22.2.08
I had to transfer from the Goldiana Hotel to the Princess
Hotel to start my Intrepid tour so I grabbed a mototaxis who balanced me on the
back and my huge backpack on the front!
After I checked in, I ventured down
the main street and found a convenience store to fulfil my craving for
chocolate! I sat on the steps out front of the store and engulfed my Cadbury
fix. The weather was scorching so I made my way back to the hotel to cool down
and wait for my tour guide to pick me up to show me around! A nice young lady
from Intrepid Travel picked me up at 1400hrs and showed me around the Royal
Palace, Silver Pagoda, the National Museum (again) and Phnom Wat. Phnom Wat was
interesting in the fact that it was dedicated to a woman named Penh. This was
where the city derived its name – Phnom Penh – Hill of Penh.
After an afternoon
of sight-seeing, I was dropped back at my hotel and was free to do what I
wanted for dinner. I took a tuk-tuk to a restaurant called Khmer Surin and ate
a feast! I could barely walk after scoffing half their menu and grabbed a
tuk-tuk home. I made an arrangement with the lovely tuk-tuk driver for a trip
tomorrow to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Museum. His
negotiations were priceless. I asked him how much for the round trip and he
replied, "What’s good for you is good for me.” So I said, “Ok. How about $5?”
and he replied with a smile, “Oh no, $10 – it’s good for me and good for you!”
I couldn’t help but bend to his charm and agreed. He said not to forget him
tomorrow morning and handed me his business card which was a handwritten wallet
size piece of paper with his contact details and “Good service, good
driver”. As far as I was concerned, I was sold!
