Phnom Penh 2019

Listening to the inflight announcements onboard Cambodia Angkor Air, I realise two things: I’ve been saying Phnom Penh wrong, and Khmer when spoken sounds a bit like… the music from a xylophone?

***

It’s a long drive, the heat rises up from the dusty traffic-crammed streets and the relief of ducking into the fern-shaded oasis of The Kabiki, set off a private gated road, is just as intense. I don’t even mind having to walk the last few metres from the corner because outside vehicles aren’t allowed in – the hotel is close to one of the Prime Minister’s residences.

Another weekend, another Indochina adventure, only this isn’t an adventure as much as an escape to the solitude of the Jungloo. A bioclimatic, low-impact ‘jungle igloo’, it’s been constructed out of locally sourced materials and comes with its own pool and garden, separated from the rest of the hotel by a bamboo wall.

I beg off from drinks with new friends and spend the rest of the day paddling round and round in my little pool, trying to clear my head of work with some inner chatter. Look at that tree! Look at the sky! Feel the water! Stop thinking! 

It isn’t the best of days, truth be told; I’m tired and unbalanced and feel like running on empty again, so I’ve come here to hide for a little while, and I am self-aware enough to recognise the privilege inherent in that action but am in no mood to examine it.

Can’t complain, really

I do sleep soundly once I’ve drawn all the drapes around the four-poster, lulled into pleasant millennial-pink and powder-blue dreams by Daylight. (Once again, Taylor releases an album that could be the current soundtrack of my life – this is my Lover era, and maybe Danang is a strange city to associate Cornelia Street with, but I can’t help it.)*

Breakfast comes to my doorstep, a civilised tray of pancakes and poached eggs and passionfruit juice and Earl Grey, accompanied by a friendly calico cat.

I spend the entire morning in the Jungloo – absolutely no exploring, no rush to venture out – until it is time to head to Malis for ‘living Cambodian cuisine’.

The Sunday-lunch crowd is a mix of tourists and local families in full regalia. I’ve come in costume, too: big hat, long dress. 

Living Cambodian cuisine takes the shape of homemade takeo sausages that taste of lemongrass; a finely balanced fish and mango salad; wonderfully smoky chicken curry (so different from the one in Luang Prabang!); and jasmine, coconut and soursop ice cream.

Beautiful.

Next stop is the crowded Royal Palace; it is the weekend, after all, and the entire city seems to be intent on taking selfies everywhere, which distracts from a solemn appreciation when you’re just trying to shuffle respectfully inside the pagodas, and the mercurial weather does not help one bit, but I try my best to get in a good architectural snap or two, and the tuktuk driver takes an excellent photo of me, so all content requirements have been satisfied.

Back home I hang out by the common glassy green pool with some Mekong dry gin and Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Dinner is a delicious fish amok under the lantern-hung trees, with my calico friend nearby.

After one last breakfast tray on the tranquil  Jungloo deck the next morning I head to what they call the Russian market. Just my luck to run into a proper tuktuk driver and city guide on the street corner! His name is Mr. Cows, and he helpfully points out all the landmarks we pass, keeping up a running political commentary that may not entirely be tourism-board approved, but makes the city so much more interesting.

There are no Russians at the Russian market, but there is plenty of Cambodian silk, including a royal-blue-and-gold tasseled throw that will suit my living room quite nicely, and a vivid violet scarf for my mum.

Mr. Cows also makes sure I get my mandatory stop at the post office before taking me back to The Kabiki, and a little over an hour later I arrive at the airport with enough time to enjoy a beef lok lak panini and a hot caramel macchiato – gosh have I missed those – in the Starbucks right by my gate.

This hasn’t been the standard two-night Phnom Penh itinerary, but it has been a breather, and that’s all it needed to be. 🇰🇭

*August 2021 update: Feeling very much the same about this song and this city.