Fifteen15

What's the yellow drinking water they serve at restaurants for free in Cambodia? I'm in Vietnam now and they serve it here too. It tastes like slightly flavoured water. I'm not sure as a tourist whether I should be drinking it but I've not gotten ill yet *touches wood*

I've been to all three places. Phnom Penh I loved because it wasn't that touristy. Siem Reap was good, but Sihanoukville seems to have just beaches and looks to be more touristy than Siem Reap.

Are there any other cities in Cambodia that I can visit for a few days before I move on to Vietnam?

I've blocked and deleted them now. I didn't feel comfortable leaving them in my friends list without knowing truly who they were. Turns out one of them was gay and despite telling him on numerous occasions I am straight, he still wanted me to "give it a go" lol. Very strange.

I've been in Phnom Penh for almost 2 weeks. I love it here but I've well and truly ran out of things to do so I've reluctantly bought a bus ticket for Siem Reap that will leave tomorrow morning.

Yesterday I was sitting on a bench outside Sorya Shopping Centre at about 9:30pm just after closing time. There were still a lot of people about including security so a pretty safe place. Two guys approached me asking where I'm from. Didn't think anything of it, I get that a lot here and the guys didn't seem dodgy at all. We started chatting, just small talk, then they asked to add me on Facebook. I had no problem with that, I thought they were just curious. But THEN one of them says, "I have a car, you want to go somewhere?" My guard was up already, it was almost 10pm and these were two strangers, but this freaked me out a little bit. I'd met them not 2 minutes ago and they're already asking to "go somewhere". I said no its late and I'm tired but he kept asking. I found an excuse to leave and got out of there sharpish. I was still debating whether they were completely innocent or not and if I took it the wrong way, but surely in any culture two guys approaching someone and asking him if he wants to "go somewhere" after 2 minutes of meeting him is a little weird.

I got back to the hostel and did some digging online and as I'm sure most of you are aware there's a scam called the "Filipino scam" or "Blackjack scam" where two strangers approach you, get friendly, take you out to eat, ask if you want to go back to their house and play cards which is of course is rigged so you can't win then you end up owing them a lot of money.

These guys and what happened matches the description of a lot of stories out there on this scam. One of them is apparently half Chinese half Cambodian although he looks very Filipino. It's hard to tell whether he is actually Filipino though. The second guy looked Cambodian. Both in their 40's, both dressed well with cars (middle class?). Apparently one works at the ministry of justice (ironic?) and the other a doctor at a pharmaceutical company.

Ive been talking to them on Facebook knowing who they are but not letting on. I'm just curious to find out more about these people. They keep asking if I want to go to lunch or any of the tourist attractions. They say they will pay and drive. Obviously there's no way I'm going to meet with them but I'm just playing along. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Siem Reap and I said I might go to Nagaworld Casino on the night but that I'm undecided yet. Of course this is a lie, I'll be in Siem Reap.

My question, these guys hang around Royal Palace and Riverside a lot. They mentioned these places a few times and there's pictures on their Facebook page. I was 'targetted' at Sorya Shopping Centre, another popular location for this scam to happen. I doubt it, but I have these guys Facebook and I'm guessing it's the same few people that go around all the tourist attractions with the same scam, so if I showed a picture in PM (I think it's unfair to plaster these guys faces over the Internet because I'm not 100% sure they're scammers), would you recognise them?

Edit: I asked a Filipino friend if he looked Filipino. Knowing nothing about who the guy was, she said he looks Vietnamese.

What are the differences between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap? I've absolutely fallen in love with Phnom Penh but it's got to the point where I've ran out of things to do and I find myself at the casino every night.

If you've been to both cities, which one did you prefer and why?

Bump. Any help on this? Would like to get it done today if I can. Thanks

I got a bit carried away at Sorya Shopping Centre and now I'm struggling to fit all the clothes I bought into my small 40L backpack. I have a pair of trousers and a hoody which are taking too much room that I need to send back to the UK.

Is it just a case of buying some brown wrapping paper from the supermarket, taping it all up, writing the home address and take it to the post office?

And where is the nearest post office to Sorya Shopping Centre?

Thank you very much

Although it's not going to be for a few months and I'll probably change my mind before then, I'm gonna settle with a 5* costing about $100 but stay for 2 nights rather than somewhere asking for $500 a night. VIE Bangkok Hotel is high on the list. Only $115 a night and really good reviews on TripAdvisor.

