Today is our last day in Cambodia, and honestly, it felt like the country was trying to give us the complete “Cambodian summer” send-off. By 8 a.m., Phnom Penh was already simmering—the heat where you walk outside and immediately question all your life decisions. But we were determined! Our plan was to finally visit the Royal Palace, something we’d been putting off, thinking, “We’ll have plenty of time.” Rookie mistake.
We hopped in a tuk-tuk and cruised through the already-bustling morning streets, only to be dropped off in front of the palace gates and greeted with… nothing. The place was closed. Apparently, there was some official meeting or ceremony inside, and someone told us it wouldn’t open until 2 pm. Cue the collective groan – the weather app basically had a volcano emoji for this afternoon, so waiting around wasn’t an option.
We snapped a few photos from the outside, but honestly, the main thing on our minds was, “Where’s the nearest air conditioning?” Salvation came in the form of a 7-Eleven nearby, where we ducked in, grabbed a Thai iced tea (which tasted like heaven at first), and plotted Plan B.
The heat was relentless, so we embraced the great Filipino tradition of “malling” – i.e., hiding in a giant, air-conditioned shopping mall. We called a Grab and headed to AEON Plaza Phnom Penh, hoping to kill time and maybe do a little window shopping. Unfortunately, the Thai iced tea was a traitor, and Andi’s stomach started protesting before we even got there.
First impressions of the mall: it’s shiny, modern, and… expensive? Price tags were in US dollars, and the costs wouldn’t be out of place in Munich, Paris, or New York. Definitely not matching the average local salary. It was a little surreal, like a bubble of international luxury dropped in the middle of a city where, just outside, life looks quite different. Clearly, this place caters to expats, tourists, and the country’s upper crust.
Lizz managed to grab a quick (and surprisingly affordable) lunch at the food court, but Andi couldn’t even look at most of the food. Sometimes, the stomach says “nope.” We didn’t stick around long – back to the hotel we went, where the coolest room in Phnom Penh (in our totally unbiased opinion) awaited us.
We spent the afternoon in full recovery mode, letting the AC work its magic. Then, as if the day needed another twist, news arrived from Europe: Andi’s mom will be released from the hospital soon but readmitted next week and needs help. That means we’ll be flying to Europe next week – a sudden change of plans, but family comes first.
So our Cambodian adventure ends not with a bang, but with a whimper (and a lot of electrolytes). Not every travel day is Instagram-perfect, but these are the days that remind us: flexibility, humor, and air-conditioning are absolute essentials on the road.
Until next time, Cambodia – we’ll be back, hopefully in cooler weather and with stronger stomachs!
Tomorrow after lunch, we’re heading back to Vietnam. Saigon is our last stop before the trip wraps up. We’re super excited about what’s in store for us!
Stay tuned for updates.
Discover more from Lizz and I
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.