Before heading south to the capital, I made a stop halfway in Kampong Cham, well I didn't actually see much of the city, I went straight for Koh Paen, a beautiful island that's connected to the town by an elaborate bamboo bridge that is rebuilt every year after the monsoon (its worth a Google search in images, trucks even go on this thing). I was drawn to this island for one reason. The bamboo huts guesthouse, aka, hammock paradise. Two dollar hammocks on the Mekong for rent. It was amazing. I made it out of my hammock for maybe 3 hours a day, usually in search of food..except for one day when I went around this island by motorbike..it was definitely an adventure. Four days, later I got back on the road and down to the city of ultimate chaos, and a little extra Phnom Pehn.

If I have to be honest, I hated it, and cant even describe why. First time in an Asian city where I didn't feel completely safe. I waited a few days to see if I would settle in. Didn't really happen. The only 'sight seeing', if we can call it that was a trip to the Killing fields (Choeung Ek) and S21 (Tuol Sleng). The killing fields were mass graves where the victims from S21 were brought to be executed. It was a sad but a necessary day. Mass graves, some filled with babies and women, others with headless skeletons. The audio tour was very educational, demonstrated respect, and told the stories of those who passed during this terrible takeover of the country. S21 was the prison where the victims were held for questioning and tortured before dying in the prison or being brought to the killing fields after having 'confessed' under brutal torture (being electrocuted, water torture, force to eat excrement, and the list goes on..) their deviant behavior towards the Khmer Rouge. Walking around these sights made me feel physically sick. Really shows you what people are capable of doing to each other under certain circumstances and under evil power hungry politicians.

That night, needing some uplifting thoughts, I met up with some friends that I met in Laos , a great and messy reunion with the crazy Spaniard from Luang Prabang I mentioned. He had been living with an expat who showed him the town weeks earlier, and he did the same for me. A few days on the motorbike and an inside scoop on Phnom Pehn, I started to get it, as much as anyone can start to understand this city. The corruption, the drugs, the prostitution, the scams, the development, the street kids and everything in between. This place was especially confusing. By the end of my first week, I had also been introduced to his friend and eventually moved in with for the end of my stay. Having two personal tour guides to explore the city and the outskirts, including silk island, one of my favorite places, this city began to grow on me. The nights at the riverside where great, the markets...where you could buy anything from fruit to landmines were eye opening and the people ill never understand. For a few reasons, I did not return to rabbit island, instead I waited for the second time for my Cambodian visa to run out and they force me out of this amazing country. But this time, with an even greater desire to return. Looking into opportunities...my fingers are crossed. I'm in love.