Greetings from the 'Wild East', as Cambodia is so aptly known....
We are in Phnom Penh, which is the capital city. It is about a one hour and ten minute flight from Bangkok. We flew in on Air Asia, which is the Asian version of Southwest. Open seating, the whole 9 yards...but it actually wasn't too bad, and I had a whole row to myself.
We got to our hotel around 5:30 p.m. We kind of settled in and got ready for the evening...in disappointing fashion, we thought we were heading to Siam Reap, which is where all of the ancient temples are. However, that is at least 5 hours each way by taxi for a cost of $160/person, so we elected not to go. So, while our trip is not really clear as to why we are here, at least I have been to another country in the world....
First Impressions of Cambodia: very similar to India. People everywhere, busy city, tuk-tuks (those little open air taxis you see in movies...took one last night), and a lot of poverty, with their parents begging for money. Last night, I saw a countless number of children sleeping on the streets, including most that were naked. Very, very sad.
We went out last night to the #1 hip-hop club in Phnom Penh, which Meghna and I both thought was extremely lame. We left after about half an hour and left our other two cohorts behind. Got up bright and early to get my 10-miler in at the Fitness Center...man that term is used very loosely here at the Holiday Villa. This so-called fitness center contained, in an un-air conditioned room, one treadmill and one exercise bike in a room the size of a closet. Better yet? The treadmill didn't work. So, no running until I get back to the 'Kok...happy birthday to me. Running outside was not an option I consider longer than 1 second, as at 9:30 a.m., it was 95 degrees with 65% humidity.
That's about it...we fly back to Bangkok in the early afternoon tomorrow.
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