So… Siem Reap. Tourist town. Lots of tuk tuks and motos… the hotel is apparently the highest rated in Cambodia on Hostel Bookers – although it’s a bit of a walk in to town. But what about a bit of an experiment? A competition, even. Motos versus tuk tuks – the goal, to see which ones hail me the most on my walk into town.
(these guys are ‘churning the sea of mik – an ancient Hindu story about the creation of the elixir of life – and a repeating theme around Angkor Wat)
The moto drivers put up a strong showing and soared into an early lead at 6-0. Once I’d reached the main road, the tuk tuks started to catch up, although the motos still kept them edged out. Coming into town it became a nailbiter, and the tuk tuks slowly started to gain on the moto drivers, resulting in a final thrilling finish and a final score of tuk tuks 14, motos 12. Massage parlours put in a late showing with 5 in the last three minutes of the competition.
But who should I find in a bar in Siem Reap? Mack and Chelsea, of course. Mack is now my favourite jazz musician (list of about five) and can be found at(http://mackgrout.blogspot.com/ and http://mackandchelseainasia.blogspot.com/).
After dinner, we’re keen on some 50cent beers – and after a couple of those, Chelsea is keen on a fish massage. So far I have avoided these, but since the three of us and a couple newly acquired Canadians are in this together… what the heck (and we get a free beer if we sign up for 20 minutes).
It’s a very odd sensation, having your feet nibbled by hundreds of tiny (and not so tiny) fish – and I am hoping that they haven’t let piranha in by mistake. Tickly! The free massage is nice too… and so, suitably relaxed and with remarkably clean feet, we head off. The fish have, indeed, made us very happy!
We’re hailed by a tuk tuk driver who quite obviously hasn’t got a tuk tuk. When challenged on this, he says that it’s just round the corner, and it has a sound system, disco lights, pool and minibar. Apparently the marijuana is quite good round here.
Anyway, we take a tuk tuk back…. but he fails the practical part of the exercise as he has no idea where my hotel is. After some driving round, I get him to take me back to the town centre (where he has the temerity to charge me for not taking me to the hotel) – I find someone who does know where they are going…. another adventure in the temples of Cambodia awaits us tomorrow….
| In case you missed it – or in case you needed a link that works (the email didn’t have the right links in) then my offer for ‘The Cube’ is at |
Explore The Adventure. . . . . 