Wonderful Trip – Part 4

A guest out of the blue

Before long, the two nice-looking Siem Reap girls arrived with their two motorbikes. I got one with Sear while the two pretties got the other one. Just some meters’ long, Samnang finally called me: “Halo, where are you now? Please come take me at Phsar Chas bus station. I’m almost there!” “Oh ho, Samnang is also coming!” I exclaimed. Then, Sear asked the cute guides to lead us to the bus station.

We reached the bus station before the bus. “Park your motorbike carefully, boys. That is the car coming from behind you. Or you don’t want to get back home and meet your girlfriend?” one of the pretties alerted us pointing at a car turning right at the junction. I managed the motorbike to give more space for the road and replied her, “Oh, wish I have one.” “You just misunderstood, girl. In fact, they are two gays,” said a smiling young woman nearby drawing her motorbike and drove away. “Onh!?!” I and Sear puzzled.

“Oh ho, there he is!” I called out and pointed at a thin, charming tanned guy waving from inside the bus. “What on earth are you doing? Why didn’t you come with us in the morning? You’ve just spent twice on bus ticket. We insisted on your presence, but you denied; and now that you come alone. Poor you, man.” “I was really not able to come with you. I needed to look after the house while people were constructing the road.” “So have they finished?” “Not yet. I left my grandfather working alone.” “Oh, what did he react then?” “He was shocked and puzzled when I told him I’m leaving.”

Now everybody was gathering at the guest house. There were seven Siem Reap immigrants: I, Sear, Thoeun, Samnang, Sopheak, Sonthara and Vuth; and five Siem Reap residents: Phy, and his old friend Phea, the two pretties, and a newly introduced Chamroeun. It was really helpful to have some residents joined our fun time. This way we could have guides and we got more laughing from them. In addition, and probably a much saving factor, we had more than enough motorbikes from them shared to us.

Some people were playing pool, and I was also one of the crazy shooters. Stunned by Phea, the only female player, who was shooting ball after ball, we stood waiting and looking at the foreigners learning to speak Khmer under a bit alcoholic influence. I was not sure how it would affect the foreigners’ perception on Khmer when they are taught some naughty words by Khmer guys. Having waited a little long, and now it was my turn. While preparing to shot, I was called out to be ready for the next travelling. “One more!” I answered them.

After the immigrants refilled their public account, they started to draw their motorbikes with confidence, ignoring the fact that they might have to eat more calcium for some months afterward. I managed to occupy one of the motorbikes while Sonthara and Sear were getting on with me. Terrifyingly, Sopheak who was the leader on another bike was swerving along the quiet road in the nightfall even before taking any alcohol. “Oh Buddha, please save me!” Thoeun and Samnang screamed with half crying and half laughing from Sopheak’s back, not sure if it was his fun or danger, “Please let me drive if you are not well.” “Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry, boys. You will be there eating your soup.”

“From the left: Thoeun, Sonthara, Samnang, Me and Sear. The five lonely guys were having a big debate on a topic: ‘who is the ugliest in the group?’ Everyone was claiming that they are the ugliest. This debate happened after they had invoked a Khmer saying: ‘The ugly matches the pretty; white matches black.’ So we have the honor to propose the audiences to vote for the winner in such debate…”

Unleashing the signers was the last activity for that night. We went to Top Town to sing, and probably to shout. At first we were all in a room which looked too crowded although it was large already. Then, I requested to have two rooms due to the reason that there would not be enough chance for people to sing their songs and more importantly, some of us really wanted to shout, not to sing. As the result, Preap Sowath(s), Sapoun Midada, Sok Reaksa came to another room, leaving Sin Sisamuth(s) and Ros Sereisothea(s) in the other room.

“I, Phy and Sear.”

Now it was free for Hang Meas superstars to sing in whatever way they like regardless of somebody could not catch the rhythm of the song. Preap Sowath(s) dominated the show after people had ordered many of his songs. Sok Reaksa was stiffly awoken when he heard his song: “សំបុត្រស្នេហ៍ក្នុងកន្រ្តកកង់អូន A love letter in the basket of bicycle” and then Sonthara started his only song in the night. ABC seemed to have less influence on the superstars’ voice; everyone was still able to shout for song after song. Not until having seen the bill did the signers’ voice turn hoarse.

Wonderful Trip – Part 3

Talking politics and morality

“Where are you now?” a text message from Samnang when we ate in a restaurant in front of Angkor. Sear had a phone call from his friend living in Siem Reap. “We gonna have two motorbikes!” Sear told us when he hung up the phone. After meal some people wanted to go in while three of us – Sear, Thoeun, and I – decided to wait for the motorbikes outside on the stony bridge connecting to the extreme wonder main site. “Where are you now? I hope I can enjoy with you tonight,” another text message from Samnang.

Me: Hey, I think Samnang regrets now.

Thoeun: Let me see the text! I think it sounds like he is coming to meet us. What do you think?

Sear: It is hard to believe, but it would be brilliant.

Me: By the way, what I like most of here is that this is much more peaceful comparing to Phnom Penh, isn’t it?

Thoeun: Yes, sure. Phnom Penh is not safe at all. The robbers could appear at any time, and it is rare the police can get them.

Me: To be fair, Phnom Penh is also good in terms of greening the city. Admittedly, we would find it difficult to get a place to play shuttlecock every weekend evening if they don’t care about this. And they are expanding and repairing more parks. More importantly, the statues of the highest honored monk Chuon Nath, the greatest Khmer literary man ever; and the greatest poem writer and singer Krom Ngoy, are being built.​ By the way, what do you think about the way people dressing in here? I notice that people in here dress in an acceptable way.

