I had a dream that Dunkin Donuts opened a store right around the corner from my house. We don't have these in San Diego, so it really was the best news I could receive. I was overjoyed and began picking out all my favorite donuts to eat. Chocolate glazed, the vanilla cream filled powdered donut, laughing as I explained to the clerk how much I love their donuts. My dream didn't stop there. I arrived to my friends house. Her daughter was selling Girl Scout cookies and it wasn't even Girl Scout cookie season. My friend and I laughed as she agreed. She too couldn't believe her daughter got to sell them early, as I picked out Peanut Butter Patties and Samoas to take home. Then my alarm woke me and pulled me away from of all my favorite foods. It was clear I was going crazy without food, I was even dreaming about it.
I quickly got dressed for my orientation day with the Projects Abroad office. Normally this happens on day one, but my program plan was swapped since they needed to squeeze in Valentina's trip to Siem Reap before her flight this week. Sython arrived with a Tuk Tuk in the morning and we drove through the busy chaotic streets to the office. It still baffled me how all these drivers can function with no street lights. Motorcycles, cars and bicycles reach intersection after intersection with no guidance or instruction. They just inch through in no particular order and half the time, just miss each other by a hair. It's absolute chaos.
The Projects Abroad office was quite small with four employees and a director. Sython introduced me to each one and explained their roles. After, we reviewed all the rules and safety items for Cambodia visitors. Tips such as, keeping your purse on the inside of your seat on a Tuk Tuk. This will prevent thieves from ripping them from your cart. Never buy souvenirs from children. He explained that their parents use them to collect money from tourists. The more money kids make, the less likely the parents are to allow them to return to school. If everyone stands strong and does not pay the little kids for trinkets, the parents will not see the value of them out on the street and will allow them to go back to school.
After running through all the insurance items, checklist and agenda details he reached for a t-shirt. "Size M?" I shook my head and requested a small. "Size S smaller in Cambodian size. Are you sure?" He asked. I reached for one and went to put it over my head and it was like a baby's shirt, unable to clear my head. "Cambodians very small Julie," he laughed tossing me a medium.
Sython pulled out the map and circled around the entire city of Phnom Penh. He explained part of my orientation would be learning the city and driving around the outline. He apologized this was supposed to be completed when I first arrived but there was no time. We drove around the city as he pointed out the important monuments, post office, Royal Palace and the famous Raffles Hotel Le Royal. "That is a five star hotel in Phnom Penh and very famous. They have a pool where non-hotel guests can enter and pay $20. It's very nice!"
After learning the outline of the city, he dropped me back off at the house by noon. "I let you rest the remainder of the day from all the travel this weekend." I couldn't agree more, I was exhausted from all the transportation.
I went upstairs to my room and my roommates were back from a break from school. Brooke and Lily were so sweet to talk with. Always exuberating happiness, it was intoxicating being around their positive attitudes and their lovely Australian and English accents. They filled me in on their morning teaching the children. Brooke received an email from her work that they had all pitched in money for her to buy whatever her students needed. They raised over one thousand dollars and tears formed behind her eyes as she read the email aloud. I was so glad to be bunking with the two of them during my time here. Especially after hearing Lily cried the first night when the French girls wouldn't even speak to her. She was no longer lonely with the two of us now in her room.
They headed back to teach and I had the afternoon off, so knew exactly what to do with my time. I packed up my daypack with my bathing suit, sunscreen and headed for The Raffles Hotel. The Tuk Tuk pulled up to the magnificent five star resort and I was becoming more relaxed step by step up the granite staircase.
I walked up to the concierge desk and he bowed while greeting me hello. I asked where I might buy a day pass for the pool and he pointed to the elevator as he gave me directions to reach the spa. Walking into the spa, a cool breeze brushed my face. Two women stood up from the desk and greeted me hello with a bow. I asked them for a pass and they led me to the spa as they reviewed what was included. "You will have full access to the spa amenities as well as the two swimming pools. Through this hallway you will find our steam room and sauna. Through this hall, you will find our hot tub and fitness center. To the right is the locker room will you will find your towel and bottled water inside." she said while handing me a key.
I quickly changed out of my clothes and into my bikini. It had been a while since I had the opportunity to shave so asked if they had a razor. "Oh, yes of course!" The woman, reached in a drawer. "Now I will take you to the pool," I paused. "May I first? Laughing, holding up the razor. "Yes, of course! She guided me back to the locker room and I jumped in the shower to make myself a little more presentable for Raffles.
After my shower, she guided me down to the pool and the gentleman greeted me as she introduced me. "This is Miss Kastler, please take care of her this afternoon." He walked me over to a empty line of lounge chairs with rolled towels at the end. "Which ever you prefer," the man opened his hand to the selection of seats. I selected a chair and unrolled my towel. "If you need anything, please ring the bell," he said before walking away. I looked over to the table beside my chair to find little silver bell.
