I hit the road hard today, to get back to work/Phnom Penh by Tuesday.
The trip, step-by-step:
1) Bus/taxi to Ferry: I was turned down by about 20 taxis until a local Thai decided he wanted to make the Ferry. We made it by a minute-and-half. 1 hour waiting, 30 minute ride.
Interesting moment: passing an overturned truck on a hill. As the Thai guy sitting next to me said: oy.
2) Ferry to Mainland Thailand: Fairly boring. 40 minutes.
3) Bus/Taxi to Trat Bus station: Some Germans got into an awful fight with the driver because they didn't understand what was going on. Ex-pat tourists often get angry when they don't understand the situation, can't communicate, and feel like they are getting ripped off. Often, the whole thing can be solved by listening, speaking slowly, and reading Lonely planet. This took a while (30-40 minutes).
Interesting moment: Meeting a French man who works in China. He's starting a giant toy store.
4) A/C Bus to Hat Lek Border Crossing (Thailand): Met some good Chicagoans en-route. Talked about Obama, and found out that he just won Maine. Talked politics with a knowledgeable American for the first time in a while. Terrific! Great guys, hope to reconnect in Phnom Penh. Hour and half ride.
6) Crossed Border(Cambodia->Thailand). This was a hassle, and it was very hot. The highlight: giving a serious speech about DDD to the Cambodian Border Chief to get a business visa, while wearing cargo shorts and a dirty tee-shirt. I even gave him my business card! Got the business visa. Total time: 30-45 minutes, approximately.
7) Pickup truck to Koh Kong (Cambodia): driven by a clever guy named "Ben" (really Bon-tun). He wore a nice red striped shirt that looked vaguely Italian. 15 minutes.
8) co-hired a taxi to Phnom Penh. Ben hooked me up with a seriously expensive (1300 Baht) taxi back to Phnom Penh. 5 hours travel time.
Highlights:
-The Driver shared a seat with another passenger. How many Cambodians can you fit in a Camry?
-I woke up and we were on a ferry crossing a river. I went back to sleep. When I woke up again, the ferry was docked. Only problem: the truck ahead of us (carrying leaking coolers carrying "fish") couldn't get on shore. This took the guys at the village about 20 minutes to figure out.
Went and got some crackers and water. For some reason, they didn't want to remove the coolers from the truck, which seemed odd.
-The Thai woman in the car asked me to marry her sister. Then she told me that I was handsome, and that she was pregnant. They they gave me some strange fruit, dried fish, and asked for my phone number.
I explained that a small kid had stolen the phone. This didn't translate well.
-Near the city limits, we pulled up next to a black Mercedes. The Thai women paid, and got out. "my father" the pregnant woman said.
-Then we listened to some Cambodian stand-up comedy. My driver and the other passenger thought the comedians was very funny, laughing at his jokes. I asked who it was, rather than make assumptions. Turned out it was a speech by Hun Sen, Cambodia's Prime Minister. He's the leader of the Cambodian People's Party.
The guys in the car love him. This is a departure from all of my political conversations thus far. Sort of like realizing that you're hanging out with Republicans.
A Cambodian friend of mine calls Hun Sen "Big H."
I got back to Skypark at 9:45pm. The guy at the desk was happy to see me. How was Sihanoukville, he asked?
Monday, February 11, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Sunday on the Boat
Spent the day on a large, colorful boat. An eight-island tour, with snorkeling, lunch, a BBQ snack, and lots of Europeans.
I spent most of the day napping under the sun. I went snorkeling off of two of the islands.
At the second one, the reef was wonderfully alive. A school of medium-sized striped fish followed us around, as one man fed them from an orange juice bottle.
Giant purple anemones sat on the floor, with matching fish nestled in their tentacles.
I dove down next to a brilliant turquoise clam. He didn't want to play, and sucked himself in. I returned to the surface, and repeated the maneuver a few times. He didn't seem amused.
I spent most of the day napping under the sun. I went snorkeling off of two of the islands.
At the second one, the reef was wonderfully alive. A school of medium-sized striped fish followed us around, as one man fed them from an orange juice bottle.
