Friday, March 17, 2006
My Cambodia trip to Siem Reap is finally over.
More on yesterday.....
DAY 3 - THURSDAY 16 MARCH 2006 AT SIEM REAPSoon after using the Internet chatting on MSN and blogging at Central Market (where I bought 2 novels on Cambodia's late civil war), Mr Thorn, the tuk tuk driver, drove us to Angkor Wat for sunset. We sat on the boulders facing the body of water (perhaps called a moat) and watched some cambodian children playing among themselves, naughtily.
Sun set at 1820 and we returned to the guesthouse and had 'amouk' again at 2000. Wc and I shared pork and fish amouk, fantastic.
At 2100, Mr Thorn drove us to Zone One for clubbing. We ordered 3 big bottles of Asahi beer for US$11 only. Nb danced with me for less than 3 minutes before we returned to the seat because my shoulder knocked onto her eyes as she was trying to talk to me such that her contact lens dropped off. Earlier on, I asked a waiter for poker cards. He couldn't understand me and called his assistant manager over. Again I asked for poker cards. I thought the assistant manager finally knew what I was saying as he nodded his head but I was stunned when he handed me his namecard instead! And what can I do but to act as if I was really asking for his namecard?
Towards the end, wc, deb and I played 'five-ten' and those who lost would have to drink a glass-full of beer. But wc cheated by drinking only glass-half. Wc and I proceeded to the dance floor and started shaking before we called it a day. I was feeling drowsy due to drinking too many glasses but I remained sober.
On reaching the guesthouse at around 2300, I bathed before sleeping. Bloody nb accidentally spilled my mineral water onto my bed. Soon after I came out from the bathroom, wc was already in his wonderland and I knew our trip was nearing the end.
I switched off the light and television and soon was in my dreamland.
DAY 4 - FRIDAY 17 MARCH 2006 SIEM REAP - SINGAPOREWoke up at 0430 and washed up before packing my belongings. Then I slept for another 1 hour until it was time for deb and I to make our way to the airport, bidding farewell to wc and nb who'll be continuing their backpacking trip until 31 March 2006.
We left the Cambodian ground at 0750 sharp and touched down at Singapore Changi at 1051.
I slept from midday and woke up at 6pm to have my dinner.
I'll have a sleepless night again since I have to reach the airport the next day early at 0540.
To make a second trip to Siem Reap requires a second thought. I was rather disappointed on the first day we landed at Siem Reap because what I saw was forest. There were not any high-rise building as well. Roads were dirty and the whole city was sandy. It is still rural in other words. But I am certain Siem Reap will be akin to Bangkok where increasing numbers of tourists will call on. We have come across large groups of Japanese, Koreans and the Chinese nationals. More hotels will be built as well.
I'll miss the Cambodia trip, definitely, looking back to this journey of my life as perfect memories when I turn old in decades to come.
|Melvin Ng| 7:33 pm|
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