Cambodia

How to sum up my trip to Cambodia... Hmm... three expressions come to mind:

“Tuk-tuk! Tuk-tuk! Tuk-tuk!”

“My friend, how much you pay?”

“Special price, special price for you my friend. It’s good for you!”

I can still hear the voices of tuk-tuk drivers chasing us off the buses, outside our hotels, down the streets, outside of Angkor Wat, on our way to the beach... I think we could have tuk-tuked across the entire country if we agreed to all the special prices.

It was interesting to observe the differences between Thailand and Cambodia, though they are similar in many ways. Cambodia seemed a lot less developed and a lot more dependent on the tourist industry, but overall the people were just as friendly and excited, if not even more so, to share their culture and history. 

^ tuk-tuk ^

My trip to Cambodia picked up only a few hours after Koh Phangan left off. I arrived back in Chiang Mai Sunday morning just in time to take three midterms the next day, then returned to Arcade Bus Station with my re-packed backpack by Monday night. I wonder if the woman at the “Bangkok” window knows my name by now... 

Once back in the capital, we bused across the border and into Siem Reap where we rewarded our 24 hours of pins-and-needled feet, over-cramped butts, and mind-numbing boredom with a few $0.50 beers and lunch at Temple Restaurant. For my fellow travelers reading this, “We’re in college!” - speaker anonymous. 

The next day we checked one of the Seven Wonders of the World off our bucket lists as we explored the ancient Hindu ruins of Angkor Wat. The temples were like none other that I’ve seen, with indomitable roots of fig trees ripping through the stone structures and hopeless attempts of reconstruction to hold the architecture together. I wonder what the temples will look like 10, 20, 30 years from now.

Angkor Wat

Our next stop after Siem Reap was Sihanoukville, a small province on the coast of Cambodia. We stayed in a little bungalow called “Wish You Were Here,” and I am almost certain that this is the most laid-back place on the face of the earth. Swinging wicker chairs, comfy egg-seats, a chalkboard-painted wall scribbled with menu items, and groups of backpackers sharing untroubled conversation over games of cards. Even the owner went about his day as if there wasn’t a worry in the world. “I wish you didn’t have to pay,” he said, “then you could just get your food, drinks and keys yourselves... And I wouldn’t have to do a thing.” We laughed at the fact that he wasn’t joking. 

Runner-up for most laid-back place in the world was Crusoe Island. Crusoe is a tiny, desolate island off the coast of Sihanoukville. It is inhabited only by a handful of Khmer families and one small “resort” that offers accommodation in tents and hammocks. Electricity is available between 6pm and 10pm (so I don’t recommend venturing to the squatter located in the middle of the woods at 9:55 like I did), and there is one hut for meals and drinks at designated hours. The only thing that bumped Crusoe down the list was our fear of rats, scorpions, and cockroaches crawling on our faces during the night - but besides that it was very relaxing.

Our weekend on the island consisted solely of swinging in hammocks, wading in the bathtub that is the Gulf of Thailand, and chatting around campfires at night. Because there was essentially nothing at all to do, I was forced to train my New-York-mind to slow to the pace of the swaying palm trees. It was surprisingly difficult, as I’m used to having a million thoughts in my head. But on Crusoe Island, it was just the ocean, the hammock, and my book - nothing else. 

Emily put it well when she said that reading is like a vacation for your mind. I’ve been traveling so much lately that my thoughts constantly seem to be chasing after my footsteps, trying to keep up with all that I’m taking in. But it was a nice change of pace, having no reference of time besides the pendulum of myself and my hammock beneath a palm tree. With all else still, my thoughts resolved, and I allowed my mind to wander into the land of make-believe between the pages of my book. 

The nights were a little different from the days, however. The first night we spent sleeping in a tent on the beach, and as the beach is only a few feet from a forest of rats and scorpions, it was a bit unsettling to wonder what creature was rustling the leaves just outside of our cloth-lining wall. So the second night we opted for a place less accessible to forest floor critters. We each pitched a hammock and zipped ourselves into bug-nets. Of course, our bug-nets were bombarded by cicadas all night, which was again, a bit unsettling. But we survived. And after three long, power-less, shower-less days, we were ready to return to civilization. 

