Home Again
Since last friday, after nearly three months on the move, I’m back home again!
The last weeks of my journey I’ve been to China and Cambodia. My first stop after the party islands of Thailand was Shanghai to catch up with Richard, one of my best friends who’s currently working in China. I took a flight from Koh Samui to Bangkok and transferred from BKK Suvarnabhumi to Shanghai Pudong on the 18th of March and arrived early in the morning on the 19th. A cab driver drove me to Richard’s apartment located in the french concession zone in Shanghai where I rested until my mate got back from work. Around three in the afternoon we finally saw each other after 4 months.?.. Great!!….. However, we had to catch a train to Beijing at 5:00pm so, Hurry hurry!! Luckily we were just in time and the 5 hour (300km/hour) ride brought us to the capital of China and in the meanwhile we had loads of time to chat.
On thursday we visited the Tiananman Square and the Forbidden City, and on friday we went to the Great Wall which was definitely my highlight of this trip. Being on one of the seven world wonders with one of my best friends drinking a beer while the weather was stunning and hardly any tourists around is…… nice!!
The next day we headed back to Shanghai again where I met Richards football team. They where celebrating their winnings with a couple of Heineken…. Tasted well, Congrats guys! In the eve we had contact with Hock, also a Nyenrode Alumnus (MSc18) living in Shanghai who invited us for dinner at his place. I hadn’t seen Hock after he left campus, 25 months ago, so it was funny to see each other again. He prepared italian pasta which tasted really well and eventually I ended up drinking scotch… This gave me and Richard some extra mood for a party so around midnight we took a cap to some massive nightclubs…. What a night!
Sunday was a rest day haha. I was still a bit tipsy when I woke up at noon, so it was a perfect day to relax. However, the next day I had more stuff on my must-do-in-shanghai-list. First I went to a Chinese (black) market, together with Richards girl to buy some ‘souvenirs’ in hidden rooms… Next a quick stop at the Bund (Skyscrapers) for an awesome view and afterwards I went to Van Hessen Shanghai (Guts and Glory!) for a company visit! Thanks for the invite mate.
On the 25th of march I already had my return ticket, so after saying goodbye to Richard and Desie I left China and flew to Bangkok for a transfer to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I spent the night on Khao San Road and eventually I ended up at… pingpong… Epic! Hangover…
In Cambodia I met my travel mates again: Danielle, Judith and Kirsten who I met in Kuala Lumpur & Koh Pha-nGan… yee, loads of fun! In Siem Reap obviously I visited Angkor Wat, a buddhist temple which is the biggest religion monument in the world. It’s indeed really big, and the hole province contains temples and buddhist sites which is really nice to see, so that’s what other people thought as well. It’s very, very touristic ! One of the other highlights in Siem Reap was the floating village with the crocodile ‘farm’. Just some words for your imagination: floating houses, crocodile cage, crocodile skin, hidden closet, wallets, bags, shoes….. ghe. crazy.
In the weekend we took a mini van from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, the capital and the largest city of Cambodia. After a 6 hour bumby ride we made it and checked in at 88 backpacker… with a swimming pool! Yee, finally an opportunity to cool down. The humidity and the heat (38 degrees) in Cambodia is so intens that you’re constantly sweating so the pool was refreshing.
Phnom Penh was my final stop before I headed home again. Phnom Penh hosts the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) which we visited both to experience the happenings 40 years ago. It’s unbelievable what happened while the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia…
Just before I left the country I got a last business meeting with a senior vice president of Cambodia’s largest investment company. I was curious about the working conditions and the way of living in a nation like Cambodia so I asked a dutch expat if he was willing to drink a cup of coffee with me, and he was! So on last thursday, early in the morning, we had a chat and he concluded it is challenging to work in Cambodia, but there are loads of opportunities! Nice chat, coffee tasted well, thanks!
Alright….. gooooodbye Cambodia, goodbye Asia, goodbye goodbye little abroad adventure.. and.. hello Holland life! Good to be back.
Thanks for following! Hope you enjoyed reading my travel stories.
Cheers from Holland!
Peter
No Comments