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Published: January 28th 2007
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patio
view from the 4th floor We're finally able to board after four long hours. The plane was smaller and looked a bit shabby. The flight was relatively quick. When the plane flew over Cambodia, I was tripping out about the browness of everything! The only green I saw was near the rivers.
We arrived into Pochentong International airport of Phnom Penh, Cambodia!
I filled out my visa form and was ready to explore my home country! We walked to towards the visa counter when I saw my mom and Sothyson talking to some strange man. Turns out he worked for his father and was there to help us through the visa process! We all gave him our passports and visa forms and waited a bit. The visa official had a hard time accepting that my brother was really related to me and my mom. He kept getting Sothyson and Harry confused. He thought my brother was too tall and barely looked Asian enough to be related to us whereas Sothyson did. After that confusion was cleared up, we were allowed to walk through and pick up our baggage. Then we got our passports with permanent visas! That means we can come back to
4th floor
see where the gate and toilet is located Cambodia anytime without having to pay or reapply. Usually foreign visitors get a few weeks stay and have to reapply if they want to stay longer.
I grab one cart full of luggage and head out. Before I could walk out, the officials stopped my mom and tried to give her grief (I think they were looking for a bribe). I couldn't do anything so I walked outside and was greeted by family I had never met before! They were so excited and chattered around me like ducks. They kept exclaiming how much thinner and paler skinned than my photos. It was a compliment, I guess. I told them what happened with mom and Harry. We waited and not too long, they came out.
Sothyson met his dad for the first time since he was 11. It was sweet.
We quickly left the airport. I rode in one of my numerous aunts' car. Funny enough, it was a chromed out Honda CRV! I certainly didn't expect to be sitting in that. The airport was not too far from the capital and my aunts' place. They had a gift store by the Mekong River.
I met more
sunset
view of 130th St and Mekong River of my aunts, uncles and cousins! There was so many, I didn't get all the names and faces. Harry went off with Sothyson and his dad while mom and I did something totally girly. We walked with my Aunt Bouy and cousin Theary two blocks to what looked like Beauty Salon alley. Each tiny stall was a beauty parlor. They offer hair, makeup and nails services. It was crowded and smelly. The trash was dumped on the walkway. Mom got a perm and haircut while I got a mani and pedi! It so different. All the girls there were short, thin and had long dark hair. Karaoke was playing in the background. Little did I know that, it will always be in the background.
We walked back to my aunt's shop primped. It was a four story bldg, the upper three were apts for each of my aunts. We all got acquainted and talked til dark.
Sothyson, his dad and Harry came back and picked us up for dinner. The city outskirts were dark, there wasn't any lamp posts. Just headlights and bldg neon signs. We ate at a restaurant with live music. I was feeling surreal. The
service was very prompt and the food was yummy. Everything was fresh!
By the time we left restaurant, I was asleep in the car. I was so tired from the flying. I dragged my ass up the many flights of stairs to the top floor. Mom and I shared a room while Harry slept in the guest room below us. I took a quick shower consisting of a cold water container and metal bowl over a toilet. Changed into a ridiculous pattern pajama set that made me look like I was 12, then conked out.
I woke up around 3am needing to pee. I got out of the room and headed to the balcony toilet except the gate was locked! The toilet was on the other side. I was sleepy and fumbling around trying to open the gate. Then I tried the front door that lead to the downstairs floor, it was locked! Now I was really frantic and awake!! Helpless, I woke up Theary and she unlocked the gate. I nearly peed in my new pajamas! Later, I learned that they locked the outter doors every night to keep the burglars away. It would have helped and
save me from peeing in my pants if someone had told me that. Instead I found out the hard way!
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