Introduction

Well fellas, it’s been a while since I posted a report, but that doesn’t mean I’m dead or haven’t been active. I spent almost 3 years in Colombia before returning to the States and figuring out my next move. Most of the time I spent in the department of Boyacá, a place never mentioned here on CH. My take on Colombia is this: once you understand the culture and speak the language fluently, a whole other world opens up. That’s probably true of any developing nation where cash is in short supply and bills need to be paid. But Colombia probably has the highest concentration of hot, available women on the planet – at least for me.

So why I am not in Colombia and instead putting together this short trip report on my first trip to Phnom Penh? Well, life throws you curveballs and you have to go with the pitch. I was putting things together to make the permanent move to Colombia, but a business deal that I had been entertaining for about a year came to fruition and I find myself now based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Now, would the Islamic Republic of Malaysia be my first choice of countries to live in for the next couple of years? Certainly not. But like I say, you have to go with the pitch, the deal was signed and I got here about 5 weeks ago. Two things about Malaysia, or at least KL: 1. It’s hot. 2. P4P is very lacking, although it can be found. The nice thing about Malaysia is its location. If you book in advance, you can score very cheap flights on Air Asia to Bangkok (2 hours), Hong Kong (3 hours) and of course Phnom Penh, a very quick 90 minutes away.

Anyway, I’m in Malaysia on a 90-day tourist visa, which means I have to do a visa run every 3 months. The quickest and easiest is to just go to Singapore – I could catch a 6am flight and be back in KL before lunch, visa good for another 90 days. On Thursday of last week, I suggested to my partner I do a visa run now, because the next 3 months are going to be very busy with the business. I had hoped to catch a flight Friday night or the 7:00am flight on Saturday, but commitments wouldn’t allow that to happen, so I had to settle for the Malaysia Airways 2:40pm flight. Barring any delays, and with the 1 hour time difference, I’d be in Phnom Penh about 3:30pm local time. As long as the flight didn’t go missing. The return flight was at 4:30pm on Sunday, giving me just under 24 hours to hit the ground, figure things out and have a good time. I paid roughly $200 for the roundtrip, not too bad considering I booked same day. Had I booked a month in advance, it would have been about half the price.

I PMed Bigballs, hoping we could meet up for a drink, but he was in Vietnam. So I committed his 2012 trip report to memory and headed to the airport.

Dude!! Long time no hear from. A few years back a CH guy really did tell me hear heard some story you were murdered in Colombia.

Jakarta would also be an obvious cheap quick trip from KUL for visa runs or weekend fun. Not to mention Angeles City ought to be on that list.... and Bangkok and Phuket. KUL has an enviable location for quick cheap flights to a variety of mongering venues (or the 3/4 of the way to the south pole, if that's where your flight happens to take you).

I'm in Angeles City a few days every month or two and will be blazing through a couple of other locations in the region in late May/June. Definitely owe you a drink or two if I ever run into you again.

I'm surprised and pleased to see you up and running again. Never thought I'd see that. Now if ol' Merlin would reappear...

Phnom Pehn was one of the most interesting cities I ever visited. I don't think you can say you've really been to a third world country unless you've been somewhere that has no ATMs and no McDonalds restaurants. It does have ATMs now but it did not less than 10 years ago. I'm eager to hear this report.

Wow, add me to the list of those who are shocked to see you post. I talked to a couple of guys over the years who thought you were dead.

Yes, you are surrounded by possibilities in that part of the world. Take advantage of them while you can!

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the nice words! Murdered in Colombia!!! Wow, that's pretty dramatic and obviously someone's wishful thinking. Now I certainly have had quite a few Colombianas tell me that they wanted me dead, but then 10 minutes later they were calling me the best papi in the world. Drama queens all, but that's why I love them.

I'm gonna be super busy the next 3 months, but after that I hope to be able to string together at least monthly weekends in the surrounding areas. I'm looking at Laos, Bangladesh and certainly Jakarta, but I gotta tell you - Phnom Pehn was really fun. I don't understand why it's not a more featured destination given who cheap and easy it is.

I'm sure we'll cross paths at some point Sancho - looking forward to it. You have an open invitation here in KL, but I don't think it's worth your precious mongering time.

Big Poppa - the one thing that really stood out for me in PP was there are virtually no traffic lights are stop signs at any of the intersections. It's really slightly organized chaos and that added to it's charm for me!

