Kampuchea: "okay, time to go Angelina hunting!"
A tour guide in Kratie was showing us around hotel rooms and asked Natalie to repeat her name several times. Finally he exclaimed "Ah! NEZREEN! Such a beautiful name!" We had a little laugh about this; it happens sometimes and surely we mispronounce unfamiliar Cambodian names wrong 99% of the time too. Later Natalie went to reception for one reason or another, and she had the following exchange with said tour guide:
GUIDE: Hey! I remember you!
NATALIE: Hi.
GUIDE: Lettuce, right?!
NATALIE: Huh?
GUIDE: Your name is Lettuce!
NATALIE: Natalie.
GUIDE: Lettuce?
NATALIE: Natalie.
GUIDE: Right! Lettuce! How are you??
We have been in Siem Reap nearly a week now, taking advantage of all there is to see at the indescribable Temples of Angkor. Since I've just said indescribably I won't begin to try- others far more skilled than myself have tried and failed. Suffice it to say that if you haven't been, you should go NOW, and if you have you should go again because they're building wooden steps and stuff everywhere and there is talk of electric cars. Picture Disney Angkor.
We managed to visit every temple I desperately wanted to see and quite a few that I desperately wanted to see but just didn't know it. I am happy to say that for once Lonely Planet did not steer us wrong: advising one to see the temples from the inside of a tuk-tuk, the back of a moto, and the seat of a bicycle. The last had us a bit concerned as the nine hour day saw us pedaling some 60 kilometers in addition to the walking/climbing/clambering involved in every good temple visit, but the day took mercy on us and dawned remarkably cool and breezy.
Perched high on the ledge of the gate to Angkor at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m., we found ourselves seated next to some Americans. Usually these stories end badly (just ask me about the woman getting fitted for the lime-green-and-fuchsia-striped pantsuit in Hoi An), but this family was rather pleasant- all except for the son, who kept exclaiming at odd moments during the sunrise "We goin' Angelina huntin'!" I mean, I was as excited as anyone to see the tree at Ta Prohm that was in that scene in Tomb Raider, but come on.
Also, she's not even in Cambodia right now. If she were, I would know.
Natalie has just informed me that Shauna will likely be joining us in our travels as early as February! It will be wonderful to see her again, and wonderful to be traveling with friends again so soon.
GUIDE: Hey! I remember you!
NATALIE: Hi.
GUIDE: Lettuce, right?!
NATALIE: Huh?
GUIDE: Your name is Lettuce!
NATALIE: Natalie.
GUIDE: Lettuce?
NATALIE: Natalie.
GUIDE: Right! Lettuce! How are you??
We have been in Siem Reap nearly a week now, taking advantage of all there is to see at the indescribable Temples of Angkor. Since I've just said indescribably I won't begin to try- others far more skilled than myself have tried and failed. Suffice it to say that if you haven't been, you should go NOW, and if you have you should go again because they're building wooden steps and stuff everywhere and there is talk of electric cars. Picture Disney Angkor.
We managed to visit every temple I desperately wanted to see and quite a few that I desperately wanted to see but just didn't know it. I am happy to say that for once Lonely Planet did not steer us wrong: advising one to see the temples from the inside of a tuk-tuk, the back of a moto, and the seat of a bicycle. The last had us a bit concerned as the nine hour day saw us pedaling some 60 kilometers in addition to the walking/climbing/clambering involved in every good temple visit, but the day took mercy on us and dawned remarkably cool and breezy.
Perched high on the ledge of the gate to Angkor at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m., we found ourselves seated next to some Americans. Usually these stories end badly (just ask me about the woman getting fitted for the lime-green-and-fuchsia-striped pantsuit in Hoi An), but this family was rather pleasant- all except for the son, who kept exclaiming at odd moments during the sunrise "We goin' Angelina huntin'!" I mean, I was as excited as anyone to see the tree at Ta Prohm that was in that scene in Tomb Raider, but come on.
Also, she's not even in Cambodia right now. If she were, I would know.
Natalie has just informed me that Shauna will likely be joining us in our travels as early as February! It will be wonderful to see her again, and wonderful to be traveling with friends again so soon.