Cambodia Summary

Cambodia Summary:

A country’s wealth is traditionally measured by its Gross National Product (GNP), and by that metric, Cambodia is unfortunately one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia.  But it makes me think of the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, which famously measures its wealth using an alternative index called Gross National Happiness (GNH).  If Cambodia’s wealth were scored on that exact same happiness scale, this country would easily rank as one of the richest places on the planet.

Southeast Asia is already legendary for having the friendliest people on earth, but I found the Cambodians to be on a completely different level.  The locals just seem genuinely happy and content—which, given the country’s recent tragic history, is nothing short of a total miracle.

One of the main things I always tune into when using my senses and tracking the human dynamic across different borders is the way locals engage you with eye contact.  In Cambodia, you can literally see the pure sincerity and honesty in people’s eyes.  If you make even a tiny effort to smile at someone, you are absolute money to get a massive, radiant smile back in return.

During our entire month-long run on the traveler’s circuit here, Barbie and I were never once scammed, hassled, or ripped off.  Funnily enough, the only remotely dodgy, creepy, or unseemly characters I spotted during our time in Phnom Penh were actually some of the Western expats and tourists hanging around the bars.  The locals themselves were complete class acts.

I also picked up on this unique camaraderie where the Cambodians all look out for one another, regardless of whether they’re family or total strangers.  I can’t help but wonder if this tight-knit bond is a direct, survival-driven result of them enduring the horrific years of genocide under the Khmer Rouge.  They shared a dark past, but they have collectively rallied together to build a way better future.

Ditching the Corporate Chains

One area where Cambodia absolutely excels is their boutique hotels and local guesthouses.  The country has loads of them in every town, and they offer insane, elite-tier value.

Staying in these boutique spots makes you feel like you’re living with close friends, with a rotating cast of international drifters, backpackers, and expats thrown into the mix to provide some incredible color.  Shacking up in these joints always leads to encounters with some highly eccentric people, which inevitably translates into great conversations and laughs.

Barbie and I completely avoided the massive, sterile, corporate hotel chains.  They have absolutely zero soul, zero charm, and offer zero human interaction.

Transcendent Moments on the Road

As a traveler, Cambodia boasts a ridiculous amount of natural beauty.  Every now and then when you’re living this lifestyle, you hit these transcendent moments that burn into your memory forever. Our time in Cambodia provided a ton of those.  I am always going to look back on this month with incredible fondness, and I already want to return to soak in more of the unique serenity this country has on tap.

Overall?  Incredible place, beautiful people.

But now, it’s time to transition.  We are officially off to Singapore to live the high-end, fashionable flashpacker life on that ultra-pristine island.  The standard of living is about to skyrocket, so I better go shine up my finest travel flip-flops and iron my board shorts so I can at least attempt to look the part of a classy, high-end traveler.

LOOSE STOOLS INDEX

• Rating: Pending (The Singapore Transition)

As we wrap up Cambodia, the plumbing has held up remarkably well considering the rustic kitchen setups we encountered.  But with Singapore’s massive culinary scene on the horizon, the internal system is preparing for a major shift.