I'll try to finish my report when I get home tonight.

Murasaki,

I find it interesting that people figure if you don't post anymore, then you must be dead! Maybe there should be a yellow button on CH like at a Rodizio - I'm full for now, but I haven't stopped yet!

Are you the same Wallstreet that used to rent apartments in Argentina years ago?

I've been to Buenos Aires a couple of times, but I've never been in the apartment renting business.

WS. I cant remember who it was who said you had been murdered in Columbia. But indeed, I recall it was a CH member who told me that. Along the lines of, they didn't know you, but someone, on some other board had said that..... That was a few years ago, though your nom de plume actually came up as recently as last November with a whole different back story. ;-)

As for Phnom Penh, I used to go there ALLOT and thought it was the greatest place on the planet. Then I hit other places for a while and didn't make it back for like 4 years and on my last trip maybe 2 years ago I was kind of shocked by how much the place had changed and how different it was from what it used to be and came away with a pretty dismal assessment of the current state of mongering in that location. It was actually looking to damned civilized and all fixed up and far less "third world" than it used to be. Perhaps my expectations where tainted by memories of it's glory days and it's really not that bad. In any case I do have a ticket booked to Phnom Penh first week of July to give it one more shot.

I too will join the party line of folks happy to hear from you buddy. Asked a few well know acquaintances about you but no one had any info. I was in MDE for 5 years. Too bad our paths did not cross. Maybe someday in the future.

Cheers and enjoy SE Asia.

IAS - I find it hilarious that people have the time and energy to make up stories about someone they don't even know. I don't belong to any other board, so I'm taking it as a compliment that my name made it into another venue. Rather sad, because shouldn't guys on these types of boards be talking about women rather than speculating about fellow members? That's why I've always limited my in-person dealings with a few CHers who've been posting good info for a long time. There's a lot of guys out there who are jealous and have hidden agendas.

I loved PP and can't wait to get back - but of course it was my first trip so I don't have anything to compare it to. I'm a big legit massage guy and I had some great massages in PP for $6 an hour - in rooms that were like hotel rooms, complete with TV and private bathroom - plus free use of the gym, steam and sauna. A great way to spend the day! Anyway, I'll get into more specifics when I finish up the report.

Sandman - I wasn't in Medellin that much - I spent a lot of time in Bogota and then Tunja, which is about a 2-hour car ride from Bogota. I love Santa Fe in Bogota, but Tunja is a different animal. Once you get into the prepago network you have lots of semi-pro students from the 11 surrounding universities looking for help paying their tuition. Young, pretty, educated and a lot of fun, once you start going with these girls the casa girls are a let down.

It's funny, my PM has always worked on CH. A couple of years ago, Don Marco PMed me out of the blue, asking how I was, and I responded back. I wasn't posting, but I wasn't hiding either.

Anyway, nice to see a lot of the good guys still around and I'm sure I'll see some of you in person while I'm in SEA.

Welcome back to the board.

Preparation

Ok, back to the report. This was really a last-minute trip. I figured to just go to Bangkok as I knew the city and didn’t have much time – plus there are tons of flights to BKK from KUL. But the adventurer in me wanted to try something new, even if it was for barely a day. Phnom Penh had always been on my list of places to go and after seeing that flights were available, I decided that’s where I was going.

I had read that you needed a visa to enter Cambodia and that it was available at the airport for US$20. What I didn’t know is that you can purchase an “e-Visa” online for US$25 if you do it 3 business days in advance. Had I not been traveling the same day, I would have spent the extra $5 just for the convenience. Here’s a link: http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/

If you purchase the visa once you are at the airport, it will delay you at least 10 minutes – and to me that’s 10 minutes too long. You will need a passport photo and $20 cash. Also, while it was great that Malaysia Airways gave me both the entry/exit card and customs form to fill out as I was boarding the plane, you don’t get the visa form until you get to the visa “office” at the airport. Then you have to fill it out, give your passport to one official along with the form and photo and then wait on line at the cashier until they call your name. After that’s sorted out (took about 10 minutes on a half-empty flight), you proceed through immigration which is pretty quick and then if you only have a carry-on you’re clear. Customs was non-existent.

