Now in Cambodia

I left the Scotsgrove House early on the morning of the 30^th. George gave me a ride to Oxford where I caught a National Express bus to London’s Heathrow Airport. The National Express bus line is exceptional. I used them multiple times and they have great and frequent run times, low fares, clean and comfortable buses, and free wi-fi and charging stations for phones/laptops at each seat. I got to Heathrow easily, but then found out that the airlines would not let me fly without having a return ticket. So, I had to purchase a refundable ticket to Singapore for August. Also, my luggage far exceeded the weight limit and so I was going to be charged almost $1,400 in luggage fees. (Interestingly, I was not charged any luggage fees on my flights over to Europe.) But Singapore Airlines, being the great airline that they are, waived a lot of the over-weight kilograms and significantly cut that fee by 2/3. Still, it took 5 Singapore staff, 4 queues, and almost 1 ½ hours to get checked in. But then I was safely on my way to Cambodia. Yea!   

The Singapore Airport almost got my welcome correct

 

There was a long layover in Singapore (9 hours) and so with just about 3 hours of sleep I bought a day pass for the MRT (Singapore’s underground train) that also included access to bus services. Singapore, like Paris and London, has a really good underground train system and much better bus system than any bus system I have experienced in the United States. (In the past three weeks I have navigated train and bus systems in 3 different countries and in 3 different languages.)  I took the MRT to Orchard Road (a famous shopping area in Singapore) and from there took a bus to the Botanic Gardens. I must have walked at least 5 miles in the Botanic Gardens. I have never seen anything like this before. Not only are the gardens huge, but there is such diverse variety, and the gardens are exquisitely maintained. This was a very peaceful, meditative place to be.

Building near Orchard Road, Singapore

One of the entries to Botanic Gardens

"Bandstand" Gazebo in the Botanic Gardens

Rainforest Lane

Field close to Symphony Lake

National Orchid Garden

National Orchid Garden

The flight between Singapore and Phnom Penh is quick and easy, but I wasn’t prepared for or expecting that when we would fly over Phnom Penh on our approach to the airport that I would be as emotionally moved as I was. At the first sight of Cambodia from the air my heart just jumped with an extra boost of joy and when the plane gently touched down in Phnom Penh I felt a strong sense of peace and joy.

Not much had changed at the Phnom Penh airport since I was last there except that there is now a Blue Pumpkin ice cream in the terminal. Great addition! I was surprised that even though it had only been 5 ½ months since I was last in Phnom Penh still a lot of the sounds, smells and sights of Phnom Penh seemed to be new again to me – not that I had completely forgotten them, but just that they surprised me a little and made me think, “Oh yes, I remember that”. On the tuk tuk ride to the guest house where I am staying it was very sad and I prayed for all the young women who line the entryways to the bars. I prayed for their restoration of body, respect, dignity, and spirit. Then there was the horrid and biting stench of garbage heaped up by the sides of the roads, which I hope to never get used to. There is the gravel-like air - polluted by over-crowded streets (mostly motos) particularly at the intersections; the chatter of customers and clanging sounds that street food vendors make from stirring their food that cooks in woks; and the incessant and even somewhat melodically honking cars and motos navigating the chaos that is traffic in Phnom Penh.

I am staying at a fantastic guest house run by Daughters of Cambodia. It is called White Linen and it is really terrific. I am beginning the search for a place to stay long-term though. I went out early this morning to look at a few places and will look at another this evening.