Sear: Yes, that looks more pleasant to the eyes. They know how to beautify in Khmer tradition, particularly girls. Unlike those in the poisoned Phnom Penh, the girls here dress fashionably and pleasantly.

Me: Many girls in Phnom Penh are deteriorating the whole structure in the way of dressing at too high sex appeal. Some girls dress and behave exactly like a prostitute. I am still wondering how they feel about themselves.

Thoeun: Those might be real prostitutes, who knows? More schoolgirls behave like bitches. We can’t distinguish. It is assumed that some schoolgirls gather at a certain place, at a regular time to offer their service – the only way they could do to earn extra money besides their parents’ for just having fun – which costs from $20 to $30. Will you call them schoolgirls?

Me: Hm, this is a bit so strong to them, but it is the truth. Don’t know how it’s gonna be in the future, city girls. Sometimes I think Khmer Rouge is not really that bad in a way of controlling the rebels.

Thoeun: Oh yes, my elder neighbor said that, too. And I think she is right. The morality of the society is being destroyed by some people, and the rest could not help – unless we all help. By giving them too much freedom, they don’t realize that they’re doing bad things. That’s why Khmer Rouge is good about this point. Nobody would behave like a bitch in the public. Nobody would take advantages on others – no robbery.

Sear: No jerk would freely hit the people and their properties by ignorantly playing football on the park like a real pitch; they kick freely and violently. Everyday they hit people on the park; everyday they hit people’s car on the road; they don’t even say sorry. Where the heck were they born?

Me: Nobody would aggressively drive car that could kill people and damage the public properties. I am not counting those who are alcoholic influenced, but what even worse is that the driver is in-born hostile and ill-mannered. What I am really ashamed to speak about is that even our lecturer, who is apparently considered well-educated, swerved his car when he was exiting the school gate and crossing the road. In conclusion, I would give some credits to Khmer Rouge regime for they were somehow defending their structure from such rebellious behaviors. But what really takes my consideration is that I was very shocked and disappointed when I found out that some children don’t even believe when their parents told them the nightmare story which took millions of life. For me, I would still believe them if my parents were to lie me about this. At least I took their pain into my heart. But it is real, anyway! We cannot reject! We have both alive-documents and death-documents about such evil regime. It is absolutely not propaganda for any party; it is the history, Khmer history – what you must know!

Thoeun: Oh, the children you just mentioned about were when we saw the Khmer Rouge documentary in Chenla theatre? Yes, I think so. They really hurt their parents by not believing the fact, but they have rights not to believe.

Sear: But at last those children believed after people showed them the evidences. As I remember, Cheung Ek prison museum was one of the evidences they proved.

Me: Ah, yes! You hit the nail on the head, Sear. Emotion and evidence. I beleive my parents by emotionally sharing their painful expericences. And those children believe their parents only if they are shown the evidences. Oh, I was really sorry when I knew that the man who had called us to go in but we denied is Mr. Reach Sambath. Many times did he insist that we go in, but we just didn’t give him enough respect. Hahah, I’m really ashamed to recall this.

Thoeun: Yes, we denied because we didn’t know who he is, and also we had been unable to find enough seat until he made some coordination.

Sear: Oh, he is good at giving speech.

We talked and talked while looking at the people passing by, particularly girls. Then we saw the rest companions were coming back. “What should we do since we haven’t got the motorbikes yet?” I asked the two people. “Hm, let some people go first, and some wait for the motorbikes,” Sear suggested. “Thoeun, could you go with them? I want to drive motorbike,” I requested Thoeun. “Oh, that’s Ok.”

Wonderful Trip – Part 2

On the boat

We had two more people – Phy and his girlfriend – to join our trip. We took two tuk-tuks. I got on with Sonthara and Thoeun. The driver drove like if there was somebody chasing him. We looked at each other in a fear, but somehow he got a little more patient and we could feel better. We looked at the both sides of the road and saw beautiful greenie paddy fields as far as the eyes could see. Feeling more enjoyable, I then realized my home and school at the motionless Phnom Penh. I was seeing the image of being permanently lived in Siem Reap. Wanting to boast people at Phnom Penh, especially Samnang – who abandoned the occasional trip –, that we were enjoying in a lovely tranquil land, I took out the phone and text-messaged him: “on tuk-tuk driving to see birds at Tonle Sap…” and sent to several people.

Now we got there starting the boat…

Crossing a small wooden bridge connected to the boat…

“hmmm, will I have that day?…”

Everybody is here except Vuth who is shooting

“After watching our circus, please buy some herbal medicine which would help relax your muscle in doing exercise. Your purchase could greatly help us buy bus ticket back home…”

“Where are we going next, Sonthara?” “To Angkor, but I have to get some cash.” “Oh, I should have some, too,” Sear replied. Sonthara was the first who got the ATM; and I, Thoeun and Sear were waiting on tuk-tuk. The other tuk-tuk had gone, but we did not worry because we had told them where to meet. A moment later Sonthara got back and Sear went next. When Sear returned, I went for the last. I got some cash which added up to about $70. I read the balance and saw number 8 as the last digit. Then I wanted to get this in Khmer currency. I inserted the card again, and I reached the stage which I would either select a pre-typed amount or input a desired amount. I thought I would have 30,000R. As the people were waiting for me, I just glanced at the template – pre-typed amount – scanning for one starting with number 3. I saw one, and pressed the button immediately. The machine started to purr. “Come on! Why are you thinking so long? My friends are waiting for me!” I blamed the machine counting. Then it handed me the money. “Oh sorry, that is why you counted so long,” I thought and squeezed the 300,000R into the pocket and darted out into the tuk-tuk.