As you walk out, there are a number of telecom booths selling prepaid sim cards. I stopped and purchased one – I choose the carrier “Smart” and paid US$4 for the sim, data and minutes. All finished in less than 10 minutes – really great service and for 4 bucks how can you not do it – especially if you have a cheap, dual sim card Lenovo phone like I do.

Earlier that morning I had emailed a reservation request to Flamingos Hotel. They have their own website, http://www.flamingos.com.kh/ and confirmed my reservation (without credit card) within the hour. I booked their “superior” room for $35 and it came with a free hotel pick up. I chose Flamingos based on CH reporting and knowing it was in the middle of all the action.

So I exited the terminal and right out from was a Khmer dude with a big sign from Flamingos Hotel with my name clearly and correctly spelled! We walked about 50 yards to the parking lot, entered the spacious hotel van and zipped out into the chaos that is Phnom Penh traffic.

My first-time adventure to Phnom Penh had just begun!

Thanks RG!

Buddy , Kuala Lumpur is a great place to stay , air Asia hub is there , corruption is under control , infrastructure is better than most other Asian countries , . I think it is the most centralized country to stay if u wanna country hop to places like philippines,Thailand ,Indonesia, vietnam , Cambodia .
Go on badoo and in no time u will be busy with enough tail ! Don't worry about the head scarf ,just look for the heels on the shoes , it will tell u the state of mind and conservity of the gal !

Player, I think the Buenos Aires apartment guru you were referring to, and this was well over 10 years ago, was Godfather...

I also heard you were dead. Glad to see everything is good and you are alive and well.

You should check out the Formula One races when they are in Malaysia or even Singapore at night close by.

Hey Blazers - let me know if you make it over my way. I'd enjoy partying with you again. A guy in my building offered me a ticket for the PETRONAS Grand Prix last week, but I was doing my visa run in Phnom Penh. Never been to a car race before, hear it's great in person.

I'd like to know who started this "Wallstreet is dead" nonsense. Anyone who knows, feel free to PM me.

Keep the report coming

The ride to Flamingos Hotel from the airport took about 20 minutes or so. It took me a while to realize that in the entire journey we passed two traffic lights – otherwise every intersection is an adventure. Major intersections without even a stop sign. But you could see there was a certain rhythm and although I could reach out and touch some of the motos, we got to the hotel unscathed. I gave the driver $5 for the ride, which was otherwise free. I realize that’s over tipping, but guess what – I tip very well for service wherever I go because that’s my style. I know some people will have issue with it – saying I’m upsetting the local pricing structure, but it’s my money, my call and that’s how I roll. Wait until you read what I did for the taxi ride back to the airport.

Flamingos is in a busy part of town, just around the corner from the Golden Sorya Mall (CH Link) and Walkabout (CH Link), a couple of key places for freelancers. The hotel is dated, and looked like a lot of the other “guesthouses” in the area – some outdoor seating in front of the lobby, a bar and pool table just off the lobby where they also served the free breakfast. Check-in was a breeze – just a copy of my passport and they gave me a key. No credit card deposit, no payment in advance and very friendly staff. One of the front desk girls brought me upstairs via elevator to the first floor room – they don’t count the lobby level, then there’s ground, then 1st floor).

I dropped my bag and took a look around. It would have to do. Double-sized bed, armoire from the 1950s (and not in an antique way) and more importantly air conditioning and a fan. I put both on, checked the bathroom – came with a tub I knew I wouldn’t use and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. Beers were like $2.00, sodas $1.25 – very cold and very reasonable. Quickly downed my beer and headed back down to the lobby. It was about 5pm and I wanted to get a massage before hitting the town.

I found a place online earlier that morning called Angkor Spa http://angkorspa.biz/ and they advertised packages that looked great. I wanted to get a body scrub and then a massage and they had a 2 hour deal for $40. The only thing that concerned me was the address – it was on 310th Street which sounded far away. I checked with the desk and they looked it up and gave me a map. I asked how much it should cost by tuk-tuk and she said $3. I went outside and as luck would have it (sarcasm) I was offered tuk-tuk services by a younger driver. Based on my Bangkok experiences, I’m weary of tuk-tuk drivers and being overcharged (to me way different than overpaying because it’s my choice) and/or brought to places where they collected commission. I showed the guy the address, asked him how much and he said $3, so off we went.

