Every once in a while something happens that is so monumentally earth moving you lose complete control of your bodily functions. This isn’t one of them but it may help alleviate trapped wind. Fluff up the haemorrhoid cushion and let’s take a ride into the unknown
I caught a bus from Vientiane to Udon Thani in the northeast of Thailand, this being the nearest city with an accessible hospital. The journey was uneventful and I arrived at my hotel early evening. My choice of hostelry was entirely dictated by the fact that it had a bath in one of the rooms. That bath got some hammer, I almost undid millions of years of evolution and reverted back to an amphibious state. The discomfort was still intense and I attended the hospital first thing in the morning. The doctor didn’t examine me but offered, very kindly, to give me an MRI scan for £350. I declined as they would not accept travel insurance as a payment option. I then found an independent osteopathic surgeon who examined me and diagnosed Sciatica. He recommended stretches and prescribed painkillers, all for £10. I did the stretches but avoided the painkillers unless absolutely necessary. My time in Udon Thani was spent eating, stretching, massages and bathing. My subsequent few days in Bangkok were spent in pretty much the same way. I stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants and generally spoiled myself, I’m worth it apparently. I spent a lot of money but I really was feeling very low during this period. The stretches started to work and after some recovery time, I decided to resume my travels. Apologies for the rather scant reporting but you have pretty much got the full picture.
What you think you become
-Monk in Siem Reap
Next stop was Siem Reap in Cambodia. Located in the north of the country, it was an 8 hour bus ride from Bangkok and we had the old one-two border crossing with a $30 fee for the visa. My hotel, The Damnak Riverside Villa, was a small family run affair which boasted a swimming pool. However, I failed to find any evidence of one whilst I was there. As well as the mythical lido there was also a mythical breakfast. To be honest though, it was an ok hotel and the family were very friendly. I had got into the habit of spending beyond my budget and this continued in Siem Reap. I was still in considerable pain, despite the improvements facilitated by the stretching exercises, and was continuing to live an indulgent lifestyle in order to deflect from it. When I arrived at the bus station a rather pushy tuk-tuk driver ingratiated himself with me and ended up with the Angkor Wat gig. This was a two day mission as there are many places to visit. I, probably like many other people, thought that Angkor Wat is just one big temple. Which in fact it is, but, the name also refers to a large area surrounding it where there are numerous other temples. We shall call the tuk tuk man Sukon. This may be his real name, it may not be his real name. Can’t think of why I would make that name up though. He arrived at 8am the next morning and we planned to visit Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Premh. The latter was featured in Tomb Raider. Sukon was an inveterate chancer, he was constantly trying to sell me the services of a young Khmer female and there was an angle on everything he did. His tuk-tuk kept breaking down, which was a little concerning when you were on a busy road surrounded by fast moving traffic. Thankfully he always managed to get it going again. Despite his somewhat poorly maintained moral compass he was a likeable chap. So, Angkor wat. Wat can I say? Well, firstly I assumed it was a Buddhist temple but it was in fact a Hindu one. All the surrounding ones appear to be Buddhist. The building itself is magnificent, inspiring the platitudinous “how the fuck did they build that 900 years ago? They couldn’t do it today”. Due to extensive restoration and maintenance it is pretty much intact and words can’t really do justice to the scale, beauty and historical importance of Angkor Wat. When I crossed the moat to enter the temple, provocatively dangling my carrier bag, I was accosted by a very determined monkey which not only lacerated my bottle of water but also made off with two bananas. Be warned. Next to Ta Premh. Unlike Angkor Wat it has largely been left alone with little restorative work. The result is that there are parts that have collapsed and also huge trees have grown through the existing buildings and ruins. For me personally, this creates a wonderful landscape which captivates and amazes. Bayon is largely intact and its unique selling point is the number of faces on the stupas, towers and buildings. You notice one and before you know it you can see dozens. Nobody is sure whose face it was but many suggest it was the king who built the temple. The next morning Sukon, unfortunate name, arrived early again and we visited several more temples. Regrettably, I am unable to remember all the names. Suffice to say they were all unique and deeply engrossing. Sukon took me to a restaurant for dinner, as he did the previous day, and was on a backhander as he got his food gratis. I was a little resentful as the prices were much higher than other eateries in the locale. He also continued to extol the virtues, or lack of depending on which way you look at it, of the young Khmer lady. The next day I took a leisurely stroll to the central market with my new friend Li whom I had met on a bench in the city centre. He also struck me as a chancer but likeable with it. I was trying to find a t-shirt but was unable to. The hunt for this elusive garment would cover weeks and extend over two countries. This was because I had a very clear idea of what I wanted and was not prepared to compromise in the slightest. I wanted a yellow cotton t-shirt with a minimalist 70’s image on it. After dedicating 2 weeks to this grail search and not being willing to deviate from my goal I of course bought a blue Converse snide. A commendably poor one at that but one that I really like. I also walked to The Angkor Wat Museum, a veritable treat I am informed, but to my mild irritation it was closed. The epicentre of social activity in Siem Reap is a street full of pubs, imaginatively called Pub Street. Apart from quite a lot of walking about and exploring the city that was pretty much my time in Siem Reap. Feeling the need to move on, I booked a bus to Phnom Penh. My five days cost about £230, Cambodia being more expensive than all its neighbours. I had continued doing the stretching exercises and the Sciatica was largely gone, not before a few more massages.
