Phenom Penh, Cambodia

After staying up all night at the airport, I finally got some shuteye for an hour and a half on the plane to Cambodia. Upon landing, I grabbed a visa and reminded the guard that he shorted me $10 change before heading out the door to explore Phenom Penh.

I haggled a motor-taxi for $2 and off to the hostel I went. Once I arrived, I ate breakfast, dropped my bags off and headed off to the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum along with a fellow hostler, Michelle.

Monument at the Killing Fields

All of the holes are mass graves

Bodies still lie in the pond behind the fields

Killing Tree

Inside the monument

The early part of the day was pretty depressing to say the least. If you don’t know about the genocide which occurred in the 70s, you should brush up on your history whenever you feel you’ve got the gut.

Afterwards, Michelle needed to release the tension and anger from seeing the Killing Fields. Our tuktuk driver led us down a dirt road until turning off into a closed off compound. When the doors closed, the guns came out. You name it, we could fire it. Michelle fired a “lady gun” per the men at the shooting range, an M-16. It was insane, and after about all 10 seconds we were done and off to Security Prison 21, where Cambodians were tortured before being executed.

Security Prison 21

Tuk Tuk

Michelle and a M-16 — terrifying

Afterwards, we explored (and as in explored I mean wandered up and down alleys) the area because neither of us focused on the 5 second drive to the restaurant from the hostel. The rest of the evening we all hung out in the hostel and shared a few beers and stories from other travelers.

Full range of emotions, but solid first day in Cambodia. The following day Lauren and I got on a bus to Siem Reap. It was an easy 6 hour ride and we grabbed some grub near Pub Street before calling it a night. Tomorrow we visit Angkor Wat!

Leaving Phenom Penh

Some slight flooding…

Pit Stop

Nothing but beautiful scenery

Sunset in Cambodia