Service Trip to Cambodia This Journal keeps track of my experiences as an Epic Volunteer for Vail Resorts while in Siem Reap and the surrounding villages during a Chiropractic Service Trip staying at Hariharalaya Retreat Center.

Arriving in Siem Reap was as if a mix of cultures or generations came together and met at the airport.  First, the customs and baggage area was super modern, surprisingly to me as I was thinking more along the lines of expecting a Caribbean arrival experience.  Thanks to said modern age, I was able to get an eVisa (definitely recommended) which allowed me to skip one whole section of the arrival process and go straight to immigration. 

After getting my bags, I met up with my Tuk Tuk driver sent from the hotel, Sumbat.  He was ever so gracious and gave me the slowest drive from the airport to town.  Literally the slowest as we were passed by everyone (cars, other tuk tuks, motorcycles) except one guy who was on a bicycle and it was a close race.  A tuk tuk is a motorcycle with a cart attached to the back.  Some people have sponsors on the back, others have them tricked out with lights underneath, and most have a hammock to hang when they don’t have any riders.  A tuk tuk can easily sit 4 and had no problem with me and my backpack bag. 

As we made our way through the outskirts of town, I found the other half of the culture that I was expecting.  Lots of establishments right off the road with plastic chairs and tables serving up food and drinks (some in plastic bags with a rubber band and straw plopped in) and I thought back to the drive to Balcones in the Dominican Republic or Lilliput in Jamaica.  As we made our way into city center (slowly, which actually turned out to be a blessing as you got to experience more of the town) we started passing more people and amazingly nice hotels.  Due to the holidays, the lights were out and very Christmas focused with some New Year’s in there.  Cambodian New Year’s is April 13^th so any New Year’s was catering towards Westerners.  We then hit the main markets and the Night Markets were lit up and quite amazing as they weaved in and around the river.  Even at 10pm in was bustling with people everywhere. 

After a quick catch up with Lauren (my roommate for the time in Cambodia), we went to bed to get ready for the week ahead.