The Adventure Continues

*Above find a crudely-made map of where my travels may take me over the next month. This map excludes the places I've been so far and the entire route will be overland travel by train, boat, or bus. Keep in mind that the chance of me sticking to this exact route is roughly the same as the chance that I will go for one meal without eating rice, so I'll try to post another more accurate one at the end of July when I'm finished.*

The past week has been yet another blur. Over the weekend, three of my Khmer friends here in Phnom Penh traveled to Sihanoukville on business, and I accompanied them. Our road trip through the stunningly beautiful Cambodian countryside was a blast, punctuated by more pit stops than necessary at roadside markets, where we filled ourselves with Khmer noodles and loaded up on snacks for the drive.

After wolfing down a seafood lunch and completing their business in Sihanoukville, we swam in the ocean and hung out on the beach for the evening, before gorging ourselves on yet another seafood feast. Before bed, we took a walk along the beach, where courageous entertainers juggled torches for the benefit of travelers lounging about at seaside bars. In the morning we woke for an early swim, where we witnessed a spectacular sunrise, various hues clashing in the sky over miles of pristine coastline. On the road back to Phnom Penh, a wicked rainy-season downpour and a wild goose chase for fresh Cambodian oysters kept us entertained on the drive.

Warning: Those with a weak stomach should stick to the next paragraph. Since over the past month I have been attempting to sample anything and everything from Cambodian cuisine, I thought now would be a good opportunity to list the unique things I've eaten here in Phnom Penh: fried crickets, cow stomach, dog, fried ants, fried grasshoppers, snake, fried cockroaches, scorpion, fried worms, fried beetles, and fried tarantulas. Now that I've reclaimed your attention, I shall continue.

Over the past few days, I have been busy with last-minute meetings with students, as I wrap up my work here in Phnom Penh. I find it hard to believe that the curtain is descending on my official BN International Summer of Service, but fear not faithful blog reader, for the adventures will continue unabated.

For the next three and a half weeks, I’ll be working my way through a clockwise route around mainland Southeast Asia, passing through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia on my odyssey. Although Internet opportunities may be few and far between, I’ll do my best to keep my blog posted on my whereabouts and experiences, so stay tuned.