The Cambodia Challenge: Otres Beach

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Feb 9 2013

Today can only get better from this bus journey… and it did, like times a million! Have to say this was like the best day ever.

We shared a tuk tuk to Otres beach with Phillip, the Australian guy who witnessed to bus horror. We were looking for cheap rooms and found this great place ON THE BEACH. $8 for a room with 2 double beds. Easy to fit 4 people. So the 3 of us will share, sweet! I’m so nervous though because I only have $45 left for the rest of the trip. Little to my knowledge, Phillip paid for the room! So considerate of him. It also helped him ease his conscience about not giving me his seat on the bus.

Side note: we’ve had really good luck with tuk tuk drivers finding us the cheapest place and the best place all in one! You know they always take you straight to their “friend’s” hostel, but the past 2 times we walked around asking prices only to end up where the tuk tuk took us first! Awesome.

We walked down the beach a bit looking for food. Radhika and I shared these great nachos but nothing like nachos at home. Then, all day, we got to spend relaxing on an amazing, stunning, beach, Today I smoked more than I have in ages! You can actually buy a joint from the hostel for like $1.50. there is also happy herb pizzas, shakes and shrooms.

The water is so refreshing and blue, as we are swimming in the Gulf of Thailand. After a bit Radhika and I head down the beach and ask some bars if they need any extra help for the night. SCORE! We found a place like 4 buildings down that was the biggest bar on the beach. Promptly after, I ran into Cormac on the beach! What a grand day. He finds a place to stay for the night, comes back with 2 other guys. Sierra and Micah also come find us and we all have a nice time sitting in the sun, swimming, eating, and smoking, until one by one we all head to bed. I fell so appreciative and alive to be here right now Not only do I miss the beach but it’s nice to be able to share your experiences with friends.

Otres beach is a lot more chill than I thought it would be but also more expensive. We didn’t end up working at the bar at all because there was no business. The beach stayed quiet all day and all night and it was such a relief to even be at the beach, let alone such a beautiful one. With our little beach hut and good friends. Corndog (Cormac’s new nick name) and I end the night star gazing from beach lounge chairs, listening to the lapping sea water, sand between our toes, and talking bull shit, as VBFs (Vietnam Best Friends) do.

Day: 8

$.75 gross fig newtons

3 tuk tuk

2.25 breakfast

1.50 beer

3.50 dinner (way too expensive for fried rice!!)

Total: $11



Feb 10 2013

Chuc Mung Nam Moi! (Happy New Year in Vietnamese) It’s officially the Lunar New Year and Cambodia couldn’t be more packed with ex-pats on holiday.

Phillip is off to some island by 6:30 am and Radhika isn’t far behind, off to do here scuba diving certification on Koh Rang. Man I wish I had enough money to get to this island… either way, I’m still in paradise. I can’t get back to sleep so I spend a glorious morning writing, tanning, swimming and a breakfast that consisted of 3 mangoes and a small banana for $1.50. I also got hustle by a little girl for 50 cents from Nin, a little Cambodian girl who made me a friendship bracelet.

I pass the day on the beach and Corndog and the 2 other guys join me. If I can’t get any work at the bar tonight, I for sure will run out of money. FML. I cant even afford 75 cent beer!!! That’s sad. But there was some event tonight so we all walk over to a little bar on the beach. They played really good music, which is especially appreciated because the music in Vietnam is dismal. Then there was this rapper and really rad beats. He was English but also rapping a bit in Khmer. It was really good and it’s such a shame Rich didn’t make it here with us because he would have loved this.

Corndog and I ended the night with another star gazing sesh. Next to the bar listening to great music. Then it turned to drum and bass, which is terrible, so we moved back down the beach to my little hut. But Corndog told me some news today that was not so fun. Astrid isn’t coming back to move to Hanoi. She has a really amazing opportunity and job offer in Laos and she’s going to take it Corndog isn’t a fool and is not entertaining the idea of a long distance relationship, so basically Corndog is moving to Laos ASAP. I’m happy for him and Astrid (they are so perfect for each other) and I would go if I were him, but now I’m really sad. I don’t want to know Hanoi with out my VBF.

Day: 9

$1.50 breakfast

.75 water

.75 water

3 dinner

3 Jug of beer

2 room

Total: $11

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Photos

chillin out
with an eclectic group of friends on the beach