Giant purple anemones sat on the floor, with matching fish nestled in their tentacles.
I dove down next to a brilliant turquoise clam. He didn't want to play, and sucked himself in. I returned to the surface, and repeated the maneuver a few times. He didn't seem amused.
The Island
I'm on Koh Chang, a large island off the coast of Thailand.
View Larger Map
It's overdeveloped, but pleasant. I am staying in an expensive guesthouse (700 Baht a night) that overlooks a large carp pond.
I spent Friday on the road. Caught a 9:30 speedboat to Koh Rong, then crossed the longest bridge in Cambodia in the back of a truck, and did the border crossing in Thailand.
Then another longer truck ride with some nice ex-pats to Trat, a small town in Thailand. Then another truck ride to the Ferry, with an evening ferry ride to the island, followed by another truck ride to our guesthouse.
Wow. What a day. Lots of negotiating, haggling, and arguing with locals. Oy.
Thailand is much wealthier than Cambodia, and the Thai i've interacted with seem more influenced by the West. Tougher, less naive and emotionally open, harder to negotiate with.
I'm with a wonderful british couple. Lovely people, a bit older, really terrific conversationalists, warm, open.
The weather is nice. I miss Cambodia. This place is too much like Florida. Not so many old Jewish people, though.
Friday Morning with the Police Chief
I am sitting in the Sihanoukville police station. It's 8AM on a friday morning, and I have a rotten hangover. The police chief is wearing polyester business slacks, a dark button-down shirt, and big black baseball hat that says "police." He's making tea and smoking intently.
He offers me a cigarette.
What am I doing here?
Last night, a small child stole my blackberry. I was sitting on the beach drinking Angkor with some fascinating journalist friends and a child came by to try to sell me some bracelets.
I initially ignored him until I finally replied: "tej, tej, tej" (no, no, no).
A minute later, I reached for it and realized what had happened.
Back in the police station, I fill out the "complaint form." The police chief studies it, like a high school english teacher reading an essay. I almost expect him to correct my punctuation.
Then, he asks for $5 for "the photocopy." This sort of thing is quite common in Cambodia.
I deftly reply that I have no money. He seems annoyed but amused, and pats me on the knee.
The tea has boiled, and he pours himself a cup. He doesn't offer me any.
He spend 20 minutes photocopying the form and my passport, and then comes back. We sit, looking at each other for a while.
I expect a speech, or something.
"Cambodia very poor," he says.
'Trau" (Right/correct) I reply.
As I'm leaving, he laughs and says one more word, wistfully
"Americans."
I get back on my moto bike, and we drive away in the morning haze.
He offers me a cigarette.
What am I doing here?
Last night, a small child stole my blackberry. I was sitting on the beach drinking Angkor with some fascinating journalist friends and a child came by to try to sell me some bracelets.
I initially ignored him until I finally replied: "tej, tej, tej" (no, no, no).
A minute later, I reached for it and realized what had happened.
Back in the police station, I fill out the "complaint form." The police chief studies it, like a high school english teacher reading an essay. I almost expect him to correct my punctuation.
Then, he asks for $5 for "the photocopy." This sort of thing is quite common in Cambodia.
I deftly reply that I have no money. He seems annoyed but amused, and pats me on the knee.
The tea has boiled, and he pours himself a cup. He doesn't offer me any.
He spend 20 minutes photocopying the form and my passport, and then comes back. We sit, looking at each other for a while.
I expect a speech, or something.
"Cambodia very poor," he says.
'Trau" (Right/correct) I reply.
As I'm leaving, he laughs and says one more word, wistfully
"Americans."
I get back on my moto bike, and we drive away in the morning haze.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
On the road...
I'm hitting the road this afternoon to Sihanoukville (Southern shoreline of Cambodia), and then to Thailand. I'll try to blog from the road, sans pictures.
I'm back on Phnom Penh on Monday, with pictures, stories and adventures.
Time for a holiday.
I'm back on Phnom Penh on Monday, with pictures, stories and adventures.
Time for a holiday.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The Pig in the Yard
Showing up at work this morning, I was greeted by a giant pig.
Fat, red, (roasted?), and sweating, and facing the buddhist shrine.