I arrived in Phnom Penh mid afternoon. I walked to my hotel from the bus stop which took about 20 minutes. I had booked The Golden Noura Villa. This was a cheap option, the reason for which became apparent very quickly. As I was checking in I noticed a large rat casually trotting down the stairs into reception. I don’t think it was a guest but you never know. When I got in my room the wardrobe was in pieces and to suggest the room needed a little TLC would be like saying Chornobyl needs a lick of paint. I made an executive decision to move pronto. The following day I moved to Suite Home Boutique which was the next cheapest I could find at £25 a night. I can’t stress enough that compared to other countries in the area Cambodia is very expensive, Phnom Penh is comparable to European prices at times; $15 for a less than average pizza, budget hotels at $30-40 a night. The dollar is prevalent in Cambodia as is the French colonial influence. My new hotel was infinitely better and still well located. The following day I put my life in the hands of Google Maps and set off to find Tuol Sleng prison, otherwise known as S21. This was the facility where those deemed enemies of the state were taken during the Khmer Rouge years. It took me about 40 minutes to walk from my hotel in rather uncomfortable heat and when I arrived it was closed. A cautionary footnote, it closes for a couple of hours at lunchtime daily. I went and got some food and then returned at 2pm when it was open. Entry is $5. As with Auschwitz you feel an overwhelming calm despite the events that occurred there. Again, as with Auschwitz, it was difficult for me to fully comprehend the enormity of it all. Maybe denial, maybe just a defence mechanism. This was repeated when I visited the Killing Fields the following day, although there were some events there that did fully breach my emotional levee. Maybe it was a culmination of the three. At Angkor Wat there is a relief which takes as its subject The Churning of The Sea of Milk. This story can be viewed as a metaphor for the personal journey, where the incorporation or acceptance of both good and evil is necessary for enlightenment or development. Maybe this is why these places leave you surprisingly unaffected; we don’t want to consider what we might be capable of. Anyway, I don’t wish to appear too flippant so back to the serious stuff. The following day I ambled up to Wat Phnom, a temple perched on top of a small hillock in the centre of Phnom Penh. This is where the name of the city came from. Entry is only $1 and, although it has historical importance, it is a very small temple in which you would be hard pressed to make a visit last longer than an hour. Maybe if you fell asleep you could stretch it out. Or had a picnic. There is an impressive Buddha inside the pagoda but also a small shrine next to it which looks like it wouldn’t be out of place on a low budget game show. Contrast and compare. I did enjoy the visit but it was brief and underwhelming. Not sure what I expected for $1. I ate in a few different places. The highlights were a French cafe which served a roast vegetable sandwich tres delicieux with salad and a pastry ($7) and a vegetarian Dosa which offered lovely curries ($9 with a starter and bread). Definitely a rarity in South East Asia. I also met up with a couple of friends from home who were travelling in the area and just happened to be passing through Phnom Penh at the same time as me. This was a lovely bonus and we had civilised refreshments in the shadow of the Central Market. I spent time in quiet contemplation by the riverside and also had a butcher’s at the Royal Palace. There was no access to this however and it was only possible to view from a distance. It is lit up like a Christmas Tree at night so you can get a good idea of what is on offer, or not as the case may be. I spent about £300 whilst there.
My ruminations on Cambodia? I loved Siem Reap and the temples. The Khmer people are very friendly in The North and most welcoming. I felt very much at peace when I was there. In one temple, maybe Preah Khan, I really did feel a oneness with everything, a feeling of universal knowledge and acceptance. Unfortunately, this disappeared quite quickly in Phnom Penh, a bustling, loud and energetic city where generosity and kindness seem a little thin on the ground. The goodwill I felt at the temple didn’t extend to the rat nor the incessant badgering of the tuk-tuk drivers. I found it difficult to muster any real affection for the capital but that may just have been because of where I was staying. It is not a terrible place, I just didn’t warm to it. It is expensive, as previously mentioned and more than any of the other cities in the area you feel like you are a mark, and nothing more.
As an appendix, I returned to Phnom Penh twice from Vietnam as a non tourist. These were purely social visits and I have nothing to add to the blog other than when visiting in a different capacity I did find the city more welcoming and less demanding. To spend time in residential areas, visit markets, and spend time with people in their environment was much more rewarding. It is still one of my least favourite places though.