Phnom Penh has a huge amount of markets that cater to tourists, locals and expats alike. Mick and I are lucky enough to live directly across from a small local market so we have easy access to fresh fruit and veg, meats, plastic containers, makeup, socks, soup and coffee. But if we are in need of more things, more selection of things such as fabrics, fans, brooms, electrical items, machetes, bulk seafood or clothes, then we have to head further afield. Orussey Market (P’saa Orúsee) is a huge market located about a 5 min tuk tuk ride away from ours and offers everything and then some all in a convenient multi-story building that is surrounded by food vendors and tuk tuks.
Orussey Market – Phnom Penh
Tagged Cambodia, Food, Markets, Phnom Penh, Planning, Travel
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Review: Sovanna Restaurant
BBQ meat – check. Stir fried veg – check. Cheap beer – check.
Sovana Restaurant has something for everyone – From the basic fried rice, veggies and grilled meat dishes to more exotic dishes such as roasted bees, ant larvae and raw crab salads. And you know its good because it is packed every night of the week with hungry expats and locals alike. It is considered a decent restaurant to bring even the fussiest eater who will enjoy the succulent grilled beef, the stuffed squid with pork, the fresh herb salads and of course the jugs of beer.
Tagged Cambodia, Khmer Food, Phnom Penh, Restaurants, Review
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Update – One Month In Cambodia
Boy, doesn’t time fly when you are having fun…or when you are stupidly busy and trying to cope with the heat, the dust and the noise of Cambodia. It seems like it has been ages and yet not long at all since we flew out of Sydney and arrived fresh faced and eager into Phnom Penh. The first few weeks were filled with intensive ARC orientation, house hunting and language training. We stayed at a comfortable, safe guesthouse in a quiet part of town complete with a pool, bath and walk in wardrobe. Very nice! After a 5 day jaunt to Koh Rong, we came back for a couple of nights in a cheap guesthouse nearby (1 bed apartment with a kitchen for $15 per night – HELLO) and finally moved into our apartment – Hooray!
Breakfast Soup
Expectations
Two weeks down and a whole lot of house-hunting, negotiating, learning and training has seen us all exhausted but it has been exciting and very rewarding.
One thing that was touched on in training was managing expectations, which has become all too true recently for a fellow volunteer. A misunderstanding, break-down of communication and differing expectations for both parties has seen a negotiation turn sour. Read More
Finding our Feet
All’s well in the land of fish amok. We have hit the ground running, literally, for the past 10 days or so. Once we got to Phnom Penh, we had to hit the ground running. The Country Manager, Sandra, met us at the airport and it has been all stations go for the last ten days. Crazy! Unfortunately this has meant that we haven’t explored much yet, but considering we will be here for 12 months, I’m sure we can make do.
Tagged Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Planning, Travel, Volunteering
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Tourism Transparency
If you are considering a trip to Burma/Myanmar then I highly recommend checking out a good friend’s website – Tourism Transparency. This organisation is a small, independent group of active campaigners who are aiming to educate tourists to Burma about responsible travel.
As trips to Burma are becoming increasingly more popular, it is important in my opinion, for tourists to have some idea of the political situation in the country. Just because the borders are opening up and some sanctions have been lifted does not mean that the country is prepared or ready for the huge influx of visitors. In addition, it should not be assumed that money spent in the country is helping the citizens as much as it could be. Many of the tour operators, guesthouses, transport options and even restaurants are owned and run by the government which means your tourist dollar is bypassing those who need it most.
Tagged Burma, Myanmar, Planning, Travel, Travel Tips
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Welcome
Well…we made it. Safely, relatively comfortable and happy. Of course we were sad to go, tears were shed and scared thoughts shared but we made it. And now the adventure begins!
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It’s Time
As I lie here in bed listening to the world wake up, I’m finally struck by that sickly feeling. You know the one of nervous excitement coupled with terror that only hits when something really big is about to or has happened. Yeah….that one. Questions are going through my head like “Do I want to do this? Can I do this? Are we ready? Oh goodness! Have I forgotten anything? Did I pack enough undies?” And they go on…
Tagged Leaving, road safety, Travel
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Orphanage Tourism
There was a recent article published on the Sydney Morning Herald website that was examining the business of orphanages in Cambodia. I don’t claim to be any kind of expert or even a novice on this topic, but it is a very sensitive and controversial topic that is worthy of a post I think!
Tagged Cambodia, Travel
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