Monthly Archives: March 2008

Quick hello!

Plans to go to Prasat Preah Vihear didn’t work out, finally, so I stayed in Siem Reap. I’ve gotten used to the city and fallen into a bit of a routine, so things are super familiar and good.

Despite that, I’m still finding new things all the time. I just recently discovered this awesome place called the Singing Tree Cafe, and found out that there’s a lot of happiness in curling up in a big papasan in the middle of a really nice, big garden, eating some great food, with a fan behind you and a cat curled up in your lap. Guess where I’ll be spending the afternoon today?

If you ever head to Siem Reap, my suggestion is to check it out; it’s my favourite place so far. Also recommended (in order of awesomeness) are Khmer Kitchen (best tofu laap ever), and Blue Pumpkin (for some authentic bread and good, though pricey, desserts).

In more travelley goodness, it’s now confirmed that I’ll be heading to South America in June, until mid/late July with Debbie. We’ll be heading to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The travel map on the sidebar is updated.

Why it’s a good skill to have to be able to give decent massages…

I’ve been in Siem Reap for over a week now. Normally, I’d have moved on, because there’s honestly not that much to do here. But I began to miss home, and couldn’t even tell you if I meant Korea or Canada. It was weird, but I’m pretty sure it was because I had been travelling around so much in Laos and needed more of a home base. Now I wouldn’t mind seeing some other places, but now there’s not really enough time. Ah well. I’m still having a good time hanging out around here, though. I’ve been walking around, reading books, volunteering teaching, etc. Anyway, I’m excited to go back to Korea, because there’s only so much of this weather that I can take, and I really really really REALLY miss dancing.

So because I’ve been here for a while, I’ve managed to befriend the staff at my guesthouse. They really are sweet people. And it’s given me more access to the sort of “local” Siem Reap, versus the “tourist” side of it. The manager of the guesthouse took me out to a local dance club, one of the others took me to a hangout spot just out of town where locals go around sunrise and sunset just to hang out, and I’ve gone with them to the market sometimes to buy groceries.

One of the guys has a habit of coming up behind me and giving me a sort of fake massage.. he can’t really give massages, but he likes suddenly coming up and startling me from behind. Anyway, I offered to give him a massage, and then a couple of the others were watching, so I offered them massages too. From the awesomeness of reciprocity, I found out that the manager actually studied Khmer massage and gives really good ones.

So last night, around 10pm, he asked me if I would give him a massage, and I said sure. I joked that I get the better end of the deal if I give him massages, since his are better than mine are. After the massage he asked if I wanted to go for a Khmer massage, and then went off to get his motorbike! So I went with him to a massage place and he got me a massage, as well as another for himself. Good stuff. 🙂

Back to Korea in only a few days! I can’t wait…

It is WAY too hot here.

Other than that, Cambodia has been great so far. I saw/sweated my way around the temples of Angkor, and I’m off to see the floating village tonight.

I’ve also been volunteering a bit here and there on my travels; a little through Big Brother Mouse in Laos, and I’ve been volunteering time teaching English to some kids at a pagoda near where I’m staying here in Siem Reap, helping the monks who normally teach the classes. Feels good to actually help out a bit, and it’s fun how the class size magically multiplies once I start teaching. Other monks come watch, random people stop and stand around and all.

The flip side is that I have felt that I was going to melt away every single day I’ve been in Siem Reap. Every single day. It’s been hot and humid on top of it. The temperature’s been over 36, apparently, and I think that’s not taking humidity into account. As much fun as it is here, I have to say that I am looking forward to going to back to Seoul soon.

I want to get off the beaten tourist path a bit, but I don’t know if it’ll happen. Traveling around in Cambodia is more expensive, more difficult and apparently more uncomfortable than it is in Laos, with the single exception of the normal tourist route trek down to Phnom Penh. I do kind of wish that I spent two weeks in Lao and one in Cambodia rather than the reverse, ESPECIALLY considering the weather.

But I’m still having a great time here, so I guess it’s all good.

Near the end of my Lao trip now. I’ll be flying out in the later afternoon today to go to Cambodia.

I spent a good chunk of the time in Luang Prabang, but also got out to Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi. Many Lao people are very friendly. I even got invited to a Lao wedding at some point in a village near Nong Khiaw.

Hi everyone. WordPress was blocked in China, but here’s a quick update. I’m in Laos, been in Luang Prabang a couple of days now. Headed out to Nong Khiaw, cause the city’s a bit too filled with tourists. Got a very little bit out of the city yesterday and it was amazing, so I’m heading a little further today.

PS: Decided against riding the elephants, it was too expensive.

Goodbye Korea, hello China.

Plane leaves at 9:30am.