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| This kid knows no fear |
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| THE Angkor Wat |
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| Floating School in the... Floating Village! |
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| Coca-Cola. Truly the best Brand Marketing. |
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| Liz spent $15 on pencils for the kids. |
We spent our first full day getting our tickets for Angkor Wat and doing a super sized tour of a good portion of the grounds that day. 3-day tickets are around 40 USD (I think) which is about 174,000 riel (felt like I was giving up my life's earnings). Absolutely breathtaking. I knew I was excited to embark on this part of Southeast Asia, but I was not ready for what I actually saw. More than just the amazing architecture of many hundreds of years ago, the atmosphere of the entire place was like none I have ever experienced. Small babies and children of all ages and sizes are roaming around speaking fluent English offering you "a cold drink, lady?" or "15 bracelets for 1 dollar, lady... see, I count for you - 1, 2, 3..." or "You buy shirt, lady? Remember my shop number 7. I remember you. Ok, lady?" It is a bit overwhelming and at one point, at the end of the first day, I almost lost it. I was just trying to eat some noodle soup and about 4 girls sat down and would not stop touching us, drawing us pictures on random pieces of paper, and begging incessantly for money (funny story later about how I did offer money to a small boy and was yelled at). I just shut my mouth and let the other girls talk to the cambodian children. I got up and walked away, sick to my stomach that these little kids have to do this. It is a vicious cycle that is NOT their fault, thus I had/have no reason to be upset with them. They do it because they are told to; they do not know any better. I've heard from many people that have traveled to India mention that giving any money to those that beg for it and try to live off of that lifestyle is only making said vicious cycle worse. I'm not sure what we are supposed to do as Westerners in these situations - as if giving a bit of money to a few children will change their lives forever? I often wonder what they would do with 100 USD if I were to give one family that... For now, I'll never know.
Shopping in Cambodia was fun! I realized I'm a pretty damn good haggler. Thanks Dad, for making me so stern and stubborn (or as you might like to call... bullheaded). Or maybe I should thank all the Guenther genes?? Anyway, bought about 5 shirts to give to my parents and siblings (it was going to be a surprise but assuming you miiiiight read this, sorry). They are great quality and all together were about 10 USD for 5. Of course, they asked for 4 USD per shirt at first. I didn't buy too much else, aside from some souvenirs from Phnom Penh and a buffalo horn ring with marble on top (unfortunately, this pricey commodity broke a few days ago - sorry Erica, that one was specifically for you.. you wouldn't believe how big I could get rings there!!! They'd even fit you! haha). The rest of my money went to touring, food, drinks, and drinks. There was a plethora of happy hours to choose from everyday and most were 10-8 so after a long day of sightseeing and getting back around 5... a 50 cent draft beer (or 3) and a 1 dollar taco (or 3) were exactly what we needed. Fairly decent night scene, met a lot of other travelers, and found a bar and DJ (named Rat) to play all of the hip hop and rap songs we could possibly come up with. Words can't exactly describe the dynamic the girls I traveled with have - they're hilarious. Reminded me a LOT of my time in college, especially Sophomore year living on Mifflin. Always being classy ladies.
Another day we went to the floating village - super cool. A rip off in terms of paying every part of the journey from the taxi to the pier, the entrance to the village, the boat to get to the village, tipping the driver and tour guide, and i'm almost sure some of my money ended up with the men who helped me step into the boat, even though they tripped me with a rope! It was just the four of us in the boat, so we got to stop and go wherever we wanted. We wanted to stop at the school and give the school children pencils (15 dollars for 60 pencils... wtf?!). It was literally a floating school (I guess everything in a floating village is floating, eh?) The kids were soooo cute. Pictures can explain better than my words:
We were in Siem Reap for about 6 or 7 days and I wanted to move on to Phnom Penh but the other 3 wanted to stick around another night, so I grabbed an afternoon bus which was to take around 6 hours (actually took 8). I met a Cambodian girl, maybe around my age, and she spoke very good english. A sidenote on this... Most people that I mention speak very good english will actually tell you that they don't think they do.. and they are ALL quite shy to use it - I make an effort to tell everyone I talk with that they do, in fact, have great english and the best way to gain confidence and get better is by practicing! Anyway, Reasey Mean is her name and we talked for the second half of the bus ride (I think I was sleeping for the first, or maybe just wasn't very friendly looking?) and she told me about her family and I told her how I lived in Thailand. She went to school for Accounting and she does that in Phnom Penh now, where she can make more money than in Siem Reap. However, her father wants her to move to Siem Reap where two of her brothers live (she is the youngest of 4) and work there. So she was in Siem Reap for an interview. She reallllly wants to stay in Phnom Penh but because of the culture, and as the youngest, and as a female, she would have to do what her father wishes, without question. I spoke with her a week ago and she ended up moving to Siem Reap. She feels bad not doing Accounting which is her trade, but it is what her family wishes of her. Hmm..what if I were in the same situation? Maybe I wouldn't be here - not saying that my parents wouldn't allow me, but I can completely understand them wanting to keep there children close to home, and make sure they have a job, whatever it is, with a reliable income.
