, you must go about 10 kilometers to get it. Staying there is definately 'roughing it', and I slept on a bamboo-slat floor that wasn't exactly comfortable; like all cambodian homes I have seen, this place had no furnitue or beds and everyone sleeps on the floor [me for maybe 3 hours]. The candles go out at 10PM; what else is there to do after dinner at 7 and 2 hours of chatting? so everyone sleeps, but of course I can't because I usually go to bed at about 3AM and I am just not tired so I toss and turn on the bamboo slats and wonder if I am an extra in The Deer Hunter. Of course no toilets; when you ned to piss you go outside near a tree; if you must shit, go out back and good luck with the leaves. I must admit, being outside that house at 1 in the morning taking a leak and just listening to the sound of silience all around you and in a clear night with a million stars visible, it was a surreal experience.
the roosters start making noise at about 5 and people are stirring again, and the smell of fires is in the air and by 6 the village is moving and people are starting their day as the sun rises; this is actually the coolest time of the day and it feels nice. I look across the dirt path and see my old friend Suta, a very nice 12-year old girl whom I had first met 5 years ago, and she is laying across her mother's lap and her mom is picking the lice out of her hair and I wonder again, is this Asia or Africa? But the trails are waiting again and after a nice breakfast of rice and a fresh chicken who was walking around just 30 minutes earlier, we hit the dirt paths and narrow "roads" that make up rural Cambodia's transportation network. What great fun it is out there; if you guys like dirt-biking there is no where better in the world....get yourself a nice 250 baja-style Honda with a lot of torque and go tear it up, it's a blast. You come back to the village at 4PM and need a shower bad; of course there aren't any there, but you wrap a "kroma" [the thing the Khmer Rouge used to wear around their heads when they were killing innocent children] around your waist and head to the well. Loading up buckets of water and washing yourself slowly with cold water dumped on your head with a ladle never felt so good; as usual, 20 small kids and a smattering of adults are standing around watching every move you make; "who the hell is this strange -looking tall guy and why is he so hairy and why is his nose so big?"
One footnote of the visit to my friends village. I had asked him about a girl I saw around, his neighbor in the next "home" [read; shack] over, about 23 years old and pretty good -looking considering the primitive conditions she is living in. Most girls get married at 17 or 18 out there, or else move to the city and make big money in the factories like Sen's 2 sisters; they make 70 bucks a month in Phnom Penh and couldn't be happier. But she was always alone, 'cept for her 3 little ankle-biters hanging around her like glue. He says "You don't really want to know about her", and now of course I HAVE to know. he says "About 2 months ago, she picked up one of these [pointing to a meat cleaver] and cut her husbands throat while he slept. She was a victim of domestic violence and killed him after many years of beatings; now she lives alone with her 3 kids and barely has enough to live, and must come over here many times so her kids can be fed. [long pause] Can we change the subject?" he says, as tears began to well up in his eyes. As we left later that morning I couldn't get that lady out of my mind and after giving his father some money for their hospitality, I gave what I had left to her and she was very thankful and smiled for the first time since I had gotten there. I wish I had more cash on me.
Back to Phnom Penh and the big city again; pollution, crime, dirty, unbearable heat, wrenching poverty........I don't know why, but it's my kind of place! For some reason I just like it there, and with all sincerity I can say that I more enjoyed this vacation than I did the one I took to the Philippines in November. Fun place if you go for the right reasons; there is not a lot to do at night, only 5 or 6 good hangouts and NO ladyboys at all, but if you like dirt-biking or a little bit of adventure, try it out sometime, I think you will be amazed at the things you see and experience there.
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