Hmm… where do I begin? Today I think has to be the most CRAZY/AMAZING days of my life. I call these times The Adventures of Me. It sounds narcissistic but it aptly describes moments of my life when I do silly things, especially by myself, and have a little chuckle on my own on the inside. Sometimes it bubbles over to a little smile or a subdued gurgle. And I roll my eyes a little and bemoan my stupidity.
So these are The Adventures of Me. It started in the morning around 9am (late for Khmer standards). And I am also proud to say that it was my first time on the back of a bike. And second time. And third time. I feel like a pro now. To be honest, I was shocked stiff thinking I had to (1) ride on a bike after the many warnings of Asian parents, (2) flag a “moto” taxi to go somewhere (HOW in the world would I know which were taxis and explain where I had to go?), (3) and finally I actually had to get on and trust the driver!
But I DID IT! And I must say, it’s quite the ride. Love it.
- Especially when it rains (NOT!). Needless to say, it rained today… while I was on the moto! The driver popped out his nifty plastic poncho. I just shrugged and hugged my bag closer as rain pelted down. On the bright side, it was quite refreshing! And just as quickly as it started, the rain cleared up and I got quite dry from the breeze of the ride. Oh, the adventures of me.
- Especially when I get ripped off (NOT!). So I was told the ride would cost me 3000 riel. I paid 5000 riel. But that’s down from the 7000 riel he tried to charge. That’s still a bargain… Right?... r i g h t? Ooh, the adventures of me. Maybe I should rename it the adventures of being ripped off.
Stats for the day:
# people I met – 5
# motos I sat on – 3
# times I got ripped off – 2
# touristy places I went to – 3
# Khmer words I know – still 0
# roasted pigs on a spit I saw – 3
# times I had to say “no moto” or “no tuk tuk” – countless
# times my heart broke for the Cambodians – 2
So I went to Sovannah Shopping Centre, the Russian Market and Riverside… without a map. Silly girl! :( OH the adventures of me! But more than the sights I saw (together with my trusted travelling buddy, Doremon), the exciting moto rides, the smells of the city and the crazy Khmer culture, it was the people I talked to that blew me away.
(To be continued...)
welcoming to blogging! love it already. i should do a number of times too... number of times i've been called fat, number of times i've been hit on, number of times i witnessed animal cruelty, number of times i wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it.... hug!
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