Cambodia and Laos

Unfortunately, there are no pictures to post--just a quick update. After my last post in Bangkok, I boarded a third class train and made the 5-hour trip east to the border with Cambodia (Aranya Prathet on the Thai side, Poipet on the Cambodian side). Third class wasn't too bad--it was packed and hot, but there were fans. It was a bit more difficult for me since I didn't sleep very long the night before, and it was impossible to fall asleep on the train. But the trip was a success--after a few hours I got off the train and was greeted by a multitude of tuk tuk drivers eager to take me across the border.

Crossing into Cambodia was very easy and uneventful. Cambodia now has a wonderful e-visa program that lets you apply for a visa online, receive a pdf reply in your inbox, and print it as an actual visa. The entire process took me about 30 minutes. Thank you, Cambodia! They should probably advertise this e-visa a bit more, though, since there was still a long line of frustrated people waiting to apply for a visa upon arrival.

Poipet, on the Cambodia side, is described as the "armpit of Cambodia" in my Lonely Planet. They weren't far from the mark on this one. It seems like everyone I met there was either smuggling something across the border (I almost hitched a ride with a couple smuggling shoes), or looking for ways to charge tourists an enormous amount for a ride in their taxis. I finally found a reasonably-priced car, and five hours later arrived in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap means "Siamese defeated," a ballsy move for a town close to the Thai border. The city is very warm and inviting, with an apparent French influence in its many cafes and restaurants. I had one of the best massages of my life there (yes, Khmer massage is better than Thai massage, in my opinion), and some great food. Siem Reap is the kind of laid back city that I could spend a lot of time in. But, unfortunately, I only had three days.

In those three days I spent the majority of my time doing what every tourist does in Siem Reap--visit the temples at Angkor! And for good reason--these temples, tons of them distributed around the area, are spectacular. I hired an incredibly friendly driver, Vebol, who advised me on what to see and when. On my first day, I saw the sun rise over Angkor Wat at 5:30. I also visited Ta Prohm, the temple that is struggling to survive against the many trees growing throughout--and on top of--it. On my second day, I returned to Angkor Wat to see the sun set.

Cambodia was very different from Thailand--not only is it significantly poorer, its people bear the very new, very deep scars of a gruesome civil war. Amputees frequently visit the town center to ask for money, since other avenues for earning an income are usually closed to amputees. Land mines still lie throughout rural areas, making solemn strolls unusually dangerous. There are multitudes of mothers and children that, instead of begging, sell inexpensive souvenirs and drinks in an attempt to make any money they can.

The children selling these items were very kind, which was wonderful as a solo traveler--there was always someone to chat with. I found that in Cambodia, children wouldn't get upset at me if I refused to buy their goods. Eating breakfast at Angkor Wat, a couple young boys selling guide books and postcards sat and talked with me the entire meal, even knowing I wouldn't buy anything from them. In the end, I usually gave kids a "tip" for their kindness, and the effort they put into selling. I imagine it would be easy for them simply try to beg, but they insist on trying to earn money.

And these children were oftentimes surprisingly smart and educated. At the last temple I visited, a less popular site where I was the only tourist, a young girl approached me with a huge smile and tried to sell me pants. I pointed to mine and told her I had some, and she said I needed Cambodian pants as well as the Thai pants I was wearing (yes, they were actually from Thailand). She asked where I was from, and before I had time to tell her, she was already listing the US state capitals. I thought I'd throw her a curve ball, so I said Colombia. She said "Bogota?" and started speaking in Spanish. She spoke Spanish extremely well, explaining to me that she learned from "turistas," that she also speaks Hungarian, Polish, and a little French, and that she's fourteen. She also tried to teach me some of her language, Khmer. She explained that although the word for father is "pa," she would say "po" because she's of a lower socioeconomic class.

On the trip back to my hostel, I imagined what this girl would do with the opportunities most American children her age have. What would she aspire to be and to achieve? What would she be able to give back to her country? It is absolutely heartbreaking to think that the abilities of this extremely gifted girl will probably go unrecognized in Cambodia, and will never benefit the girl's family or her country.

I ended up buying the pants from the girl. Afterward, I said farewell and tried to encourage her as much as I could in the few moments I had. I told her she is very gifted, and that she should continue studying hard. I also admitted to her that she's far smarter than most of the 14-year-olds I've met in the United States.

Cambodia is the kind of place that leaves visitors humbled. In spite of the horrors in its recent past (horrors that are still very evident: 40% of Cambodia's population is under 14 years old, since many adults were exterminated under the Khmer Rouge), it is never rare to see Cambodians smile. I think our world has a lot to learn from them; I'm definitely looking forward to my next, longer visit.

After too little time in Cambodia, I boarded a plane for Pakse, Laos. This morning, I took a bus to the southernmost point of Laos, near the border with Cambodia. This area is called 4000 Islands since it is where the Mekong River fans out, creating tons of small land masses. Today I enjoyed riding a bicycle around the island, and swimming in the Mekong at sunset. Today Laos (along with Thailand and Cambodia) celebrates the lunar new year with lots of singing, dancing, drinking, and soaking. That's right--I've already been shot point blank by two little kids with water guns, so I invested in one of my own.

Over the next week or so, I'll be making my way north through Laos, eventually crossing into China. A friend studying in Beijing invited me to tour southern China with her, so I'm having to hurry my trip along in order to meet her.

I hope you're all doing well. See you next time...