I don't wanna finish writing this post because this is gonna be my last post of the trip. It's funny, but finishing writing about my trip feels like I'm actually about to finish the trip in real life however it's already over. I woke up at 8:30 and went downstairs around 8:50 to eat breakfast. Neg was already there and asked me where I wanted to go. We had been already finished visiting main ruins in past days so I didn't know where to go. Of course there were some places that I hadn't been, but I knew it was impossible going everywhere during just a few days. I didn't feel like going anywhere for sightseeing but wanted to go to take a look of a supermarket and Psar Char. But I knew that I had too enough time. Then, he asked me if I wanted to go to a lake that GH doesn't charge and I said yes. I told him to wait until I finish packing my luggage and after 30 or 40 minutes, we left the GH. The lake was a normal place like local people come to spend time on weekends. Since it was on a weekday, there were no people but children were playing around in the lake. I thought it was a little bit dirty to call a resort as our sense, but maybe it is their "resort". I've just gotten used to living in a country that is so clean and rich... There were a lot of hammocks under the tent and looked comfortable to take a nap. However, I didn't lay down there. I just walked around and took some pictures. I felt like I saw a part of normal people's life at that place.
After a while, I told Neg to take me to a supermarket. I like browsing things in supermarkets whenever I go to another country because I can see some local stuffs that I can hardly see in Japan. But the supermarket in Siem Reap was different. It was obviously a place for foreign people living there. I didn't feel local people buy things at the supermarket. Goods were displayed very tidily and most of things were from other countries. There were few products from Cambodia, and however you find them, the prices were higher than general prices at street stalls (of course local people price). I got there some souvenirs for friends, and also got some ice cream that also looks expensive for local people.
After supermarket, we went to Psar Char. I wanted to buy some souvenirs there as well. When I was browsing, I saw some pretty boxes made of silver. I thought big ones were too big, but wanted to get a good small sized one. When I asked its price, the girl said 18$ for one, but told me if I buy two, she would give me a better price that was 32$. Of course I knew that it was too much. So, I started bargaining. And finally, I succeed to get those two boxes with 10$. I thought that it might not be fair still, but it already looked very reasonable price for me. But when we left the store, Neg gave me a compliment. He told me I was great because he saw most people got them with around 15$. Well done, myself ;) I felt even happier.
We dropped at a restaurant to have lunch on the way to GH. It was my last meal in Cambodia. When I sat on a seat, I asked Neg what he recommends and he asked the waiter what she recommends. After a while, we got some dishes and shared them. He told me that the soup that we got was what he wanted to eat foreigners when they visit Cambodia. When we got back to the GH, I started my final luggage packing; packing souvenirs. I didn't feel sad or lonely leaving there at that time, but also not excited about coming back to Japan. My feeling was just neutral.
When I came downstairs with my suitcase, Neg was waiting for me. I paid money to the GH staff. When he was giving me a breakdown of the price, I realized that they didn't charge me anything extra. I thought I had to pay for the ride when Neg took me to the restaurant that Yuta showed...but I didn't see it anywhere. I didn't pay him at that time when we came back to the GH, but I saw a guy paying him few dollars when they came back to the GH the other day. I thought it was Neg's pleasure. Maybe he did something extra for me because I was alone. I knew that he didn't have to take me to the lake and also didn't have to come with me when I went shopping. I also knew that he sometimes paid for leaving his motorcycle to come with me. I think his small pleasures like them made my time in Cambodia much enjoyable. I didn't have to worry about anything because I was with a "local person" anytime.
When I finished everything, Neg and me headed to the airport like when I came here for the first time; me sitting behind him holding his shoulders over my suitcase without wearing a helmet. When we got to the airport I said thank you to him, and walked toward the entrance. I waved my hand, and he did it as well. I saw him over the window from inside of the building, so I waved my hand again. It was nice coming to Cambodia. I met something I can't meet in Japan, and also met people I couldn't meet if I was not alone. I experienced great things though the trip :)
It's funny but I started missing Cambodia after a while since I came back to Japan. I miss the dusty city. I miss the weather. I miss the people smiling at me. I felt that I wanted to walk outside under the strong sunshine more than staying at the hospital when I was working. I don't know when, but want to visit the contry again someday in the future. Next time, I want to experience something that I couldn't do this time, and hope that I would meet people I met during my trip again. Now, my stories about the trip to Singapore and Cambodia is over. I thank my Singaporean friend and his family for taking good care of me, and thank people I met in Cambodia. I also thank you for reading my long long stories :) Thank you.
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Web album: A Trip to Singapore And Cambodia