Now, somewhere along the way I read that the Cambodian system doesn’t offer commissions to drivers like their Thai counterparts, and I believe that to be the case. Anyway, I was going to a legit spa with printed prices, so I figured it would be fine. We chitchatted a little, me taking in the sights and him offering to take me to a tattoo parlor (now there he was sure to get a commission). I politely declined and soon enough we were at the Angkor Spa. As I was about to pay, he asked if he could also bring me back. I explained that I was going to be 2 hours and if he wanted to come back, that would be fine. He wouldn’t let me give him the $3 and said he’d be there when I got out.

I went inside and was impressed right away. It was a beautiful, tranquil setting – just what I needed after a very hectic week. This was probably going to be my last day off for 3 months and it was starting the right way. I told the front desk I hadn’t booked in advance, but I knew what I wanted – body scrub and massage. They told me no problem and I sat down and exchanged my shoes for flip flops and walked over to a very nice private room. I took off my clothes and laid down. A few minutes later a cute girl came in and gave me a towel and some disposable underwear which I put on. I first got an hour of good massage – good, but I’ve had better. I think it unfair to rate a place on the masseuses’ performance, because I’ve had great and poor massages in the same establishment. It’s really luck of the draw to get a great masseuse unless you have a named recommendation. After the hour of massage, the body scrub began in earnest. The body scrub used different fruit and I think coffee beans to hone my skin to a smooth finish. An hour later I was led to a showering room complete with the best steam room I’ve ever been in. I showered first and then entered a room so thick with steam I couldn’t see anything. I felt my way around and sat down, taking in the steam. It was hot – but not overly. It was truly awesome. After about 15 minutes I came out of the steam room and found they had laid out a tray with tea, a soft drink and a piece of fruit. I ate and drank everything. I showered again, put on my clothes which had magically made their way from the massage room, and went to the front counter to settle up. $40 in total and I left a $10 tip. I put on my shoes and walked outside. Of course, there was the tuk-tuk driver waiting for me. I told him to take me to the hotel and I would be going out shortly thereafter, in search of a dinner companion. Or two. He said he’d be happy to take me anywhere I wanted to go, as business was really slow. So we made our way back to Flamingos and I went upstairs to change. 10 minutes later I was ready to hit the town and climbed into my tuk-tuk ready to see what was on offer that evening in Phnom Penh.

Sunny91: KL isn't a bad place to be - it's a little too Islamic and conservative for my taste, but it's not like being in Saudi Arabia. I tried Badoo and I'm only being checked out by guys and trannies. Must have something set wrong in the settings.

Welcome back Wallstreet! I just came on to post some Cali updates for my upcoming Cali report and was pleasantly surprised to see you're back! I'm looking forward to reading more about your adventures!

WS, welcome back to the fray (CH). I don't post too much - lurker mostly and occasional post here and there. KL is a great home base; all the conveniences of home and cheap flights everywhere interesting

Looking forward to tossing one back soon, it's been far too long. Good to hear PP is entertaining still entertaining!

Vlad - thanks for the nice welcome

DM- my friend, I look forward to seeing you in some SEA location soon, so many to choose from. The business is just getting started so I probably won't have any days off until my next visa run, end of June. Hopefully we can match schedules.

So my plan was to hit a hostess bar or two in search of a companion. I figured we’d eat dinner and then go back to the hotel and take it from there. So the tuk-tuk driver was waiting for me and I told him to head over to the bars on 110th Street. Why 110th? Because when Bigballs PMed me saying he was in Vietnam, he said there were some new hostess bars on that street. So I figured it was as good a starting place as any.

We took off in the tuk-tuk and about 10 minutes later pulled in front of a cluster of bars with plenty of girls sitting outside. I didn’t realize it at the time, but we were on 108th Street, not 110th. As I walked to the entrance, I was greeted by about a dozen girls who all followed me inside. I can’t say with 100% certainty, but I believe the bar was called The Golden Vine (CH Link).

I sat down at the bar and was flanked immediately by two girls, neither of whom peaked my interest. I looked around and saw 2 or 3 other guys, each with a girl at their side. I ordered a beer and surveyed the talent. I spotted a girl sitting by the wall and asked her to come over. I bought her a drink – she ordered a Coca-Cola – and I tried chatting her up. A girl behind the bar said she had just started there a few days ago and didn’t speak any English. But I liked the way she looked and I also liked the girl behind the bar, so I invited her to sit down and have a drink as well.

