When I went out last night I saw a large group of people, maybe 25, stand around in a circle. As far as I could see nothing was happening but it seemed so peculiar that I stopped a few meters away from them - I didn't want to disturb them - and waited. When eventually I found out what they were playing I couldn't believe my eyes! More »
Normally the bus from Siam Reap to Phnom Penh should take between seven and eight hours. But I was particularly lucky: First, a large trucked blocked a ford at a broken bridge and then our bus broke down! A few times. Well, at least I learned a new phrase: “Lan kodj” – “Car broken”. And I got a look (not taste) of a new snack: Deep fried spiders! More »
Something really funny happened in the morning: I wanted to have my laundry done and mistakenly walked into a brothel. The girls seemed to be a bit confused - to say the least - about what I wanted from them. More »
I'm really proud of myself! I just managed to create an archive that lists all my entries not by date but by categories. And I managed to create a new template, edit all the old templates and even make sure that the thumbnails appear in the new category-indices! I know, you might not really care about it, but it took me hours to figure everything out and now it works! Aaahh - I'm great!!! More »
This is probably something of a record for visitors to Siam Reap: I've already been here for almost two weeks and have only now seen the temples of Angkor! Well, I figured they wouldn't go away and besides I wanted to avoid going on the weekend when thousands of Cambodians visit Angkor in addition to the foreign tourists. But I'm telling you: the temples are really are as wonderful, serene and awe-inspiring as everybody says! More »
Two nights ago, when I was out with Nana and Naja, I met a small group of Americans who seemed like a lot of fun. But they were leaving when we started talking and so we agreed to meet at the “Angkor What?” bar again last night. Fortunately it turned out they were not just fun but fucking hilarious! More »
A few days ago I sent an email to my colleague sat work, telling them that I was fine and attaching a photo of me in the hammock. Today I finally logged into my email account at work again and read some of the replies. It pretty much confirmed what I had feared: It’s not getting better back there. More »
Nana and Naja arrived in Siam Reap! Damn - it's so nice to see them again! Of course we had to celebrate our reunion with a beer or three or four so that I don't really feel like looking at temples today. More »
After having conducted a number of interviews for my landmine-feature I've decided to take a day off today. So I slept until 11 am, read a book and will probably spend the rest of the day lying in the hammock I bought in Phnom Penh. More »
I don't know what I expected when I went on my three-day excursion with CMAC, the Cambodian Mine Action Center, but somehow I didn't expect the mined areas to look so normal. Which is of course pretty stupid since the whole purpose of a minefield is that you are not supposed to know that there are mines. And still, I found the normalcy quite weird. More »
As you probably know I took a bunch of photos from back home with me. Pictures of my friends and family, Germany, the Octoberfest etc.. You know, things to warm my own heart but also things to show when travelling foreign countries. Recently however the reactions to the photos I'm in have changed. More »
Just wanted to tell you that I have just returned from the minefields. And I still have all my limbs. I had three very interesting but exhausting days and found things out like "What does it sound like to drive over a pothole riddled road with a dozen of unexploded bombs and mortars in the trunk?". Answer: "It sounds like an empty crate of beer." More »
If you ever thought about learning how to play pool like a pro, and if your idea of a good teacher is a 20 years old, scantily clad girl, then I suppose you really should give Phnom Penh a thought. More »
Through the German embassy (yes these guys are awfully nice and helpful here) I got in touch with Andrea, a young lawyer, from Munich who has been training people here in how to excercise their human right etc.. And through her I met Christine, a German who has already been in Phnom Penh in 1983. More »
I suggest that the Kingdom of Cambodia changes it's name to "Pyjama Country". I expect the proposal to sail smoothly through parliament (once they have managed to settle the ten months long political stalemate that has kept them from forming a government) since I suppose it's pretty obvious that that is the name Cambodia should have. Where else can you see so many people walking around in their PJs? More »
Admittedly it does feel a bit strange – next week I am gonna spend three days in mine fields. Normally this should be the kind of place any sensible person should avoid, but I think I will be well looked after. More »
Traffic in Cambodia is truly amazing: As a newcomer you cannot help it but stare at the roads and ask yourself how all these people have managed to survive to this day! And then you realize that you, too, will sit on one of those motos while you are here and that you, too, will have to cross these streets. That's when it get's scary. More »
Jacqui left this morning. I really got on well with her and I did and do like her but it's also nice to be on my own again. Jez - I can't believe I really travelled with her for two weeks. It felt much shorther. But to be honest: Things were sometimes a bit tense towards the end. More »
I think you cannot visit Cambodia or Phnom Penh without trying to understand a little bit of it's history. Well, I think you shouldn't. The Tuol Sleng museum in Phnom Penh is one of the places where you can get a glimpse of history. More »
It's hot, smelly and unbelievably chaotic: It's Phnom Penh! Actually getting here wasn't all that easy either: Our boat got stuck in Kratie so we had to organize a mini bus from there (7 USD). More »
I have never been in a country that was as dusty as Cambodia! I mean, it looks like Mars! Even pedestrians create small red dust devils and every car and every moto stirs up a minor or major dust storm. Of course, the advantage of this is, that the ground is quite soft - something we learned to appreciate when we crashed with our motorbike. More »
Just arrived in Stung Treng, Cambodia. Since going online is difficult and expensive here I'll have plenty of updates to do once I get to Phnom Penh which will probably be in a week or so. My next stations are Ban Lung, Kompong Chan and then Phnom Penh and I'll probably not write anymore before I get there. More »
During my 25 days in Laos I found the people here to be friendly, pleasant, polite and not too keen on ripping of tourists. In short: They are nice. I will make one exception from this generalization, though: The little fuckoff who runs the boats from Voeng Kham in Laos to Stung Treng in Cambodia. More »
You know, I really thought I had gotten used to the heat by now. But Don Det is simply ridiculous! This is way too hot! And if it really will get even hotter in the next month then - Auweia! The day Jacqui and me arrived on Don Det - which is a small island pretty close to the Cambodian border and part of "Si Phan Don", the 4,000 islands - I think I actually got a mild heatstroke. More »