Taking it in one day at a time

2 flights, 6 hours of crying babies, 3 mystery meals and 24 hours later, I’ve arrived in Phnom Penh. Saying I was happy to see a smiling friend on the other side of the gate would be an understatement. I got my bags and my visa without a hitch, then took a tuk-tuk to my hotel which gave me the chance to take it all in.

Exhausted but happy to have finally arrived

My nice quiet street

My hotel for the next month

There are various ways to get around the city. The most popular are the tuk-tuk and the moto. The rules of the road seem quite vague here. I am convinced that the only real rule is to try and not hit each other... Seriously. So far I’ve used a tuk-tuk, driven by the lovely Checko, and a moto driven by Gavin. (Sorry mom!)

You can get anywhere in the city for about $2 US

You can also hitch a moto ride for $1 or less

Gas for sale in pop bottles. 5000 riel ($1.25 US)

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t completely overwhelmed. Culture shock is a hard thing to explain unless you've experienced it but with each day I am feeling more like myself. With friends staying a few streets away, I'm thrilled to have some pros showing me the ropes. My first mini victory was walking to their apartment on my own. Even though it was a mere 5 minutes away, it felt like the first step in getting my "travel feet".