Karmajungle

    "Remember what Bilbo used to say: Its a dangerous business,Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don`t keep your feet, there`s no knowing where you might be swept off to. "  Tolkien

Cambodia, the remnants of an ancient civilization (Angkor Watt), the energy of a colonial-asian city in Phnom Penh, the horrors of history in the Killing Fields and too many land mines still crying to be removed, the charms of Sihanoukville (Phuket 25 years ago?) and  very few tourists to compete with. This is a time for true travellers before the tourists arrive.

Do the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum right away. It`ll affect you more than you know, (collections of skulls and bones, mass graves, depictions of torture and the degradation of human nature) and it certainly challenges my theory on being hard-wired to do good. It makes absolutely no sense and can`t ever be allowed to happen again. But then there`s Darfur? There`s so much damn work to do!

Phnom Penh is busy, a little overwhelming but very friendly, full of cheap, interesting restaurants (just look for the busy ones if you don`t have your "Lonely Planet" guide), and sometimes feels like a colonial Vietnam movie along the Mekong River. Have a drink on balcony of the heavy on atmosphere , "Foreign Correspondence Club" (the food is ordinary) , where you can see the City along the River and feel like the "Quiet American" may be sitting next to you.

We drive into Siem Reap and I consider the large sign boards on the side of the road that warn of a Dengue Fever epidemic. This is just a little unsettling but I grab my "deep woods off" and wade into Khymer history. Angkor Watt ( a series of once spectacular temples affected by centuries of Hindu and Buddhist influences) is magical for history buffs. I`m not a "ruins" guy but I try to experience all the glory of past architecture that I can stand. And its spiritually affecting to imagine a powerful civilization building this complex in early 12th century, and how far that civilization can slide in time! Hence history should be a powerful wake up for powerful Leaders on planet earth. I wish?! But bring your bug spray and water. Its stinking hot in Siem reap in March and a tour of the entire complex takes all day and then some. But I like it hot.

Sihanoukville is my kind of laid back tropical sea shore. "Coasters" on the beach is a favorite on my guest-house travel list and I`ve seen a lot of them. The rooms are clean, air con and basic, but the restaurant-bar (excellent food)  and location are first rate and the staff is the best. Whatever the going rate is $50/night?, talk them down to at least $30. Its well worth it. R + R by the warm, blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand and meditate like a Buddhist monk in Board shorts who has finally found Nirvana. Yeah, I could go back to Coasters. But the next time back I`ll do some diving and snorkelling offshore. I hear its pretty fine and I`m all about the call of  "coral and sea life". I`ll be back. I could get real comfortable in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.  hmm, maybe the winters? hmm, I really like these people. You never know but for now we`re off to Thailand and that`s another story.