It's Bohemian

As I wander the world aimlessly, I find myself constantly in wander of my surroundings. I love how different things are around this little globe. Some things are modern, friendly, and beautiful, some are definitely NOT. I spend lots of time contemplating the world around me, but I haven't been doing much to share with those who are less fortunate, SO I am starting to share my tales, adventures, and lessons to you… In hopes of a better understanding, of the science of human zoology.

It was the middle of August when I found myself in a murky, old market in Cambodia. It was the rainy season so my once pedicured feet were ankle deep in mud and whatever other juices flow on the ground of a dirty fish & fruit market. I am by far a foot taller than the people surrounding me…They all stare at me. So many brown, worn eyes, with happy wrinkles covering their faces. I'm not sure if it's my size, my build, my blonde hair, or my blue eyes that makes them all stare and laugh as I bump my head into a metal awing holding up a blue roof-like tarp, protecting the little people from getting rained on. I don't mind it so much, I know there is alway someone looking out for the Foreigner who is clueless as to how things are ran around here. It wasn't until I rubbed my elbow up against the severed head of a plump pink pig that I decided I needed to get out of that stinky market as fast as I could. With bags full of fresh Mangosteen and Japanese Pears (for $1.00) I proceeded to sit at a little chair on the corner of the road and eat noodles from a family of girls who didn't speak my language. I pointed at what I wanted and ate happily with my chopsticks while the young girls checked out my foot tattoos. It wasn't until sitting down to a steaming hot bowl of delicious broth did I realize how my day had went….

I woke up by the beach with the rain gleefully taping on the tin roof, proceeded to do some bed yoga before actually rolling out and washing my face. Once I downed my Muesli with fruit and yogurt, and said a polite 'no' to legless beggars and bracelet-making children, I read my book (The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson), packed by bag, and went to wait for my bus to the next Cambodian town. I didn't know much about this town…just that I liked its' name: Kampot. Apparently they were a big producer of pepper?…I didn't really find it too bizarre that I had to wait about and hour past the time the bus was supposed to pick me up, but I knew i'd come sooner or later. Time doesn't mean much out here. I always appreciate the indefiniteness of it all. While waiting I repetitively get beat by a 7 year old Khmer girl in a game I had just taught her. I have to admit - I was pretty distracted by her CUTE little cousin with his big  white pouffy dipper and orange mohawk… Finally the 7 year old girl who just conquered me in Rummy, asked to see my  bus ticket, went in spoke a few words to the tour company, then all the sudden a mini-van appears!

I say my goodbyes and hopped into a van with some fellow travelers. 4 Spanish speaking older backpackers, 3 Frenchies, and a proper Englishman. All of our bags were thrown behind the back seat and a rope was used to lassoe everyones belongings in. We rode for hours wondering whose stuff was going to pop out and be lost forever. The bus trip was supposed to be and hour and a half long, but we kept making stops. At each of the stop we would pick up more people, pack their stuff in the back as well, and continue along our path… We picked up more and more people, wandering how they and their stuff are going to fit in the van, and are on our way again….It was a  cluttered stinky van jam packed full of people. There were about 10 Cambodians squeezed in the front seat of the van, boxes of smelly fish and dead ducks, and somehow we were all smiling and singing Karaoke?…That trip was a trip.