After having two experiences where an ATM machine swallowed my card while traveling abroad, I decided that whenever I travel, I am going to physically go into the bank and withdraw cash that way. I need a lot of physical cash over here to tip people, so I was picked up by Thy this morning, and the first place we went was the bank.
Cambodia is a third world country, and whilst it has modern facilities, the ABA Bank was like a palace in amongst a more modest setting. Beautiful marble looking floors, air conditioning, a system where you take a number that comes up on the screen when it’s your turn, beautiful men and women walking around looking official in their uniforms—it was more modern than Australia. It felt as if I were in an upmarket banking facility somewhere in Europe.
I withdrew my money, and it was an extremely efficient, professional experience. The only criticism I would give is that it took a very long time from ordering the cash to actually having someone use the machine to count it out. But I didn’t mind, because I enjoyed observing the operations of the bank.
My whole life people have been calling me a communist. I'm not a communist but I do sometimes wonder if communism was implemented correctly if it could be a success but I don't really even know what that means. It's something I thought about this morning when I went to the Killing Fields in Siem Reap, which is a genocide museum located in a Buddhist Monastery. It uses artwork, photography, information boards, and bones to demonstrate the horrors of the genocide undertaken by the Khmer Rouge.
I understand that the Khmer Rouge regime practised an extreme form of communism, and they definitely didn't get it right. But for me the museum highlighted how a good idea when practised badly can have devastating consequences.
Below, you can see two paintings that were exhibited in the first room of the museum.
I have been to Cambodia before. I came here around 20 years ago with my parents and my brother. I actually can’t remember a lot about our time here, but one thing that is etched into my mind is the dogs. There are so many stray dogs—literally everywhere. And they look so sad but also so beautiful. I want to pat them so badly, but even though I got my rabies vaccination, I know that wouldn’t be a good idea.
Below, you can see two photos I took of this gorgeous boy at the museum.
It cost $12 to get in and another $5 for the audio guide. I have literally wanted to do every job in the world—from oyster farmer to florist—but today I came up with a new job I would love to do. I would love to travel the world, visit different museums, and then submit ideas to the South Australian Museum about things they could introduce or ways they could improve.
I loved this museum this morning; it was beautiful. It put our little museum to shame. It was filled with educational information about the temples and the religions with statues, projection shows, and movies—it was incredibly impressive. I took the audio guide, which came with earphones and an iPhone-looking device, but I didn’t use it. I just read the information on the walls as I went along.
One thing I did see was one of the museum workers reading a book while she was on the job. I support that. I always ask security guards and people who work at On The Run what they do if there is nothing to do, and they always say, “Nothing.” I sometimes ask if they are allowed to read a book, and they say no every time. I think management should allow people to read to keep their minds active because there are some jobs that would be mind-numbingly boring.
In saying that, all jobs have value, and I don’t mean to suggest that someone’s value is diminished if they’re doing nothing. I just think they should be able to read or do something for the sake of sanity.
Below, you can see a photo I strategically took of some of the statues and also of the worker reading.
On the way back to the hotel, Thy stopped at the Angkor Temple ticket office. I purchased a one-month pass, which was incredibly reasonable for $100. Their pricing is confusing because three days is $62, and then you can get a whole month for $100.
We also stopped at the supermarket, and I bumped into an old friend.
It was worth it. The girl who did my hair didn’t really speak English, but she was amazing. The chairs at the basin were nearly completely horizontal, and she gave my hair a good scrub and massage while she washed it. It’s funny—the water was nearly completely cold, and I thought about how much I love cooler water running over my hair, hands, and feet. Not chlorinated water or seawater—just fresh water. I love the feeling. There’s something a little bit primal about that.
She dried and then straightened my hair, and when I went to pay, they told me they were going to give me a discount. It ended up being $32 USD. I am definitely going to go back to her for all my blow dries. I didn’t even bring shampoo or anything for my hair because I thought I would get it done either at the salon at the hotel or somewhere in town, since it’s usually so cheap. Yes, it costs more, but I’m going to treat myself.
Below, you can see a photo of my new hairdresser for the next couple of weeks. I believe she said her name was Cephus, but it was difficult to understand. I think I’ll come to learn it properly as the days go on.