Ok, here comes the interesting part. Without getting into details, let’s just say that I have some kinky tendancies. There are certain things I like to do that really get me off. Over the years, I have found it better to discuss what I like before taking the girl (or girls) back to my place. I don’t want any misunderstandings and I don’t want anyone getting freaked out, thinking something bad is going to happen. That’s also why when I’m dealing with women who don’t know me, I usually get two – first off because two girls are better than one and when you take two, they have a better sense of security.

Now, in all of my time in Colombia, I have never had my kinky requests turned down. Ever. Not even a hesitation. And there are several clubs in Santa Fe in Bogota where I can start chatting with a girl I don’t know and she says – “oh you’re the Gringo who likes to do . . .” Yes, that would be me.

But as I found out, albeit with a VERY small sample, Cambodian girls seem to be pretty conservative and while not horrified by my request, not exactly excited about it either. So the negotiation began, with the English-speaking Khmer asking for $40 each for short-time. I said $40 for both for short-time and dinner beforehand. We settled on $30 each.

I settled up the bill – for 2 ladies drinks, my beer and 2 bar fines it was $27. I didn’t get the breakdown, but I’m guessing the BFs were $10 each. The three of us walked outside and got into the tuk-tuk and I told them I wanted to go somewhere to eat local food. The girl told the driver something and we headed towards the Mekong River.

A few minutes later we pulled up to the Titanic Restaurant http://www.bopha-phnompenh.com/ a huge place right on the river. We got a table overlooking the water, right next to a live band. This was definitely a ritzy place by any standards. The menus were huge and we started with drinks and ordered appetizers and entrees. I had some water buffalo skewers and a couple of Pina Coladas – don’t remember what the girls had. It was a very enjoyable dinner, unrushed and nice atmosphere. There prices were very reasonable with the total drink and food bill coming to $37 for the 3 of us. Certainly more than street food, but this was a really nice place.

I suggested we head to the hotel – it was closing in on 10pm. The girls agreed and off we went. Obviously no problem bringing guests back to Flamingos – no registration, no nothing – just straight up to the room.

We put on the AC, turned on the TV and got comfortable on the bed. Both girls had nice bodies – neither had kids. I instructed them in exactly what I wanted and they complied – but they really weren’t into it. The English-speaking girl kept wanting to give me a BJ, but that’s not really what I wanted. Without getting into the details, the session was passable but had nowhere near the excitement and sexual passion that even my lamest Colombian sessions had. As it was getting towards midnight, I started kicking the girls out, much to their surprise. They couldn’t understand why I didn’t want to continue, but I just wasn’t feeling it with them, and at this stage of my life I don’t just go through the motions.

I paid them each $30 and told then to take the tuk-tuk waiting outside anywhere they wanted to go and to tell the driver to ring me when he got back. A couple minutes later the front desk called to make sure everything was ok – great security – and off went the girls into the night.
I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes, getting a little rest before hitting the town again in search of someone more attuned to my proclivities.

Been a while since I've read such a well written and easy reading tale of mongering exploits. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks DM! I'll try to finish it up tonight. It has a sort off happy ending - I found an all-nighter at Walkabout. Anyway, work is killing me and I can't wait for my next visa run!

What memories. As you are telling the story, I am visualizing all the places, sights, scents and smells you are describing....eh DM and EPI?

Well done buddy.

Thanks Sandman. It was fun to do a report again after all this time, though I know it's lacking in photos.

Sorry for taking so long, but here's the conclusion of my whirlwind 24 hours in Phnom Penh.

I walked out of Flamingo’s at about midnight and the scene outside was hopping – a lot of energy in the air. The tuk-tuk driver was waiting for me, but I had decided to check out the action right around the hotel – after all, that’s why I chose Flamingo’s. I asked the driver how much he wanted for the previous rides and he said “up to you”. I asked him if $20 would be ok and he smiled yes, so I gave him $25. I drove a cab in NYC for a few years and I always take care of taxi drivers that are polite and courteous. He asked if he could take me to the airport later that afternoon and I told him that I’d be leaving the hotel at about 2pm and if he was there. I would take him. We parted ways and I went to the intersection of 172nd Street and Pasteur (51st Street) and soaked in the atmosphere.

I knew Golden Sorya Mall was up Pasteur and Walkabout was down – literally both within two blocks of where I was standing. But I had read about a place called the Zeppelin Bar where the owner was also the DJ and spun rock and roll from his 1,200 vinyl album collection. His cool backstory is here: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/7days/7-questions-zeppelin-bars-jun and I decided to check the place out.

