Impressions- Food, Transport and Hygiene

Now we've been here a little while, Ben and i have noticed some things that are quite... unique. There are positives and negatives to everything in this life, so here are some first basic 'impressions' that we've had about Phnom Penh life so far....

Food: Ben's favourite subject, especially here. He's completely fallen in love with exotic scents and smells of street food; ducks roasting over hot coals, un-knowns fried in batter, mangoes covered in salt and chili, coconuts being opened on the side of the road... the list goes on. On our first day, we bought ourselves a box of 2min noodles to help us get through the first few nights. One evening, we passed a little shop bbq-ing skewers of juicy meat that smelt so delicious. Unable to ask what kind of meat it was, i made charades of different animals- chicken, pig, cow, hoping it wasn't dog- until we discovered it was beef. So we bought a few kebabs and took them home to have with our noodles. They were delicious. Total cost: $2.50. A few nights later, we stopped in at a place on our street corner called "BBQ and Soup" (well, that is what the english part says) and sat down to a korean-bbq-like meal. The menu all in Khmer, we just pointed at some pictures of plates and hoped they would be edible. They delivered us some raw meat and veg which we cooked on our own little hotplate. Aware of the incredible expense that a meal like this would cost in Australia (upwards of $40) and with only a $10 in our pockets, we resided that one of us would have to go back to the house to get some more money. When the bill came, we braced. Total cost: $4.50. Ben nearly cried. He's been begging to go back to 'BBQ and Soup' ever since.

*We do have to be careful though. Street food can be a breeding ground for gastro and tummy bugs. They key is to make sure all food is cooked right in front of you. Also, do not eat any 'square' ice, only the round ones, if at all. Square ice is carried openly on the backs of motos, dragged through markets and who knows where. We at least hope that round ice is made from bottled and not tap water...

Transport: It only costs $2-3 to go anywhere! The motodups and tuk tuk's will spot you as a foreigner from miles away to offer you their ride, and all prices are negotiable. If you speak a little Khmer, they are more willing to drop the price to even $1. These motos are so easy to get around on, particularly in well known areas, and can dart in and out of traffic. Best to bring your own helmet. On the other hand, it costs $2-3 to go everywhere! Each little trips add up, and there is no other alternative ie. cars. Sometimes you are spending $10 a day just to get around, which is quite a lot in a week. I can't imagine how we will move furniture when it comes time to move. Also, if you are not going to a major landmark like a  market or temple, you have to describe the nearest thing, head in that general direction, then mumble some 'chveng' or 'sdam' (left and right) to actually get where you want to go. This can be quite tricky if you don't have a map or have only been in the city a few days and have no idea where you're going! Ben has secured himself a motodup who takes him to school and back each day, but whenever we go into town or out and about, i must try and describe where we live in a completely different language!

Hygiene: Most Khmer bathrooms consist of a toilet and a showerhead (sometimes even a sink!). Most, ours included, are also only cold water. The shower runs directly onto the toilet floor, and never drains well, so you almost always get wet feet when you want to go to the loo, wash your hands (using the shower head) or even look in the mirror! My long, blonde hair is struggling in this humid climate (and it's actually the cool, dry season at the moment -.-) so i must wash it daily. Call me posh but i like my creature comforts, and having a warm shower is one. So here, this involves boiling the kettle on a gas stove, mixing this hot water with cold into a bucket and kneeling on the bathroom floor to dip my head into said bucket. Now, i'm only 23 and reasonably flexible, but it is not the most comfortable way of getting clean. Luckily i've had lots of practice with 'bucket baths' in the past, but i cannot help but feel a connection to those of history who too were deprived of running hot water.

None of these things are new to me. I had to find my way around them years ago, and for Ben, it is not too dissimilar to India or Malaysia. But it is ever so fun and such a relief to re-explore the weird and wacky aspects of another culture and city... together.