Angkor Awaits - June 29, 2013

For the first time in weeks, I actually found a guest house with computers, in addition to WiFi, so I thought I would take the time to write a short entry.

Tomorrow, I am going to check out Angkor. Apparently, there is so much to see that I'll be here at least a couple of days. It will be good to settle down in one place for a little while.

Often, people say, "Oh, it must be so relaxing to backpack through a country." There is nothing I'd rather do in the summer, but I would not describe it as relaxing. It's enjoyable, and at times relaxing, but it's also a very draining endeavor getting from Point A to Point B, not knowing the language and not knowing what is waiting when one gets off the bus. It's a treat to stop for three days, unpack my sack, and not have to worry about getting on a bus.

In the last day or two, I've met some characters, most notably a guy from the Bronx in New York City. He and his wife have been traveling for decades, and they even decided to retire in New Zealand. The guy was a bit cantankerous at points, especially when he went into a long diatribe about how civilization would have been a lot better had there been no Southern presidents, on both sides of the aisle, but he gave me some helpful travel tips. By the way, he said the only reason he decided to help me was because I was born in Pittsburgh.

Before walking way, he said that he had had about enough of the backpacking thing. "So you are ready to give up traveling," I said. To which he replied, "Hell, no! I'm just going to start staying in some nicer places." This was coming from a man in his 70s. It sure gave me hope that traveling doesn't have to stop because of one's age, even more unconventional travel.

By the way, Robert, he said the only place he'll never return to is India, where he once traveled for seven months. "I think that place changed my DNA," he said.

You all know how I feel regarding my perception that most people are good and will go to great lengths to demonstrate it if given the chance. I've had a couple of such incidents over the last week.

A few days ago, I rode in a tuk-tuk, along with about 10 other people, to a guest house that I wanted to check out in Laos. When I left, I forgot my umbrella. Now, normally that wouldn't be a big deal, except that I haven't come across the collapsible, portable umbrellas that I own during my travels.

 I laughed and told the owner of the guest house that I left it on the tuk-tuk. "No problem," he replied. "I know the driver."

He made a call, and the next morning, the owner of the guest house jumped on his motorcycle and retrieved it for me from his friend.

Can you imagine that happening in America?

This morning, something similar happened to me. After I bought my bus ticket, I had about 45 minutes to spare, just enough time to visit the adjacent market and get some breakfast.

I decided on chicken, mixed vegetables, and rice, rather than my normal soup selection. The food was being served from a small cart, and the cook had set up a few tables on the street. Whenever a seat was vacant, someone sat down at one of the tables, but  I couldn't find a seat and didn't want to be too aggressive. You would have thought I was some kind of celebrity because the cook and her friend pushed through a mass of customers until they found me a place to sit down and eat.

As I was leaving, a man yelled out, "Stop! Stop!" At least, that's what I thought he was saying because, after all, I don't know Cambodian. "What social faux pas have I committed now," I thought. Keep in mind I've already dragged a monk into the river.

The man bolted up to me and handed me a full bottle of water I'd purchased for the trip that I had mistakenly left behind.

Now, both of these incidents might not sound like much, but they are especially meaningful to someone 10,000 miles from home who has no contacts, can't speak a word of the language of those around him, and knows little about the cultural expectations and norms.

I consider myself to be a fairly self-sufficient, seasoned traveler, but at times, I can be a bit helpless. A couple of days ago, I couldn't cross the street. That's right. I couldn't cross the street. It was rush hour, and there was just so much traffic in the capital - cars, tuk-tuks, buses, motorcycles. I didn't see any possibility of getting across.

After standing there for a few minutes, a crossing guard, who I think was there for kids, walked out into traffic and assisted me because the veteran traveler couldn't make his way to the other side of the street.

Actually, I've heard the traffic is even more chaotic in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

It's got to be obvious to those in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, or any other country, that travelers, at times, need a hand. It's extremely gratifying to be a beneficiary of such acts of kindness.

I'm tired. It's been a long day, so I'll close. As always, I'll be in touch.