Thoughts from Places: Cambodia

The hardest part of travel is not the carrying of heavy bags, not the uncomfortable transportation or even constantly wondering when next you will have a nice shower. The hardest part of travel is always the end.

Cambodia was a dream: a learning experience in the history of the country and the boundaries of my own humanity. I chose to tackle this part of the trip on my own. No tour to guide me, no activities booked ahead of time, just myself and my dreams - which quickly became a reality.

The contrast of leaving the big, chaotic, over-populated, hustle and bustle of Saigon in Vietnam and landing in green Cambodian fields was a welcome change. The tuk-tuk ride from the airport to my hostel was one of the happiest moments of my entire trip. There is something quite regal about traveling by tuk-tuk. With the wind in your hair and the dust in your eyes, the cab is open for all the world to see – and boy do they stare! And then I smile. And suddenly they come to life behind their enthusiastic waves and the excitement in their eyes. “They”, these people I will never see again: Cambodians, preserved in my mind as a passing blur of happiness.

This is my favourite part of traveling. The everyday reminder of the rapid nature of friendships forged en route. I get to know a friend that I already had but barely knew. I meet a girl with wildly curly blonde hair and a European accent, and before I even ask her where the bathroom is I know we are going to be friends. I am taken under the wing of my friendly tuk-tuk driver, and introduced to his family and welcomed into his rural village. I strike up a conversation with a young tour guide in a war museum and learn more about his life than I do about his country (though I learn a lot about both). I may choose to travel alone, but I am never truly alone. I am never lonely: I am constantly in the company of future friends.

I learned so much in Cambodia. I learned to enjoy my own company and to make strangers into friends. I learned about the tragic and violent history of the country, but also about the welcoming and kind nature of its people. I learned about the ancient Khmer empire and the amazing architecture that has survived centuries, tangled with trees. I learned about the circus school that teaches children how to make laughter a career. I learned how to smile in moments of silence when no one is watching. Most importantly I learned about the resilience, and the hope for the country. And I learned to love it.