Crusoe Island

Wish You Were Here welcomed us back to Sihanoukville with cold showers and home-made veggie-burgers. Once our cameras and phones regained their battery life, we headed out for the next destination. 

On our long bus ride to Cambodia’s capital city, Sage and I sat between a group of local Khmers who were on their way to a soccer tournament. One of them spoke pretty fluent English, so we took the opportunity to ask him questions about Cambodia. He was so happy that we were open to talk to him, to tell him about our country and ask him about his. I learned a lot from his disclosure, but one thing he said stuck with me the most: “Thank you for telling me about America. I like to learn from people. I feel like everywhere is my school, and everyone is my teacher.” 

“Everywhere is my school. Everyone is my teacher.” How did he put such a truthful, meaningful statement into such simple words? 

Phnom Penh, Capital of Cambodia

When we finally arrived in Phnom Penh, we hurried off our bus, jumped into a tuk-tuk!tuk-tuk!tuk-tuk! and decided on a cheap hostel in the city. On our list for Phnom Penh were the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which brought mixed feelings to all of us. Nobody knew what to expect. We’d heard from friends who had already traveled to Cambodia that the stories of the recent Cambodian genocide were emotionally challenging, but we wanted to learn the history for ourselves. 

Just 30 years ago, nearly 2,000,000 people were mass murdered under the Khmer Rouge takeover in Cambodia. Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge party leader, sought to nationalize the peasant farming society of Cambodia in accordance with the Chinese Communist agricultural model. Pol Pot and his followers imprisoned, tortured and killed all potential opposition, which included educated people, professionals, and monks, as well as young children who could not bear the punishing labor forced upon them in the fields. Within just 3 years of unfathomable executions, the Cambodian Genocide resulted in the gradual devastation of over 25% of the country’s population. 

At the Genocide Museum, a Cambodian woman was selling bracelets outside of Security Prison 21, an old high school that was turned into a jailhouse during the Khmer Rouge regime. This woman was a survivor, separated from her mother, father, sisters and brothers during the genocide. She remains outside of SP21, in the presence of the bloodshed memories from her past, because she hopes that one day her family members will find their way back to her. 

The stories of survivors made it all feel more real to me, though it was still so difficult to wrap my mind around. But that’s how it is with all major tragedies. You’re left wondering how they happened, why they happened. Sometimes there just isn’t an answer. Sometimes the only thing we can do is raise awareness for the future, and that is the intention of the Cambodian’s who share their tragic history in Phnom Penh. 

The Killing Fields, Phnom Penh

By that point, it was evident that our trip Cambodia had taken us all on an emotional roller-coaster. We spent a few more nights relaxing and exploring the city, and soon it was time for Sophie, Alex and Emily to catch their flights back to Thailand and Sage and Anna to Malaysia. 

So I spent my last night in Phnom Penh with a diverse group of backpackers I’d met along the way, sharing some drinks, playing pool, and apply the quote I’d learned from Khmer Bus Rider. Then I set out for the Thai border, and took a quick stop on Khaosan Road in Bangkok to do a little shopping. Here, is where I asked myself how I have been in Thailand for over three months, and have yet to spend more than a couple of hours in one of the world’s largest cities, not to mention film-set of America’s ever-so-entertaining The Hangover Part 2. So another item was added to the bucket-list, and I boarded my bus back to Chiang Mai excited to plan the next trip with my friends to BANGKOK.

Danielle in Thailand

“My sister is coming!” “Oh I can’t that weekend because my sister is coming.” “I’m doing that when my sister comes!” “Did I tell you my sister is coming?”

I’m pretty sure everyone in my program was able to mark the date and time on their own calendars that my sister would be visiting me here in Thailand. But I couldn’t help it. I was looking forward to her coming ever since she booked her flight - which was just about 2 weeks after I had booked my own. I think Danielle was just as happy for me that I chose to study abroad in Thailand as she was for herself to have an excuse to come visit. Either way, I could not have been more excited. 

