The Victoria Angkor: First 2 nights in Siem Reap

When your boss offers you two free nights in a 5-star resort for your first two nights in town after a long, sticky journey. you should take it. Tim won the stay at a charity pub quiz raffle and thought it seemed silly to stay in town when he had a perfectly good apartment to sleep in. Sure. I've fantasized about a "staycation" in New York before, but luck doesn't have me winning any raffles!

Needless to stay, the Victoria was gorgeous and I felt embarrassed when the wonderful front desk staff pulled my stained, old suitcase into their vintage elevator to head up. Built in the 1930s, the hotel sits in the middle of "Royal Park," a stretch of green gardens dotted with pagodas. The king's palace is in the gardens, so it's his spot whenever he's in town. I asked Tim if it was a big deal when that happened--I've dealt with Obama traffic in LA--and he laughed and said that he was just a figurehead.

It's the height of the "low season" here, leaving the hotel pretty empty, which I enjoyed. I rarely ran into anyone walking around the floors save for tons and tons of geckos both large and small. Both mornings I met Tim for a huge spread of breakfast which ranged from exotic fruit to waffles to sushi and miso soup washed down with as many refills as coffee as I could get. We tried the saltwater pool one evening expecting a refreshing dip in the midst of the heat only to jump into a bath. Sure that they were heating it we brought the issue up to the manager the next morning during breakfast while he sat with us and drank tea. No, it's not heated at all, it's really just that hot.

I walked back and forth down the river those first two nights to head out to dinner on "Pub Street" in touristy downtown. The river path is beautiful but treacherous and I hope to learn how to cross the street in a more effective manner. At night, hundreds of birds screech as they fly out of trees and each "tuk tuk" driver beckons to me on the street as a target for a ride. 

Sad to go, but on to the real world, or, the Golden Banana!

Getting here

Airport coffee, socks, Sinagapore, and a view through wires at my guesthouse in Phnom Penh

I'm playing catch up a bit. Because it's easy, I'll go ahead and blame the delay on jet lag, which seems fine given the unfathomable time it took to get where I am now: Siem Reap. The flight to London was a dream--6 hours of unadulterated sleep punctuated by two meals. I forgot how much they feed you on international flights and my vegetarian food continued to arrive first. I'd let it sit on the tray until everyone else got theirs as I thought "is anyone really hungry enough to eat another trayful of food?" So, I picked at the fruit and always drank the orange juice.

In Heathrow, I entertained myself during the three-hour layover by walking around and noticing all the airport shops that reminded me of my time living in Cambridge a few years ago. Mostly, I felt latent sticker shock after blowing so much money that summer when the Euro to dollar ratio held around 2.5: 1.

Everything hit me in Singapore where I faced a 9 hour layover before a measly hour and a half flight to Cambodia's capitol city, Phnom Penh. After debating internally and walking the huge Changi airport a bit, I made the bold decision to take up a free two-hour tour offered by the airport via bus. I needed to get outside and stretch my swollen legs. Plus, I got to add another gratuitous stamp to my passport.

The short tour circled us around most of downtown Singapore, a clean, modern and tiny country made up of skyscrapers, green lawns and water views. For me, the tour guide made the trip--she was a rousing force who hit on points of personal interest to me, telling us about the banking and manufacturing industry that lined the country's coffers, Singapore's renowned government savings plan leading to mass government housing development for most of the country, and about Singaporean's two main hobbies: shopping and eating. Getting out of the bus, I was slammed by staggering heat and humidity. Fashionable Singaporeans strolled by, unaffected by the weather. We viewed the Merlion (picture above) which was that: a towering statue of a lion spewing water, built primarily to provide a symbol for Singapore's tourism industry. I was happy to drive through Little India, where the thriving Indian community sells flowers andnestles tiny cafes and businesses into several blocks in the city center. I'm glad I made the tour but felt happy to move on to Cambodia. The stark cleanliness of the city compelled me to wonder about the Singapore of the past, before the era of Asian tigers, and the financial bubble. How different did the country look when it was the humble fishing village the guide described?

Made it back to the airport for a quick jump to Cambodia and twelve hours at the Top Banana guesthouse where I enjoyed mediocre red wine, curry and about twelve games of Jenga with a bunch of British backpackers.

Packed and fairly ready to go

Note: I thought this post published about 3-4 days ago, guess not! I'm already in Cambodia, but I figured I'd put it up anyway!

Butterfly on rooftop farm in Queens

Atlantic City

Last American meal, at home

I jumbled my things together this morning for my flight to Cambodia that takes off from JFK tonight at seven PM.  Surprisingly, getting ready for this trip didn’t phase me the same way other trips--a long weekend in Seattle or four days in Jamaica-- did. Two days ago, I beat myself up a bit for leaving some tasks to the last minute: installing huge software files for photo editing, purchasing traveler’s insurance, booking a hotel. I’m confident these minor details, including learning key Khmer phrases, will fall into place.

Before embarking on my three-month journey to Cambodia, I took solace in some pockets of free time in New York City and California. I avoided the subway and opted for long walks and logged some sweaty miles on my bike. Spontaneously ventured to Atlantic City for twenty-four hours. Ate at some favorite restaurants and tried some new ones. Got a behind-the-scenes tour of a commercial rooftop farm in Brooklyn by the farmer herself. Took a quick summer course in food security and lots of yoga. Saw friends. Got a sunburn and peeled.  Turned twenty-five and ate the celebratory gluten-free carrot cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week after.

While at bay now, I’m confident anxiety and uncertainty will find me somewhere-if not on the 30 hour journey to Phnom Penh, maybe while attempting to find a home, learning to edit and produce video, or via my notoriously sensitive stomach. Admittedly, I’ll be learning while doing for most of my time working with Naga Biofuels to document their work getting clean biodiesel to nonprofits, hotels, and dive shops throughout Cambodia. They’ve graciously welcomed me into their venture, and through my fumbling, I’m hoping to help them show their work to the world.

Some critical information:

Working for Naga Biofuels in Siem Reap, Cambodia

No iPhone! Instead, I’ll be using Skype: alisa.ahmadian

Not sure where I’ll be living yet, but I know I’ll be staying at the lovely Golden Banana until I figure it out.

Peace,

Alisa