I’m tired, already in bed and ready to do letzte Handgriffe (last handgrips?! hehe) tomorrow in the too early morning. We need to leave at 6am, the hotel said that should ensure arrival at 6.45am at the airport, and then first time in a looong time I have to do a check in at the airport as Cambodia Airways doesn’t offer anything virtual.
Well it’s weird to have all the last things today.
And some first things.
Like first time in 4 weeks souvenir-shopping really got me. Big backpack up from 11,5 (or was it 10,5?!) in Munich up to about 15, including one kilo of chips (banana and jackfruit) that are meant to join me in the psychoenergetics workshop next week. Not only me, that is, although I must admit some egoistic thoughts keep crossing my mind…
I need to sleep, yet I feel I have to say goodbye. I was thinking to write in Barcelona on Sunday, then again it’s Barcelona and there might be other ways to keep myself awake during the day.
I also would like to put some more photos here, but I haven’t uploaded the pics from my camera to the pc yet and I don’t feel like doing that any more.
We (that is my new dear Berlinportuguese friend Gracinha and me) just sat on the rooftop terrace after a swim in the rooftop pool, enjoying a cocktail (Singapore sling, I felt that was more South East Asian than a Gin Tonic and after all, as I haven’t had a Gin Tonic the whole time, it means I have to do it when back home, as the Gin Tonic in St Feliu in the hotel is — horrible.
I am looking forward to go to Barcelona. Then to St. Feliu. Then back home.
But it’s weird leaving that state of traveling. And feeling like a year has passed by between Day1 and Last Day. Still wondering where all this fear came from, which seems to have been one motto weaved into my Cambodian experiences. Yet Phnom Penh didn’t see a lot of that. Must be the rooftop pool or the fact that I was barely on my own. Meeting Emma and Jarret again on the hotel corridor (we first met in Kampot on one of my mentally worst evening and they saved the day and reminded me I do want to go and see Australia again one day, promised Melbourne’s now on my list and I’ll pretend it’s cooler than Sydney) was nice. Meeting Gracinha during breakfast. Meeting Janina during shopping and finding out we both stayed on Sunset Beach in the islands and did see each other but didn’t make contact.
I really liked Phnom Penh. A great last stop as well, I don’t regret doing the opposite of what the Lonely Planet suggested. There is no better place to buy souvenirs in Cambodia than Phnom Penh (the Russian market, to be precise and no, they don’t seel petrol). and that’s perfect to do in the end. It’s a pity the Royal Palace was closed – I was really keen on seeing those golden and silver buddhas with diamonds and stuff. The description sounded way cooler than any European comparison like royal crowns and stuff – but a buddha with a Cambodian smile and, as has been pointed out, „lips to kiss“, decorated with gemstones as it was in the old Khmer temples – oh wow. Well the royal family (I’m tempted to say the queen, but I think that’s my mind playing British tricks on me) hasn’t wanted visitors ever since Covid and they still refrain from it. Cough cough.
So last views and for now, enough of a goodbye, I still owe myself to write down some of Phnom Penhs memories and details, I’d love to write travel advice specifically for people currently or in the near future traveling the country, I could pretend Barcelona is part of my Cambodian experience and just continue writing…. Sooo many options.
My hotel room pic says „I wish Good Luck“ / in Khmer „Som Nang Lor“ (feel free to discuss the exact pronounciation) and I think it’s what’s needed in our world and my world these days and I trust the universe will send me some more – or else how come I’ve done what I did these last four weeks and sit with my feet nicely stored under an incredibly clean (still amazed at that) hotel bed linen. Apart from that little blood stain that I put there this morning because a mosquitoe sat at the end of my feet on the linen and didn’t bother any of my movements. It looked awfully drunk. From its drink that makes us blood relatives, but I relentlessly killed it nevertheless. I shall miss it dearly once confronted with St. Feliu beasts.
Good night world and special thank you that hornbills live in Phnom Penh and that I got to see one….