On Friday night, I ran down to Suthep and jumped into a Song Tao for the airport, my thoughts racing over the bucket list I’d prepared for weeks. 

First thing on this list: Doi Inthanon. 

Doi Inthanon is the highest point in Thailand. It is coated with rainforest and waterfalls and towers over a range of mountains just south of Chiang Mai. Once I heard about the on-site camping, it was a done deal. 

“So how should we get there?” I asked Danielle as I pulled up bus schedules on Google. “Bus? Song Tao? Minivan?” I continued my search for secure transportation, but Danielle had already closed her laptop, snuggled into my concrete mattress, and decided, “Motorbike.”

Motorbiking

So the next day we headed out to Tha Pae Gate, slipped on our power-ranger head gear, and took off on our motorbike down the long and straight highway to Doi Inthanon. 

Danielle getting her Buddhism on at the Temple

With only a few minor shoulder sunburns and a just a bit of sore-ass-syndrome, Danielle and I arrived safely at the base of the mountain. We took a “quick” stop at a temple on the way up, where I experienced the preface to Danielle’s photo-taking addiction, and then continued through the windy roads up the mountain. 

The views from Doi Inthanon were absolutely incredible. Green mountain tops rolled on for miles until they faded away into the blue horizon. I have to admit, although I was a little worried about our safety, Danielle’s insisting on the motorbike paid off when it came to the freedom we had on the mountain. Instead of being limited to bus stops and tourist attractions, the bike gave us liberty to explore all that the mountain had to offer.

The first day we visited a massive waterfall, where we climbed through the “No Climbing” zones and slipped down the “Slippery Rock” areas. I’m still waiting for Danielle’s upload of my “shitted pants” picture. 

Towards the end of the day, we raced the sunset up the mountain and set up camp in the woods for the night. The slanted, rock-hard, dirt floor wasn’t exactly a snug sleeping arrangement, but I was too encapsulated by the sounds off crickets, coyotes, and cockadoodledoos that I didn’t mind waking up at the foot of the sleeping bag. 

Sunrise at Doi Inthanon

At 5am, our alarms went off, and we hopped back on the motorbike to watch the sunrise on the side of the mountain. It’s amazing how many times I can see the sky glow red around the sun yet every time seems more beautiful than the last. 

It was freezing at this time and altitude, so after some hot chocolate, hot coffee, and hot soup, we set off for the summit. 

At the top of the mountain, we walked through some nature trails and Danielle’s Cannon soaked in about 26,897 pictures of birds and forest. Then we headed down to Wat Doi Inthanon, the two temples near the peak of the mountain... and yet another 26,897 photos. 

After that we hiked to a few more waterfalls, and then came across a sign for a Hot Springs. The sign was slightly deceiving as it took us miles and miles from our origin, and we ended up in a small village within a valley between the mountains. But the village was beautiful - fields of green crops and rivers and temples... and another 26,897 photos. 

Ok, maybe she takes good pictures.

After our long and relaxing weekend in the mountains, our next destination was a bit less tranquil. 

****

Next on the list: Full Moon Party. 

And so, one ferry, shuttle, bus, taxi, plane, and song tao later, I arrived back in the southern islands of Thailand. This time to the Gulf of Thailand’s Koh Phangan, host to one of the biggest parties in the world. 

Tourists from all countries flood Haad Rin Beach each month on the night of the Full Moon to celebrate with buckets, hookahs, beersbee, and just about anything else imaginable. If you are going to the Full Moon Party, you can expect a maximum of 2 hours of sleep per night, a minimum of 200 bucket stands in every direction you turn, and an unpredictable amount of passed-out, full-moon-party Fails, face-planted in the sand. Needless to say, as long as you’re careful and smart about what you chose to drink, the Full Moon Party is an experience you can't miss when visiting Thailand. 

So the first night we attended the Jungle Party. I forgot to mention that the full moon in Thailand includes the 3 days preceding the full moon, the 3 days following the full moon, the days of and around the half-moon, and a few sporadic parties between those... so basically, 365 days of the year. 

