The last of Cambodia

As i was lying on my bed the other night flickling the channels on my tv, the movie advertisement for "The Bucket List" screened on HBO. I have watched this movie before while i was back home and even though it is not my favourite movie, i loved it terribly.

So why terribly?

Other than the fact that it was starred Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, the movie struck me deeply for a fact that life even though feels long is in fact very short. I would probably live to 70,80 years old. The last few years with weak health.

The first 20 years of my life has already been spent in school. That leaves about 60 years more. Following the path that is deemed "correct" by everyone else(at least in singapore). I would finish my university at 24/25, start working straight after. Get a girlfriend. Get married at 29/30. Have 2 children(or more) between 31-35. Work even more to buy pampers and milk powder for the next 30 years and retire at 65 to look after my grandchildren or drink coffee at the coffee shop everyday till the day i die.

I start to ponder to myself. Is this the way i want my life to be? If i am lucky perhaps i be like Carter and Edward in the movie and take advantage of my last 3months of my life. Otherwise i will die doing what i just summarize in the paragraph above.

I know myself. If i had a bucket list, it wouldnt be just 18 like them. It would be a whole lot more. Probably pages of them. I am not greedy, i just have so many things i have yet to experience in this world. So many things that even with the rest of my life, i would not be able to complete. Nevertheless, i want to cross off as many of the list as i can.

This is their Bucket List

1.Witness something truly majestic
2.Help a complete stranger for a common good
3.Laugh till I cry
4.Drive a Shelby Mustang
5.Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world
6.Get a tattoo
7.Skydiving
8.Visit Stonehenge
9.Spend a week at the Louvre
10.See Rome
11.Dinner at La Cherie d'Or
12.See the Pyramids
13.Get back in touch (previously "Hunt the big cat")
14.Visit Taj Mahal, India
15.Hong Kong
16.Victoria Falls
17.Serengeti
18.Ride the Great Wall of China

What is yours?
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Cambodia Kampot. Kampot is really a small town in the southeastern edge of cambodia. There is not many things to do here. The only one probably worth mentioning would be Bokor Hill station which was not accessible when i was there due to road repairs.

The rail to nowhere
Lounging by the river
Peacful

Next to Kampot is Kep, a seaside town right beside vietnam(my next destination). An hour ride away, the motor taxi would be the most efficient way to get there. Which is why i am not taking it. If you know me well enough, i like to make things interesting(and difficult) for myself.

I passed by the main town market early in the morning and saw all these trailer parked around with people sitting in it. That was all it tooked to make me tell myself "I am definitely taking that!"Motor trailerMarket ladies

Brushing aside all the persistenly annoying motor taxi driver who kept insisting that there is no moto trailer going to kep, i worked my way through the crowd to ask around. Most of them are heading to other destinations. Fortunately for me, i finally found one and immediately hopped on.

Yay!
Bye moto taxi suckers!

The ride was inevitably slow, taking about 60% more time than motorcycle. The ladies on board were pretty surprised to see me and were very curious about where i came from. Using my inept language ability which i had aquired the last 2.5weeks, we had a pretty good time lauging it out aboard. Kep town, famous for crab. Maybe that expains the number of hands?

Over in kep, i met a "Ya Ya" teacher. His part time job while not teaching is a motor driver taxi. No matter what i say, he will always reply " Ya Ya Ya Ya" in a hilarious way.

Together, we went to Wat Kirisan at Kompong Trach town to see some caves.Proceed beneath the mountain
To this opening

This is one place you are better off with a guide. As soon as your motorcycle pulled into the premise, kids with torches would gladly offer their service. Skinny buddha
Mushroom

The kids will point out to you various rock formations that resembles things like crocodile, turtle, snakes and even a combat boot. You would immediately recognise a couple when you see them. For the rest, you will need a little bit of imagination.

Kep seaside
Naked fisherman's wife(probably turned to stone while waiting for husband to return)

Kep is famous for their crabs. And there are lots of them. Head to the crab market and you will see a long row of restaurant, all offering the same fare at similar prices. Those who like to DIY would find it convenient to walk till the end of the restaurant on the right. At first you would not see the crab, once the few ladies there see you coming, they would run out into the sea and pull up their cages of live crabs all for you to choose. Average price would be US$2.50/kg for the beach ladies and 2-4 times the price in restaurants.Crabs Galore!

Once you have brought the live crabs, you now have a problem. You want to eat them, not watch them run around right?No worries, US$0.50 more they will cook it for you on the spot! TADA!! Bon Appetite
Fresh cheap crab by the seaside, what more can you ask for?

And that is my last dinner in Cambodia