So what exactly did we get up to in Phnom Penh?

So what exactly did we get up to in Phnom Penh?

Posted on 21. Apr, 2011 by in Cambodia

After travelling down from Ban Lung we tried our best to make the most of our time in Phnom Penh but it was difficult knowing the whole reason we were there so early was to prepare Kirsty for her potential interviews.

By this point Kirsty had a skype interview arranged for our second day there and so most of her attention was on that and rightly so.

We tried to mix site seeing with ticking to do items off the list. Kirsty wanted to visit the Russian Market as she had read in the Lonely Planet that it had some western brand name clothes like gap etc at half the price. Unfortunately it was a massive disappointment and basically sold the same crap, so we weren’t able to pick up any interview type clothes from there.

We did get a chance to visit S21, a school turned Khmer Rouge prison which now operates as a museum. A very heart breaking but interesting experience, it seems the more I learn about that period the harder it becomes to comprehend, I tried to write a post on our visit there but it’s hard to put the feeling of the place into words. All I can say is that if you are in Phnom Penh I recommend that you go.

S-21 prison block c

The sign at the bottom of block C reads: "the braid of barbed wire prevents the desperate victims from committing suicide "

From the little we saw of Phnom Penh it seems like a very exciting and lively place . We both really want to go back and explore properly, 24 hours really didn’t do it justice, I could easily have seen us spending over a week exploring and still wanting more.

Next begins the story of Kirstys quest to become a teacher.

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16 Responses to “So what exactly did we get up to in Phnom Penh?”

  1. Jaime

    21. Apr, 2011

    Good Luck on the Interview Kirsty. I hope it all goes well & you get the job. As for not being able to explain things in words of the history we learn while traveling I understand what you mean. I am in Central America and am learning so much about the revolutions here and just how horrible it was for some of the people. Some the things that happened are horrifying and sad.

    Reply to this comment

    • Poi

      22. Apr, 2011

      Thanks Jamie – It’s all another reminder of how lucky we are to be doing what we’re doing.

      Reply to this comment

  2. Dan Collins

    22. Apr, 2011

    Glad everything is working out for you guys, good luck with the teaching ‘ar Kirsty’. See you soon… hahahaha

    Reply to this comment

  3. ayngelina

    22. Apr, 2011

    I was there only 48 hours and after sightseeing kind of had some seedy encounters and decided to leave but I have heard great things from other people.

    Reply to this comment

    • Poi

      23. Apr, 2011

      Same here we’ve heard so much about the place we wanted to explore it more for ourselves.

      Reply to this comment

  4. Evi

    22. Apr, 2011

    Great post. I felt the same way about S21, and about Phnom Penh more generally. Good luck with the interviews!

    Reply to this comment

  5. Andi of My Beautiful Adventures

    22. Apr, 2011

    24 hrs is better than nothing right? Hope you can make it back for more!!!! :)

    Reply to this comment

  6. Rebecca

    23. Apr, 2011

    Good luck Kirsty! Hope it all goes well.

    Reply to this comment

  7. Shaun

    23. Apr, 2011

    Good luck, Kirsty! Erica and I haven’t even been out for 2 weeks and we’re already talking about other ways to make money while traveling. We’re crossing our fingers for you!

    Reply to this comment

    • Poi

      23. Apr, 2011

      Thanks Shaun, very cool to have you commenting here and look forward to more of your posts!

      I’m not surprised you’re thinking about it, it’s to much of an awesome life to give up but you’ve only just left so try and enjoy yourself for a bit first yeah haha ;)

      Reply to this comment

  8. Morgan McFin

    29. Mar, 2012

    Hi Poi,

    I also lived in Phnom Penh for a few years. I have read a researched a fair deal into that horrific period in Cambodia’s history. It’s very hard to comprehend the suffering that must have gone on back then.

    I definitely recommend a trip back there some time.

    Reply to this comment

    • Poi

      02. Apr, 2012

      We’re hoping to get back sometime, who knows when that’ll be though.

      Thanks for commenting!

      Reply to this comment

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