Today i cleaned my car inside and out, after being on the sea for 7 weeks between Sihanoukville and Antwerp, its alife again.
My neighbours asked me what illness i brought from Cambodia, because they never saw me cleaning my car, hahaha,
shookaamooiiii

It was a lexus RX 450h, but belgian registered, i drove it from belgium to phnom penh a some of the members here know.
Originally i maybe would have sold it in PP but after 18.000 kms on the road i fell more in love with it and shipped it back (i knever was together 18000 kms with the same woman).
I tried already to post some pictures here from the trip, but i am not smart enough to do it or my laptop is crazy !! ??

I could write a book about the trip without any problem, but i took years ago a young guy with me for a week who wanted to make a 25 minute video from trucking in europe, in fact it was his end-work in university (no idea how its called in english, thesis ??) and he explained me: its very difficult to keep the attention from a viewer for 25 minutes, compare it with your wedding video, you love to show it to anyone, but nobody is interested in it a year later, you do, because its special for you, but not for them.
One of the laughing things was: i get stopped by police on the 18000 kms probably 6 times, and in the last 20 kms before arriving at riverside twice: just before Pochentong airport and just after. Nothing wrong with that, but i as curious how much money they wanted from me, as i was stopped during the years with a rental-car around here in PP (also a Lexus, thats when i fell in love with them and bought one).
But strangly they were friendly and asked where i came from and what i was doing there, as i can help myself a little in khmer, they were happy surprised also. They asked me "mean propon khmer ??" i replied: "ate ate, mean songsaa pram" !! They laughed and gIve me the paperwork back and said, enjoy Newyear at Phom Penh (it was 28.12).
Later some guy explained me why they didnt ask for teamoney: Think in their mind: they stop a barang, with a number plate they knever saw, from a country they have no idea where it is and coincidentially i was dressed in a white shirt: they are scared more about you then you about them, you must be very important and probably working for an embassy. I parked my car infront of the appartement and in the month after i only moved it ounce to go to the garage on 107 to do some bodywork from the accident i had in october on the New Delhi ring-road, for the english guys here, the M 25 is an empty road with perfect drivers comapred with New Delhi.
But thats an other verryy long historyyy

...
Think in their mind: they stop a barang, with a number plate they knever saw, from a country they have no idea where it is and coincidentially i was dressed in a white shirt: they are scared more about you then you about them, you must be very important and probably working for an embassy.

I used to have the same reaction when riding my bicycle to school on the (almost) deserted streets of Naypyitaw (the strange new capital city of Myanmar). I rode on the cycle path and when I got to a crossroads where cars had right of way, they would all screech to a halt to let me cycle across! (Not many foreigners stay in Naypyitaw except NGOs etc).

At first I wondered whether it was a trick similar to when Thai traffic stops for you and then accelerates as you start to cross!! But I also noticed that the drivers in Naypyidaw would look at the police officers at each junction and not dare to drive, even if they had right of way. As for the police, they would often 'tail me' until I reached my home or school....

I saw Vannda 2 times last year.epic.. got rid of the bad seeds I had replaced my long time gf with. Hard to watch ladies just turn into lying jaos and think you are blind to their hyjinx. I found a lovely apartment ..my 5th place in SR. Been to PP a few times... Not sure why I think I will enjoy it. the rental market has gone down such that my original 72 step walk up in Sihanouk years ago was the same price I am paying now for classy, place with elevator, generator, pool, gym..blows my mind to watch SR rebuild and not have customers..Same in PP..I try to tell my Khmer friends the World is in chaos..Deaf ears.. it seems the foreigners I run into are broke.
Nice the kids are back in school and Khmer weddings are back.. I have not had a Marlboro in many years..not much of an achievement in my book. I have an extensive collection of whisky..just do not feel like drinking it this year. So, my buying trips to PP have stopped.. I got to a point where..How much whisky do I need? Eating great..working out...looking forward to rainy season..no AC yet this year..
I sure am glad I do not have any kids here. Went through a mess back in my 30s.. best of luck to people with decent motivations. I knew a guy who was trying to trick his Khmer lady and steal their kid.I lost all respect for him and kicked him out of my house...after hearing his scheme.
New Year should be wild here in Siem Reap this year.

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"Going dark."

From midnight tonight I've decided to "go dark" for three months and focus on making some money. No social media, no forums, Reddit, Facebook or WhatsApp. No friend catch ups or nights out to see a band or dinner - nothing, just work. Never having removed myself almost completely from the Interweb and the few friends I have, I'm interested to see what life looks like without those things.

I'll probably get to a few of the books I've been wanting to read. See you on the other side.

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 2:03 pm .

"Going dark."

From midnight tonight I've decided to "go dark" for three months and focus on making some money. No social media, no forums, Reddit, Facebook or WhatsApp. No friend catch ups or nights out to see a band or dinner - nothing, just work. Never having removed myself almost completely from the Interweb and the few friends I have, I'm interested to see what life looks like without those things.

I'll probably get to a few of the books I've been wanting to read. See you on the other side.

Good on you.see you on the other side - unless you love it so much we never hear from you again.

Enjoy