Propped up by the pool, I admired the peacefulness of this beautiful property. This was a perfect way to conclude the chaotic trip to Siem Reap. I tapped the little bell and the man rushed over and bowed, "What can I get you Miss Kastler?" I ordered a glass of Chardonnay and a margherita pizza.
After lunch, I took a dip in the refreshing cold water. I swam the length of the pool and caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Valentina walked up to the edge of the pool and I was excited she decided to join. I had told her before I left and she said she read about the hotel in her Lonely Planet tour guide book. We laid by the pool and laughed about the two extremes we had just encountered. This was a treat and Valentina's last day, so was a nice ending for her. We stayed poolside until the rain poured down in the late afternoon.
Valentina and I headed back up to the spa to relax in the hot tub and take advantage of the steam room. While passing the gym, I saw a monk dressed in his orange gown running on a treadmill. Now that's something you don't see everyday, but I guess monks need their exercise too.
After a nice hot shower and spa day, I blow dried my hair for the first time this trip and got ready for the day right there in the spa with their products and bare essentials. I knew it would be the last time I would be "getting ready" for a while.
Valentina wanted to shop around in Riverside but I wanted to head back since it was growing dark. I waved for a Tuk Tuk and displayed my address card. "You know the way?" He asked. I shook my head no and he looked at the card again. "Okay, I take you- five dollars." I told him I know it's only two and it's not far. He argued, "No, I take you for four." I started to walk away and he said, "Okay, okay two!" I climbed in the Tuk Tuk and he headed through the busy bumper to bumper traffic. A few minutes later he weaved off the main road, leaving the city and slowly the road winded into a deserted area. We passed fewer and fewer vehicles. I began to panic. It was growing dark and I had never taken a cab that left the main city lines other than the bus to Siem Reap. Before we could get any further into our trip, I sternly yelled to him, "This is not the way." I was deeply afraid but didn't want that to show. "This is not the correct route, take me back to the main road." He pulled over, jumped off the bike and walked around asking to see the address card again. "Okay, no problem." We drove for another short turn and once the cab weaved back into the busy traffic, my heart stopped racing. "I only took that route because of the traffic." he shouted back to me. I didn't trust him and that was the last time I took a Tuk Tuk alone.
Once we reached the house, I still was a little shaken up and let my heart resume normal speed before I climbed back up to my room. I opened the door and was greeted excitedly by my roommates. They were so fun to live with and instantly cheered me up. I told them about the taxi and they thought that was strange too. I always was so excited to chat with them. I told them all about my spa day and they invited me to join them tonight after dinner. They headed downstairs and asked if I was joining but I declined. I was just beginning to get my appetite back and the pizza this afternoon was plenty for me.
After they ate, they called for me upstairs and then we took a Tuk Tuk to Riverside. They invited another Italian, Silvia. She was incredibly sweet and traveling from Venice. Silvia and her boyfriend did a trip through Vietnam prior to Cambodia. He went home and she stayed for the Care Program.
The Tuk Tuk dropped us by the river and Brooke led us down the sidewalk to the store to buy our bus tickets for the weekend. We bought round trip tickets for Sihanoukville and the clerk informed us our ticket included: AC, Wifi, pillow, bottled water and a cake. "A cake?" I exclaimed. The girls laughed and I told them on the way to Siem Reap we didn't even get a water, let alone have a pillow. I was so glad they were taking care of our arrangements for the weekend.
Brooke led us to a yogurt shop where we grabbed a little desert. Silvia apologized for her poor English and I shook my head. "You speak great English!" It is always so crazy to me to hear foreigners apologize for their English when I could barely say a few words in a second language. She spoke and carried on just fine. She did say it must be weird for all of us though that everyone in the world pretty much speaks our language. I asked why and she said, "Because you can't talk about people. When my boyfriend and I travel, we always will revert back to Italian when we want to talk about someone. It's our own little secret conversation." I laughed and screamed, "I knew it! I knew people speaking in another language were always talking about us!" We all laughed and it was true. Well I'm sure it's true all the time, but probably most of the time.
After our treat, we took a Tuk Tuk home and the girls and I planned out our hostels for our beach trip. I absolutely loved having these roommates and didn't mind sharing a room with strangers. They didn't feel like that to me at all anyway, and I had only known them for a few days. I was having such a great time with them and felt like they always had each other's best interest in mind.
So I wrap up another day in Cambodia, this time at the spa. I'm excited for tomorrow and to see what else unfolds in Cambodia before I move on to Vietnam next week.