Sihanoukville - unfortunately not worth visiting anymore ...

After a fairly long night of little and rather restless sleep, I arrived at my next destination in Sihanoukville feeling quite tired. From the port, where the last stop of my transfer was located, I had about 5 kilometers to my accommodation, which I wanted to use for a little city tour; also because I had some time until my official check-in. So I slung on my backpack and off I went. The scene that unfolded during my longer walk in the sweltering 30 degrees, however, had little to do with the expected port city with white beaches and a pleasant atmosphere. Instead, I strolled through a ghost town with many abandoned and unfinished buildings. The streets were often littered with construction ruins, debris, and also quite a bit of garbage ... Chinese mega-investors apparently tried to establish a tourist metropolis here with oversized hotels and ultimately stopped all activities in the last years, leaving unfinished buildings. Everything looked uninviting, and even the usually smiling people I encountered recently in Cambodia seemed to be affected by the surroundings ... Eventually, I arrived at my supposed hotel, but the location on Google Maps was a bit inaccurate, making it difficult for me to find the check-in desk. I asked a security guard at the entrance for help. He understood my request, but I did not understand his reply; it was clear that he was not granting me entry here. Well, with the help of Google Translate, he informed me that I should call the hotel rental. Given that I had been without internet for a few minutes in these circumstances, the answer was quite welcome. So, I stumbled joyfully, considering my experiences so far, the sleep deficit, and the 35 degrees with my luggage on my back, to a nearby mall to a Starbucks, where there was free WiFi, first treating myself to coffee and croissant before contacting the receptionist. I slumped back and was finally granted entry... In my rather nice accommodation with my own washing machine, I first had a chance to rest ... After regaining my strength with some good sleep, I had a city tour planned. So, I set off on foot through the city again. However, my visits to the Wat Krom temple and to the beach didn’t significantly improve the initial impression. I passed by the already described buildings, along with Chinese casinos and large stores, but I didn’t really find any cozy restaurants, cafes, or quaint bars to linger and chat with the locals. I was also hesitant to approach the street food stalls and open kitchens, out of perhaps unjustified worry about having to use my medication kit. When I arrived at the beach, it was clear to see what a paradise this once was, which has now seemingly been completely ruined by construction activities. This is likely the first place on my journey where I can clearly say that it should only be visited as a very brief stopover for the ferries to the surrounding islands, where I will be heading the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, I plan to have a pool and fitness day at the hotel, to advance my travel planning for the coming weeks, book accommodations and transfers, and otherwise just relax and sleep in without the real fear of missing something worth seeing in the city...