Unfortunately for me and anyone reading this entry, my camera battery decided to die this morning so there is very little pictorial evidence that his day actually happened so you’ll have to take my word(s) for it! VSO are very kind to us all and helpfully arranged a Cyclo tour for all 17 of us to get our bearings of Phnom Pehn.
Cyclos are bicycles with two front wheels and a seat for the passenger, driven by a Khmer man. We paid $5 for the whole day and we were taken around the place in convoy, stopping off at a number of landmarks. The trick is to choose your driver carefully and make sure you recognise him when you are ready to get in again. I managed to find a driver with both eyes and whose feet touched the peddles, a luxury that was not shared by all!
Roads in Phnom Pehn are mad! Officially, vehicles are driven on the right hand side of the road. However, if you are driving a moto, cyclo or tuk tuk and having difficulty turning into a road, it is very normal to drive the wrong way down a road until you get the chance to filter through the on-coming traffic and cross to the correct side! This is rather hell-raising when sitting in a Cyclo seat as you can imagine.
We managed to visit Wat Phnom (a very old temple in the city where there were monkeys, an elephant wandering round, many beggars and children selling whatever they could and birds you could pay $2 to be set free from their cage). Needless to say I kept a close eye on my purse and even attempted to dissuade others from paying to free the incredibly tame birds. I’m sure they come back to the cage of their own free will when its dinner time! It was a beautiful temple to wander round but soooo hot!!
We also managed to visit two of the bigger, more well known markets; Central market and the Russian market which were fantastic experiences. I cannot describe the overwhelming attack on the senses: the colours, smells, people, food, material, and so much more! It was wonderful and I’m definitely going back with more time to buy some cooler clothing. Did I mention that it’s quite hot?
For lunch we visited the Foreign Correspondents Club overlooking the river for a coconut (again, a very luxurious western establishment) and then the Bali Cafe for the most delicious food. And then it rained! Proper rain though – not the drizzly pissy rain of England fame. It was so cool and refreshing and heavy!
In the evening we were invited to the Deputy Director’s home for a welcome party with yet more fantastic Khmer food! We have certainly been well looked after so far. I have to keep reminding myself that this is not the reality of the next 2 years though – I will not have a fan going all night in my bedroom when I’m in Phnom Sarok!
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