There were about a dozen people in Zeppelin Bar and as advertised Jun was sitting in the back, spinning wax. The bar stools were full, so I sat at a table in the back. A couple of minutes later I had an Ankor beer and was listening to some early Stones. The place was clearly not a destination to find company, professional or otherwise, but I was enjoying the music and the moment. About 4 songs later I had finished my beer and I made my way to the door. I was glad that I stopped in, but it was time to make my next move.

I was closer to Walkabout (CH Link), so that’s where I headed. I had a kind of negative preconceived notion about the place, because I read an article on www.vice.com that made it sound like I would really be scraping the bottom of the barrel, if I actually made it out alive. But since they called it Phnom Penh’s sleaziest bar, I knew I had to give it a go. http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/the-walkabout-is-cambodias-sleaziest-bar

The bar on the street level has no door, so you can see inside from the street. The place didn’t look bad at all – there was some English football on the television and an even mix of guys and girls, none of which peaked my interest. I sat at the bar and ordered a soft drink as I had had my fill of beer for the evening. They serve food upstairs and the Walkabout is also a hotel. A few minutes later, a thin Khmer girl came downstairs and sat across the bar from me and ordered a beer. From my vantage point she had a nice face and we kept making eye contact. As she was almost finished with her beer, I called the bartender over and asked her to send the girl a drink. She ordered another beer and asked me to come over.

I sat down next to her and still liked what I saw. Her name was Anee and if she was to be believed, she worked as a shop girl and was looking to supplement her income. We chitchatted a bit – she had no kids, wasn’t on the rag, and I got a good vibe. I told her I was staying at the Flamingo down the street and asked her if she wanted to come back to the hotel. She said sure and time and money were never discussed. I usually make a point of going over the business particulars, but something told me to just wing it with Anee. I asked if she wanted anything to eat before we got back to the hotel and we picked up some fruit from a vendor on the corner.

Again, just a friendly hello at the front desk, and a couple minutes later we entered the room, turned on the air-conditioning and got comfortable. She asked if she could take a shower and while she bathed I watched TV. The cable selection here was way better than my pitiful package in Kuala Lumpur, where there’s cricket on several channels 24 hours a day.

Anee opened her towel before getting on the bed and displayed her nice tight body. By sheer luck I picked a winner in the looks department. We went at it at a very leisurely pace and then eventually I tried to initiate her into my kink but was clearly rebuffed. Looks like my next trip is going to be Bangkok where I’ll go straight to BarBar (CH Link) in Patpong http://barbarfetishclub.com/ where I know I won’t be disappointed.

We settled back in bed and eventually consummated the deal. Not a bad performer but nowhere near the energy that I’m used to when I’m in Colombia. I asked Anee if she wanted to stay or go as I was ready to hit the sack. She said she wanted to stay and for me that was no problem given the nice-sized bed in the room. I was out like a light and she was wrapped around me throughout the night. Morning came quickly and at 8am Anee said she had to leave. I went to the safe and pulled out $40, which she received happily. I asked her if she wanted breakfast as I was going to grab a bite downstairs – free breakfast was included. She said no, had to get going and gave me her number and said she’d like to see me before I went. Maybe lunch. We went downstairs, her to the street and me to the bar with my tablet. Anywhere I go, I like to start my day with breakfast and catch up on emails, news, sports and social media.

The breakfast was ok, nothing special. The Wi-Fi was decent, better than upstairs and I caught up on things. Then I figured I would get a massage for a couple of hours, so I Googled Phnom Penh massage and came up with www.khmer440.com I read the old reviews on massage, circa 2007, and about the third one mentioned a place right across from the Flamingo Hotel. I literally looked up from my tablet and there it was- right across the street.

It was just after 9:00am and I was in luck, they opened at 9, even on a Sunday. I went to the desk and booked a 1 hour foot massage and 2 hour body massage. Foot and/or body was $6 per hour, oil was $7 and aromatherapy was $9. I was led upstairs to the first floor and was shown into a room with a very nice recliner and TV set, all in a private room. I got a very nice foot massage and dozed off part of the time. Then I was led to another room that was more like a hotel room with two massage tables in an actual room – not a curtained-off area. I stripped and laid down on one table and another masseuse came in and gave me a great rub-down, similar to the massages I get in KL, but at about 1/3 of the price. What really struck me was how nice the room was. Totally private, quiet and relaxing. It even had its own bathroom. Really posh for the price – I’ve been to more expensive ones that were really dirty, cramped and loud.

