29. Stop Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Once again, I had arrived in another country, the 5th of my journey so far, and once again, it meant getting used to the new language, culture, and especially a new currency. The special thing about Cambodia was that the official currency used here is the US dollar, and the Cambodian riel is only used for change. Actually, I got used to it faster than I thought, and it wasn't that difficult. In plain terms, if something cost $4.25, I paid with $5 and instead of receiving 75 cents as change, I got 3,000 KHR, because 1,000 KHR is equal to 25 cents. It may sound complicated, but I also had to get used to it.

I spent the day by first exchanging my Laotian kip, buying a SIM card, and getting familiar with the city.

I started my sightseeing at the Central Market. In the huge market hall, you could find all kinds of clothes, as well as souvenirs, jewelry, and electrical appliances. There was no air conditioning here, so the air was accordingly bad, and since it felt a few degrees warmer in the city again, I sat in the shade by the river afterwards. The Mekong Delta also flows through Cambodia, and I had already encountered it in Vietnam and Laos.

Afterwards, I visited the Kandal Market. It is a local market for meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits, and judging by the looks I got, no other tourist wanders here;) I would say that I am relatively tough by now, but even I felt sick from the smell of the innards of all kinds of animals, which of course also became warm, so I quickly left this place.

Lastly, the 'Royal Palace' was on the agenda for this day. The king of Cambodia lives in this building, which is why the opening hours are limited, and the dress code is observed. The palace was completed in 1870, and since then, it has been the residence of the king. Before that, Angkor, a city a little further north, was the capital of the country.

In the evening, I went out for some drinks with my roomies, so we spent the following day relaxing by the pool of our hostel, which made the heat somewhat bearable.