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Published: October 20th 2012
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Today marks the end of my journey through Cambodia and I can’t even begin to tell you what a fantastic time I have had. What I loved most was getting out of the busy tourist centers of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and leaving the mega tourist busses behind, getting out into the countryside and seeing the real Cambodia. I have seen some very well to do, with the nice cars and nice houses and witnessed the extreme poverty of one of the poorest countries in SE Asia. But the constant theme was the smiles and “hello” with a big wave.
There have been the usual annoyances, but despite my blogging about them, they don’t get under my skin. That what travel is all about, the humidity, the heat, the constant “no thank you’s”, the hard beds, the children selling gum, the occasional squat toilet, the constant battle between looking up at everything around you or looking down so you don’t trip on the uneven sidewalks, the uncomfortable bus, it’s what you expect and would not be the same without it.
What I love is that the moment you step foot into this country you are immediately assaulted with
sensory overload, the smells draw you in, the sounds that constantly make your head turn, the amazing sights at every turn. It’s finding those small side streets that turn into real gems, the dirt roads that lead to the most amazing scenery, the crowds you draw when you sit down at some roadside stall and sample what the locals like to eat. It’s like a high for me, and one that I have been chasing around the world ever since my first taste of it.
One thing that rings constant when talking to the occasional expat is, they came for holiday and ended up not going home. This is a place that I could easily do that. I hate that I have tied my life down with a mortgage, the “things” that seem to make my life necessary, but when you think about it, they are not really necessary at all. I would love to chuck it all, sell all the crap that once seemed an important part of “having”, and start a new life in a place where even having electricity for the day is a luxury. It has taken me years, but at this point in my
life, simple is good. I envy those who have taken the plunge and I am betting that it’s in my future.
I am going back on my 16 days and picking a few photos that for some reason or another never made the cut, and there are close to 1200 on my disk. I will also be making one final entry when I fly to Seoul at 11 pm tonight, arriving at 0700 on Sunday, I have a 13 hour layover before my 8 pm flight to LA. I of course will not waste this time, but plan on seeing a bit of Seoul and hopefully have time at the airport to make a blog entry. If all goes smoothly I will be home about 9 pm Sunday night, about the same time as I left Korea – lol.
If this is my last entry for this trip, while I know this is out there for anyone and everyone to see, those of my friends and family that have been following, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. I know I have said it before, but I wish you could see
it as I do because all the pictures and words do no justice. It’s impossible to take every pic I want to take, and describe everything I do, just take my word for it – it’s been an amazing journey!
Happy Travels, Don
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Theary Kem
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Cambodia
Hey Don, Thanks for sharing your great trip experience in the Kingdom of Cambodia! We are taking our early retirement next year and going back to Cambodia to do some charity work. Theary Minnesota, USA