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| Our trendy tour guide. |
I only spent one night in Phnom Penh (2 Days) but got to see everything I wanted. For those of you that don't know about the genocide in Cambodia as a result of the Khmer Rouge that happened over 35 years ago, I suggest you brush up on your history. A holocaust that was, in terms of casualties per capita, even more savage and horrendous than the Holocaust itself. I read "Survival in the Killing Fields" and "First They Killed My Father". Both autobiographical stories of survivors of this awful moment in human history - sad, real, emotional, intense. I went to the actual Killing Fields and walked around where many mass killings took place, saw the remains of human bones and clothing that were dug up, some headless, but most with huge wounds on their skulls from being blasted to death with an ax, pick, or other rusty metal or wooden stick. I also visited the Grand Palace and the famous SR-21 Prison in Phnom Penh that was, before the Khmer Rouge takeover, a high school. Thousands of pictures haunt the interiors or these classrooms - all that experienced the horror of this time. Very interesting to see this history of a country like this... but also interesting to experience it through talking with people who actually lived through it and seeing the countryside completely under developed and still stricken by poverty and hunger due to the actions of the Pol Pot regime 30+ years ago. I get a night bus to Bangkok, taking me first back to Siem Reap, then to the border for inspection/etc and then a mini van to BKK - longest. trip. ever. I then got a mini van back to Suphanburi to my apartment. Felt like ages since I had been there... was excited for a nice night's sleep. Oh wait... I randomly decided to take a 7 am bus down to Phuket the next morning instead of resting for a day or two... imagine that.
Week Four: This is where the legend (wait for it) dary Monkey BITE comes in. Had a blast island hopping, binge drinking, and meeting some of the newbies going through their TESOL training like I did back in April. Like always, after picking through some of the weeds we found some beautiful vegetation to hang with (excuse that oh-so-lame metaphor). Went back to Phi Phi Island which was just as fabulous as the first time - tons of young people partying on the beach until the wee hours of the morning, body paint, fire throwing, fire jump roping, buckets of liquor, and PLENTY of water/boat time during the day. We did one intense excursion to the surrounding islands - let's just say it was our vacation time so some might have consumed a few alcoholic beverages beginning at about 8 am when our van left to take us to the ferry. These two ingredients made for a memorable menu to say the least. We even got to the island and beach where the film The Beach with Leo DiCaprio was filmed and also did some amazing snorkling. Oh, and I learned how to say spit it thai.. but that is another story... This would be where I could tell the entire story of my monkey bite but because I am still somewhat concerned with my current rabies situation I'm going to leave it out and just mention that I chose not to go to the hospital against the wishes of some friends and ONE pharmacist. I also want to throw it out there that I WAS told by a (I thinks he was a doctor) lady working in a clinic that I would be fine. She put iodine and a band-aid on it and sent me on my way.
After Phi Phi was Krabi (Railay Beach). I haven't been to this island yet so I was pretty stoked to get my feet on it - I've heard WONDERFUL things. However, the day we left wasn't exactly calm. Long story short, I shed a tear or two to my friend Will professing I was SURE we were going to die in the treacherous waters and I knew I wasn't able to swim to any of the islands that seemed miles (or kilometers) away. I told him that I was currently finding the song on my iPod that I would be dying to. Ha, apparently I'm not as fearless as I think. We get there after many hurdles, including another MUCH SMALLER boat to Ton Sai beach where we were to find our bungalow to stay in. I, unfortunately, had a huge bag and had to trek what seemed like forever with it, but it was worth it once we got settled in. The beach was absolutely what I needed. VERY chill and very comfortable with beautiful hikes and cliffs. It is actually famous for the rock climbing that you can participate in - either beginner or advanced. We met one guy that just got back from base jumping in (I think) Laos and came down just to base jump the highest cliff on the island. Rumor has it he succeeded :) I was a little wounded (I forgot to mention I stepped on glass and also had a huge lash on my back from falling into the ladder on our boat) so I opted out of the rock climbing business and just relaxed with two friends that we randomly ran into (they were actually supposed to still be in India, but MAN was I happy to see them!!)
2 nights on Ton Sai beach and we were heading back to Phuket for the Vegetarian Festival. Pictures can only describe that situation:
Hit up Patong, which was just as toxic as I thought and I wasn't nearly as intoxicated as I needed to be to tolerate all the hookers, neon lights, etc. Headed to a few more islands near Phuket the next day and I took a night bus back to Bangkok. Spent a few more days in Kanchanaburi to rest up before going back to work on the 18th of October. My body was yelling at me for the previous month of debauchery, but my mind was ready to get back to a normal schedule.
Today is Thanksgiving (i.e. I'm going to end this one here and I'll fill ya in on my last month and half of teaching at a later date)... I'm thankful for my friends and family of course, all the opportunities I've been able to have, and my youth. I'm going to drink beer tonight (again - i drank a bit last night at dinner with a coworker) and I slept the best I have in a while and it got rid of the headache i'd had all day.
But then again.. i get in a better mood come Thursday evening.. i wonder if it has anything to do with the week coming to an end?
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