Parting Words for Cambodia

164_6445-4.JPGOn our walk back from dinner tonight, Joylani commented how she’d like to come back to Cambodia sometime and stay for longer, perhaps to volunteer long-term. She added that Phnom Penh’s not the nicest city in the world- it doesn’t really have any parks and its really hot (at least in February)- but we’ve enjoyed it. And I have to agree. As far as niceness goes, neither Phnom Penh nor Cambodia as a whole wins any beauty pageants, but there’s something about it. It’s not beautiful, its still in that ugly developing stage between undeveloped and modern, and its kind of a crazy place. Yet, the people are friendly, seem genuinely warm, and it’s an easy place to live and get around. I kind of thrive on chaotic environments, so that was nice too. Unlike most countries we’ve visited, in Cambodia we only really stayed in four places for any amount of time. Regardless, I feel like we’ve seen a lot of things, from the lakes and waterfalls of Ban Lung to the indescribable wonders of Angkor to the realities of a rural orphanage, and finally to the capital teeming with life. The good food, great value accommodations, and the Khmer people have made Cambodia my favorite SEA country thus far. It’s been a good time and seems like its gone too fast. Perhaps the best measure of how much one likes a place is how I feel now: there’s nothing left to see or do, but I’m not yet ready to leave. If we weren’t meeting my parents in Bangkok in a few days, perhaps we would stay a while longer. That’s irrelevant though, as we’re heading for the Thai border tomorrow and will try to make it to Bangkok by tomorrow night. Returning to Thailand will be bittersweet though. We’re looking forward to seeing my parents and there’s still plenty for us to see and do in Thailand, but Thailand just isn’t as different (relative to home) and thus not as interesting as Lao and Cambodia have been. The past month and a half in Lao and Cambodia has been fun and I’m going to miss it.

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