Originally Posted by Faidenk
Guys I know this is a sex forum and I wanted to just describe my experiences from this perspective here, but felt after a while forummers might like a more holistic report, especially those who are, like me, looking for an alternative lifestyle. I not saying Cambodia is IT, I barely have been here a month so it is still WIP. So please bear with all these and I try as much as possible to sneak in some hot stuff.
Living In Cambodia Pt 2
The assessment of my future in Singapore is dismal, depressing even. I embarked in research on countries I could live in. The criteria are simple - low cost of living, friendly people, safety.
I had shortlisted China, Vietnam and Cambodia.
China is no longer cheap, unless you are willing to live in the second or third tier cities. A plus is language but the knack for cutting corners is a serious concern; one doesn’t really knows what one is eating or drinking anymore or if the apartment you live in ends up in a pile of rubble with a Richter 1 earthquake, worse, with you in it. Even fruits and veggies are getting hormones injection to boost growth, and don’t get me started on medicines. They make knock-offs of knock-offs. And they have made an art out of screwing you, the foreigner. Just ask a certain 87 year-old man.
Vietnam? Not knowing anyone there is a big handicap I don’t need, although the girls there a big plus.
Cambodia. A country of 14 million and a landmass 250 times larger than the red dot, has emerged from 3 years of Khmer Rouge rule (1975-1978) in which an estimated 2 to 3 million people were tortured and killed . Today, agriculture remains its most important sector, followed by the garment industry, than construction and tourism. The ‘Thai’ rice you eat today could well have been grown in the padi fields of Cambodia. The garment industry was badly hit by the 2 recent global downturns. Factories closed and hundreds of thousands were retrenched. Many turned to working in beer gardens, bars and massage parlors. But Cambodia is not without merits. Let’s see –
Housing. Although locals tell me prices of properties have spiraled, it is still very affordable to foreigners. A 80 sqm 2-bedroom apartment, like the one I am renting now, can be bought for about USD30K, less outside of the prime areas. I rent mine for USD 250/month. Aircon’d in both rooms, one attached bathroom and another adjoining the kitchen. $5 for cable, all channels. $4 for water, regardless of usage. Electricity is $0.25 per kW. Based on our usage so far, it should hover around $50/month, not too bad considering both aircons run during the nights, although I do not know if it’s necessary during the cool months.
Transport. Within the city, tuk-tuks costs between $1.50 to $3. For the first 2 weeks we the silly foreigners were bargaining it down from $5 to $3. Motordop, from $0.50 to $1.50, and can seat a maximum of 2 passengers, 3 if you throw in a baby. The police constantly shake down motorists for a couple of thousand riels (approx R4000 to a USD) for various offenses. Taxis’ flag down is about R4000 but quickly escalates as the km logged up. At times it can be cheaper than a tuk-tuk for short distances.
Traffic, needless to say, is chaotic at times. During the peak hours, one is inundated by hundreds of motorcycles, weaving in and out, squeezing themselves in precarious situations. The motorcycle gangs in SG will find themselves, maybe not outrun, but definitely out maneuvered.
But in chaos there is order. There is surprisingly very little serious accidents, at least not witnessed by me. The trick to driving here is to be very defensive and giving way is a good place to start. Drivers here (of all vehicles) may inch forward relentlessly but give way if the other party has an advantage, however small.
There is probably the highest concentration of SUVs per capital in Phnom Penh. I would venture 4 in every 10 is a SUV, and of that every 4 is a Lexus. It must be the knee deep floods during the rainy season. I once spent 3 hours waiting out a flash flood in a mediocre restaurant serving $3 buffet but ended up with another $5 on 4 bottles of beer.
Couple of weeks ago, on the way home from an evening of bar hopping, a car glanced the back of our tuk-tuk. Despite the impact the fragile tuk-tuk turned on its side with us inside. We were unhurt but by the time we extricate ourselves from the tuk-tuk the car was long gone. The axle between the carriage and the motorcycle was bent and will need a bit of work. There was nothing we could do for the driver so we gave him a $10 if that’s any consolation.
Drink driving is a problem here, and nobody, least the police, does anything about it. The police are only out in force during the day, shaking drivers down to supplement their meager income. I’ve seen drunks staggering to their cars, hardly able to open the door, acquaintances too.
There are regular buses running to Laos, Vietnam and Thailand, several times a day. Visas are issued at the borders for a fee. Sinkies are exempted. A word of caution, get your travel documents in proper order or it could be a expensive experience, both ways. During my trip back from Pakse to PP, a Nigerian and his Thai girlfriend delayed the bus for 2 hours, finally he was let through with a 4000 bhat ‘fine’. He could have spared the rest of the passengers a 2-hr wait if he had not mouth it out loud. Another Sinkie couple was refuse entry to Cambodia on my recent flight here, another hour delay. Well, you just try to shrug it off.
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