Finding the Penh

We left the hotel at 7:15 for our final journey in Dara's Tuk-Tuk, to the Giant Ibis Bus Station. I had joked with Dara that he should take us to Phnom Penh his vehicle, this made him laugh! We had heard mixed stories about the journey to Cambodia's capital. Some say "don't take the night bus", others say "don't take the day bus" as well as "take the boat" and "dont take the boat". There is also a 40 min flight (the bus takes 7 hours). Huiyen suggested we take the day bus, $15. The bus itself had lots of leg room, plugs, and Wifi. I'm sure this is very different from the Cambodia my friend Jerry experienced 10 years ago.

The jouney went really quick and wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. The roads were much better than some of the Philippines, although very dusty and you start to think of the people who live next to the roads and must be under a constant cloud of red dust.

We got to try some pressed sugar cane juice that's a local drink, it cost about 30p and didn't taste as much like a sugar cube as I thought it might, it did have a fibre type aftertaste to it though, same you would get from eating bamboo shoots. I'm not sure I would have it again although it wasn't that bad.

It occurred to me that it's been about a month without any Indian food. This must be the longest time without it since about 2004, although with all the other good food this last week I've hardly noticed. Luckily my travel guide listed a good Northern Indian restaurant that was well priced and gave me a good reminder that I should go and get a fix! We both had a Thali for $6, which had some chicken curry, dhal, rice, raita, something else, a chapati and a few bits of carrot. Well worth it.

Bowls of rice; 24

Hours travelled; 60

Tuk-Tuk rides; 19