The pig is in celebration of Chinese New Year. Almost 10% of Cambodians are ethnic Chinese, and they are an influential group.
It was a quiet day at work. When I came downstairs for lunch, the pig was gone.
Fat, red, (roasted?), and sweating, and facing the buddhist shrine.
The pig is in celebration of Chinese New Year. Almost 10% of Cambodians are ethnic Chinese, and they are an influential group.
It was a quiet day at work. When I came downstairs for lunch, the pig was gone.
Monday, February 4, 2008
The Digital Divide Data Giants win the Cambodian Superbowl
Figuratively speaking, that is.
Sunday morning was Game Day for the DDD team, a serious football (non-American variety) match against a top-ranked University team that had won some fancy championship.
It was a more serious match from the start, as they had a fast "german-style" offense, and charged our offense when we held the ball. Luckily, we were able to put up a few goals, and they let me play in the second half. Less of an effort than last week, as I was tired and unprepared for the faster match. I missed another opportunity to score, and skinned both my knees.
But we won, 4-1, which was a big victory. We were partially powered by a recent swedish addition, who played well and with energy on defense.
After the match, we went up the highway to celebrate by the river. We sat around on hammocks, on a platform that overlooked the Mekong River.
The Mekong River
Some of my teammates played cards, and then we sat around and ate. Then it was time for beer. I tried to teach them the words to "show me the way to go home," the drinking song from Jaws.
They were amused, but hadn't heard of Jaws. Oh well.
The Hammocks
Sunday morning was Game Day for the DDD team, a serious football (non-American variety) match against a top-ranked University team that had won some fancy championship.
It was a more serious match from the start, as they had a fast "german-style" offense, and charged our offense when we held the ball. Luckily, we were able to put up a few goals, and they let me play in the second half. Less of an effort than last week, as I was tired and unprepared for the faster match. I missed another opportunity to score, and skinned both my knees.
But we won, 4-1, which was a big victory. We were partially powered by a recent swedish addition, who played well and with energy on defense.
After the match, we went up the highway to celebrate by the river. We sat around on hammocks, on a platform that overlooked the Mekong River.
The Mekong River
Some of my teammates played cards, and then we sat around and ate. Then it was time for beer. I tried to teach them the words to "show me the way to go home," the drinking song from Jaws.
They were amused, but hadn't heard of Jaws. Oh well.
The Hammocks
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Friday Night at Elsewhere
The Pool At Elsewhere
After a long walk at the night market near the riverside, I decided to attend "First friday" at Elsewhere, a swarming mass of ex-pats in the courtyard of a converted colonial villa. A sea of Europeans, a smattering of Americans, and a few locals, too.
A giant college party, with people sprawled out on bamboo mats, with their feet in the dipping pool, smoking cigarettes, downing drinks, with more mixing as it got later.
Germans, Dutch, Americans, Canadians, Australians, and returned Cambodians, blending into a drunken paste. Reminiscent of the boat scene of Gravity's Rainbow.
I even met a guy from Bensonhurst.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Obama Endorsements
It looks as if the Obama Campaign is surging, at least from this side of the world. With Edwards dropping out, I've been watching the wave of important endorsements:
First it was Caroline and then Ted Kennedy...
Then it was Ned Lamont (which makes sense, since Lamont's race was fueled by the same young, insurgent base that powers Obama's campaign).
Most recently, Moveon.org's members overwhelmingly endorsed Obama.
In a vote:
Obama received 197,444 votes (70.4%)
and Clinton received 83,084 (29.6%)
And then, Charlie Rangel's wife endorsed Obama, despite her husband's support for Clinton.
The snowball is rolling...
First it was Caroline and then Ted Kennedy...
Then it was Ned Lamont (which makes sense, since Lamont's race was fueled by the same young, insurgent base that powers Obama's campaign).
Most recently, Moveon.org's members overwhelmingly endorsed Obama.
In a vote:
Obama received 197,444 votes (70.4%)
and Clinton received 83,084 (29.6%)
And then, Charlie Rangel's wife endorsed Obama, despite her husband's support for Clinton.
The snowball is rolling...
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