When we finished up, it was just after 12. The masseuse asked if I wanted to use the steam room as it was included in the price. I took advantage and showered as well, feeling totally refreshed when I dressed and was figuring my next move. I paid at the front desk and walked outside where I saw the tuk-tuk driver from the night before. He asked if he could take me to the airport and I said if he was here at 2pm, that’s when I was going to leave. He said he’d wait for me and that was that.
I called Anee and told her I was going to grab some lunch on the corner at Le Bon Café, literally on the corner of 172 & Pasteur (51st Street). Phnom Penh still has a lot of French influence, especially in the cuisine. Fresh, crusty French baguettes are everywhere, something that is very lacking in Malaysia. Anee said she would meet me and walked into the café just as my ham & cheese on baguette arrived. I seemed to be the only non-regular in the place – everyone else was greeted by name. The food was really good and very cheap. Anee had a drink only and I settled the bill right after we finished, hoping my timing would allow one last session before my trip to the airport.

We quickly walked back to the hotel and I saw my name on the board for hotel transport. The ride from the airport was free, but the trip home was not. I told the girl at the front desk that I had made other arrangements to get to the airport and she said someone was already contacted by the hotel to bring me. I took $5 out of my pocket and apologized for cancelling at the last minute. Did I have to pay? No. But it my book when you can turn a situation around for $5, you do it. Anee and I went upstairs, I looked at the clock and asked her if she wanted to do a quickie. She said sure – I told her it was a rhetorical question. She didn’t get it, but then I gave it to her good – a great 10 minute ride. We were ahead of schedule as we went downstairs about 1:20pm.

I settled up the bill, $35.00 – they took my word for it that I hadn’t touched the mini-bar, and we were out the door. I was hoping to get at least a little sightseeing in, and a few minutes before heading to the airport would have to do. We hopped into the tuk-tuk and Anee told the driver to take us to some sights before dropping me at the airport at 2:30pm. My flight was at 4:30.

We drove by the river and stopped at a few sites with great architecture. I enjoyed the chaotic driving once again and took in the hustling scene that is Phnom Penh.

It was just after 2pm when I suggested we head to the airport and I asked Anee where I could drop her. She gave the driver an address and I hoped it would be on the way to the airport and not the opposite direction. I guessed security would be easy and I was already checked in, so I figured I had enough time. We got to Anee’s place and I gave her a $20 and told her I’d give her a call the next time I was in town, which I may or may not do. Plenty of fish in that particular sea.

We made it to the airport at about 2:45pm and I gave the driver $15 for the tour and the airport ride. His name is Tee and his number is 097-989-0661. Nice enough guy, though I think there are plenty of drivers around cheap.

Security is fast at Phnom Penh Airport – there is not exit fee as I thought there might be – maybe it was included in the ticket price. It took me 15 minutes to get from the tuk-tuk to the gate – I’ll remember that the next time I go. I hate waiting at airports unless I’m in a lounge. Some cafes across the street from the airport that I’ll probably have a drink at next time until it’s 45 minutes to boarding.

The flight back was uneventful and it was just as hot and humid in KL as it was in Phnom Penh. It was a good trip, albeit way too short. I could see PP being great for a long weekend, kinda like Las Vegas or Costa Rica. The food was great, the girls were ok, the massages were awesome and the prices were really reasonable. I’ll definitely go back again. One thing I didn’t mention – they have 230V electricity and the plugs are A&C http://kropla.com/electric2.htm I stupidly assumed it would be the same as Malaysia, which is 240 and G. All to say my tablet and cell were running on fumes by the time I was in the taxi headed back to my apartment in Kuala Lumpur.

So definitely worth checking out if you’re in SEA and want to see something a little bit different that won’t cost you too much.

WallStreet,

So awesome to read a report from you again. For the record, I did not hear you were dead. Since you were last heard from in Colombia, I figured you were married with a few ninos running after you.

Your posts read like a novel and I truly look forward to them. Thanks for resurfacing. Hope our paths cross some time in the future.

Ixtoc

Nice report Thanks