I like Bangrak and enjoy the Oriental, everytime. It is consistent and if you know how to carry yourself as good as it gets. Not necessarily life changing but can improve one's focus. Enjoy your life. Bon Voyage.

What do you mean "if you know how to carry yourself as good as it gets" and "can improve one's focus"? Very interesting post even if I don't understand it

Edit: Double post

I'm slumming it in cheap $6 hostels and will be for the next 5 months or so. I do however want to stay at the best 5 star hotel in Thailand for one night just for the experience. I've always wanted to stay at Raffles Hotel in Singapore ever since I walked past there when I was 9 and my mum telling me all the celebrities hang out there. Unfortunately it's $600 US a night which I can't really justify. Im hoping Thailand, or even cheap neighbouring countries i.e. Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have cheaper 5 star hotels.

The guesthouse I'm staying in is right next to Sorya Shopping Centre in Phnom Penh. Down that road there's a restaurant called SN Restaurant and Music. It's all lit up but you can't see inside. I walked in thinking it was just a normal restaurant and in the lobby there were more than 20 women all dressed up sitting on the sofas. I thought, this is Thailand all over again and did a u-turn and walked back out.

Question - because I'm too scared to find out myself. Is this a legit restaurant? No funny business? Cuz there were a hell of a lot of bikes outside so it seems popular.

I understand it's good etiquette to put food in your mouth with your right hand instead of your left which is considered your 'toilet' hand. Today I was eating with chopsticks in my right hand and using a spoon to put food in my mouth with my left. Is this considered rude? I can't use chopsticks with my left hand because I'm right handed. Am I thinking too much into this?

I've been in Cambodia for 3 days now. I sat down at a restaurant in Phnom Penh and a child beggar came and stood next to me and kept saying repeatedly "sir, sir, sir". It was a bit of a shock to me, coming from the UK I've never seen a child beggar before. As bad as I felt, I said, "no" and shook my head, then ignored him. After 10 minutes he left.

I understand his parents probably put him up to this and I don't want to encourage his parents to keep sending him out so I didn't, and would never give to a child beggar. On the other hand, elderly and disabled beggars have no support system unlike more developed countries, so am I right in thinking it's OK to give to them?

It seems a lot of shops don't even like accepting $10 notes, they often ask if I have anything smaller. Where can I go to change the $50 notes into smaller change? Or can I just go into a supermarket, buy something small and say I don't have anything smaller then they would have to give me change?

Just an update, today was my first day in Phnom Penh city. I've fallen in love with the place. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I accidentally ended up in a coffee shop I thought was a restaurant. I ended up ordering the nicest coffee I've ever tried, and then my first ever iced coffee which was also impressive.

I then went to the Sorya shopping centre where I think I got a bit carried away. In England, personally, I really don't like the way fashion is going so for me it's quite hard to find stuff I like there. I can spend a whole day shopping and come away empty handed. Here, although it's only cheap Chinese stuff, it's really really cheap so even treating the clothes as semi disposable it still works out pretty well. I bought some jeans, a shirt, a belt, and a hoody. I now look - although not entirely on purpose - very Asian (I have 50% Singapore blood anyway) rather than a shorts and t-shirt tourist, ofc not that there's anything wrong with that.

I took a motorbike taxi from the airport to town today for 4 USD. He said 5, I said 4, he said OK.

Slightly OT, but these free sim cards, do they offer 3G (roaming internet)? And if so, what's the catch? I don't want to make calls, it would just be nice to have access to the Internet for looking at maps and doing quick online searches.

You won't have any problems at all. In Asia, it's generally respectful to wear long pants. But as a tourist, you're pretty much allowed to do what you want.

If attending an important ceremony, then long pants would be recommended. But for just cruising around, shorts are just fine.

Let's move this over to our brand new Cambodia sub forum.

Topic Moved.

Ah sorry, didn't know there was a Cambodia sub forum.

Think I'm going to buy some jeans anyway just to try and 'fit in' a bit more. I guess I'll be needing them for the temples anyway.

What's the deal with buying clothes from the local stalls? Am I right in thinking I can try a pair of jeans on just like I would back at home? I'm guessing there are no changing rooms though.

I arrived in Cambodia yesterday. After reading the numerous "do's and don'ts in Cambodia" websites, I'm surprised to read that in such a hot country, shorts are generally not worn by the locals.

Is it 'wrong' as a tourist to wear shorts? Baring in mind I would like to spend a lot of my time off the beaten track - away from the touristy areas. Would it be a good idea to buy a pair of jeans and wear them most of the time?