The Jungle Party was a unique experience to say the least. I spent most of the night decorating myself and others with black-light paint and running from booth to booth through the mobs of tourists, palm trees, and dance floors. I think this might have been the origin of the term, “Where’s my sister!?”

As the sunlight began to infiltrate the forest, we decided to move on to the beach where we could be first to soak up the rays. 

Note: Do Not Sleep On Beach After Full Moon Parties. If there was one thing I would have changed about my week in Koh Phangan, it would have been my outstanding performance of cursing the beach after waking up to my sister’s, “Chris... is your camera in your bag...?” Maybe we were asking to get robbed by sleeping right beside the unconscious stranger, but still. 

Anyway, the day went on and we still got our share of rays on the beach (and possibly a few others’ shares), and after some painful laughter about our matching red and white triangles, it was time to prepare for Night #2. Of course the only way to prepare for the big RAGE is to...!!!! fall asleep to a Thai massage. I made fun of Danielle for getting 8 massages in 2 weeks, but I guess I can’t I blame her. Six dollars for a full-body oil massage is a bit tempting to say the least. So once we finished our hour of relaxation, we were fully ready for another night of excitement. 

This one may have even topped the last. I’ll leave the stories between us, but a brief synopsis of the night would be dancing, swimming, and where’s-my-sister-ing. 

Full Moon Party - Haad Rin, Koh Phangan

For the next few nights in Koh Phangan, we moved on to the northern part of the island where we caught up on (some) sleep in our luxurious Milky Bay Resort. I think that was the first time my butt has sank into a mattress in three months... 

Throughout the rest of the week, I felt like all we did was meet people...

Argentinian man from Spain & his 2 daughters - Living in Thailand for 6 months and spending time as a family before the kids grow up.

Two guys from France - Best friends who hadn’t seen each other in ten years. One surprised the other by showing up at his hostel in Koh Phangan the morning of his birthday. 

Family from Portugal - One man had come to Thailand the past 8 years in a row, but this time he treated his 70 year old father to a vacation along with him. 

I think meeting people was really the best part of the trip. Living in Thailand this semester has definitely taught me a lot about Thai people and culture, but it has also opened my eyes to the rest of the world. Each person has a different story, a different background, different views of my country, of their own, of how they value their time. It’s amazing how much we can learn from each other if we take the time to really listen.

I think that’s what I love and admire most about Danielle. She has a way of listening to others, and they can feel it. It was almost as if every person we talked to was excited to share their story, and I think that was fully due to the fact that Danielle was excited to hear it. I’ve written down Dale Carnegie’s quote, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” But I never really understood it until I watched as each person, after only a few minutes of conversation, spoke to Danielle as if they had known her for years.

I know it sounds stupid and probably a little cliche, but I hope that when I get older I can live even half-way up to some of the standards Danielle has set in her life. It was funny to me that the only thing that really upset her when her iPhone5 was stolen that morning on the beach was the loss of her personal business plans she’d written in her notes. But that’s what’s so great about having an older sister. You have someone to look up to, to talk to, to listen to your sob stories and give you I-went-through-the-same-thing advice, and to remind you of the important things in life... like caring about other people, the intangibles, following your dreams, and appreciating the time with family and friends. 

So I guess it goes without saying that the visit from my sister was one of my favorite and most memorable times here in Thailand. I figured that out when the driver of my bus back to Chiang Mai tried to console the red-faced, bawling American girl in the chair behind him. “Why you not just bring your friend?” he asked through broken English. “My sister... back... to New York.” I think I managed less English words than he did between my gasps for breath. 

Lucky for me, I’ve got one more sister on the way - and so another “sister is coming!” to Thailand in just a few short weeks. I think Jaime was just as happy for me that I chose to study abroad in Thailand as she was for herself to have an excuse to come get Yoga-certified here, but either way, I’m looking forward to it. Sometimes I have to stop and think about how fortunate I am to have been given three sisters, two parents, and one adorable little pup. I know my life would not be anything that it is today without my family and everything they’ve given me, and I hope that somewhere on the other side of the world they read this, so that they know it too.

...yea, she takes some good pictures.