Published: 22.02.2025
After the pleasant time in Kampot, I packed my travel backpack as usual and departed late in the morning by minibus towards Phnom Penh after breakfast. While checking out, I noticed that my landlord Andi's math skills were rather lacking, reminding me of the first evening when he drunkenly and seriously told me that he had fallen from a bunk bed onto his sister's head at five years old, and according to his memory, that was when he lost his counting and writing skills...
I strolled the 20 minutes on foot to my travel company, and unexpectedly, the bus left on time. I had enough space and legroom, and the ride was pleasantly quiet. After just under three hours, we arrived punctually... At the bus stop in Phnom Penh, the usual procedure; I was constantly asked the increasingly annoying question 'Tuk-Tuk, Tuk-Tuk'... But this time, in the heat of nearly 35 degrees, I said 'yes'... After the also irritating obligatory price negotiation, I got in and placed my backpack on the back seat next to me... During the ride, I noticed that the driver's son was comfortably sleeping behind me in the small gap in the Tuk-Tuk... After 20 minutes of driving through the bustling capital traffic, I arrived at the hotel and was pleasantly surprised; some hotel reviews had made me think about whether this choice was right...
After a shower and a short break, I went out again to explore the surroundings in the afternoon/evening. I visited, among other places, Wat Phnom, strolled along the promenade by the Tonle Sap, and went to the Night Market... My hotel is centrally located, so everything was within walking distance. Even in the evening, there was a nice selection of various dining options in my vicinity. The city has a pleasant atmosphere and is surprisingly clean and not too loud, at least from my first impression; as I had read more often before... Here, I could probably manage quite well for the next four nights...
