Traveling

Things I have tired of here in Cambodia:

• Eating out every single meal
• Deet: This is necessary pretty much all the time. See photo below, this is what happens when sitting by a pool at dusk for an hour, when all the mosquitos come out, without wearing deet. I had at least 45 bites on my right leg, and many elsewhere. 
  
• Sunscreen: This must be worn everyday for me. 
• Sweating: Although I am from Texas and am used to the heat, it is odd that it is winter and so warm outside. I do miss wearing sweaters...
• Acne: Using sunscreen and deet everyday, my face and chest were a bit in shock. I had to buy acne medication for the first time in several years. 
• Diarrhea: I have had this bad twice, but pretty much have had on and off regularly since my arrival.
• Waste: Drinking only bottled water creates a lot of waste. 
• Trash: It is everywhere here and typically not contained. 
• Tuk tuks: I actually enjoy taking tuk tuks, it is nice not to have to drive, but it is rare that tuk tuk drivers know where they are taking you, which means you have to know how to give them directions. In addition, it is not very common for people to walk here, but I do it daily to the coffee shop and from there to the office. During my morning walk to the coffee shop the other day, a 5-7 minute walk, I counted the number of times I was asked if I wanted a tuk tuk or a moto ride. I was asked eight times, and I was walking at 9:00 am, which is less busy than 8:00 am, when I normally leave. It is also incredibly amusing when the same tuk tuk driver will ask you three or four different times during the process of walking by them, if you want a ride. 
• Negotiating cost for everything: There has not been a day that I haven't negotiated tuk tuk rides or prices at a local market. We have been doing this for a while, so we have a pretty good idea how often people are trying to rip us off. When I enter a store here and there are price tags, I sigh a breath of relief, because I know there will be no negotiations. 
• Being followed in stores: I am not sure if we are followed by employees because we are foreigners or if they do this with all customers to ensure they do not steal, but it is really weird being followed while trying to shop. I have walked out of stores a few times because I had a close shadow that I couldn't shake. 
• Smells: See last blog entry.  
• Noise: I love visiting cities, but living in the middle of a very busy city that basically never sleeps wears on you. Even in my room with all doors and windows closed, with the AC on, I can hear almost everything that is happening on the street. In addition, everything echoes through the streets and up the buildings because most buildings are made of tile and metal. 

Things I am looking forward to upon my return to the US:

• Cooking
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Eating/drinking without the fear of diarrhea
• Drinking tap water
• Not being looked down upon/laughed at for walking
• My pillow
• The smell of clean laundry: The other day we were at a restaurant and their napkins smelled like fresh laundry, and I had forgotten how much I love the smell of clean laundry. I wash my clothes every week here and it smells clean and fresh coming out of the washer, but then I line dry it outside and it loses that scent before it is even dry.

Things I am glad that I packed:

• Toms: they are destroyed but keep my feet clean and protected.  
• Turkish towel: packs small, is soft, and dries fast. 
• Wash cloth: nice to scrub off the grime. 
• Pillow case: packs small and is my only bedding that is soft. 
• Nalgene bottle: perfect for mixing with electrolyte tablets. 
• Electrolyte tablets: sugar free nuun tablets, taste good without all the sweet stuff. The only electrolyte mixes we have found here have been packed with sugar. 
• Fjallraven kanken backpack (a gift from Kat): I have carried this with me everywhere, and somehow it is the one item of mine that has stayed clean without being washed regularly.
• Sound canceling headphones (borrowed from Michael): these made the plane ride here much more bearable.

Thus far this trip has opened my eyes to the privileged life I lead in America and that I have been leading here. Many of the things on this list have caused phases of frustration and acceptance, but ultimately if I had to choose I would prefer to leave behind in Cambodia, though I am grateful to have experienced them. Making this list I also realize how fast 3.5 weeks has gone and that in a very short time I will be boarding my flight to return home.

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow."
  - Lin Yutang