I'm feeling pretty exhausted. I think my body is just worn out from the travel and lack of sleep. I've been travelling almost every day since I left the states:
-- Sunday - Monday (US to Beijing: 18 hrs)
-- Tuesday (Beijing to Phnom Penh: 7 hours)
-- Wednesday (Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: 6 hrs)
-- Thursday (no travel but sight-seeing)
-- Friday (Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: 7 hrs)
-- Saturday (no travel - bummed around the hotel to rest!)
-- Sunday (Phnom Penh to Sihanouk Ville: 9 hrs)
In one week, I've spent about 47 hours travelling. It's great to be able to see different parts of Cambodia, but to try to do it in such a short timeframe, it's draining! I had a slight fever a couple nights ago and rested yesterday at the hotel (and got pampered with a body and foot massage). I have tomorrow to rest and then we are headed to Kratie on Tuesday (which is probably another 6 hrs each way). Kratie is the city where I was born...so I'm excited about going to see it.
We woke up bright and early today to go to beach at Sihanouk Ville. I'd set my alarm for 4:30am since my cousin was suppose to pick me up at 5am. At 4:16am, he calls to tell me the bus is pulling up to the hotel!! I had to rush out of bed and get ready...I think I had my best record time of getting ready (and packing for the day) in under 15 minutes! After that, it was a 4.5 hr drive to get to Sihanouk Ville. Our main objective for going to Sihanouk was to go to the beach...but it rained on and off all day. I thought for sure we'd have to find something else to do...but apparently, the people here don't care about the rainy weather!! The beach area was completely packed and people were grilling like it was nice sunny day.
When we got to the beach...we rented a covered area to stay dry and my cousins went to get some seafood to grill out. We had some really good seafood for lunch...crab, shrimp, and fish. The folks here eat alot of seafood...and I think it's great...but the crab and shrimp can be so messy to peel!! After lunch, I went out on the beach to watch my cousins play in the waters. I was hestitant at first about getting wet and then having to sit 4.5 hours back home feeling all icky and dirty...but they eventually convinced me to go in the waters. I had such a great time playing with the waves (and in the rain)!!! It was such a good workout too! I did feel all icky and dirty on the way home, but it was worth it for the fun I had. I uploaded some pics from the beach...most of the people here wear normal clothes to the beach...not the skimpy little bikinis you see elsewhere...so I'm in my shorts and tank.
Now onto the food since I know some of you are curious...most of the food I've eaten so far remind me of the food we have back in the states at the more traditional Asian restaurants. I did have Khmer food last night for dinner and the flavors remind me alot of Thai food (the dish I had used alot of lemongrass and coconut milk). The restaurants I've eaten at seem to be a mix of Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese flavors. They've got the usual pork, chicken, beef, and fish/seafood. I think the most unusual thing I've seen so far are fried crickets and spiders!!! As we were driving back from Siem Reap, we stopped by one of the vendors on the side of the road that sold these. It smelled so good...but no way I was eating it!! There was even a bucket of live spiders...if you look at the video, you'll see where the little girl actually scared me when she picked one up. :)
My favorite thing here is the coconut. I love coconuts and it's awesome that I can just get a fresh one just about anywhere. If I was stranded on an island and could only take one fruit with me (is it considered a fruit?), it'd have to the coconut. You get juice AND coconut meat...yummy.
Exotic fruits are plentiful around here...it is so hard to find some of these in the states. Rambutan, durian, jackfruit, and some others that I don't even know how to say in English. When I look at the fruits we have in the US...the apples and oranges look so boring compared to what they have here. My mom is always telling me to eat more fruit...she'd be so proud of me now eating all these! :)
