Being in Phnom Penh has been an adjustment…some things catch you by surprise in a good way…other things in a “sticker shock” sort of way…and others in a “who’da thunk?” kind of way!
1) At the health club we belong to, you can go for a run, hit the pool for a workout or a tan, grab a smoothie, play some tennis AND let a bunch of little fish eat the dead skin off your feet:
Here they are just waiting for my foot…truth be told, it was a very daunting thought – I just had to stick my foot in. Took about 7 times before I finally left it in there and let them have their breakfast!
Oh GOD…this TICKLED!
They ate my feet smooth…between my toes…my heels…my cuticles…I have some soft feet!
You can also chase baby chickens around the parking lot.
2) You see bugs you thought didn’t really exist. I mean…I knew they did, but they are all bugs I saw pictures of as a child…living in Alaska…(where all we had were poo flies and mosquitoes)…it was sort of like a unicorn or mermaid…you read about them and see pictures, but they don’t really exist. Well, this guy was hanging out on our door this morning. Couldn’t help but think of “Bug’s Life” and the “walking stick…the only stick with eyes”!
3) Well here’s a BIG DEAL…WHAT the hell? Who is EVER going to be $74,000 for a FORD EXPLODER…er, I mean Explorer. Yes, those are USD…Yes, it is $74,000…and Yes, I guess it’s a “deal”. Automobiles have a 150% tax (I don’t know the entire statement of accuracy in that, so don’t quote me to a newspaper or something…Jim told me that was the tax)…So, I guess if we brought our $34,000 Routan over here, it would have been an $85,000 vehicle. I just had to laugh when I saw this at the ice cream shop today!
4) Here’s another new idea…that white square you see next to the box of gum…??? Papers…for when you are finished with your gum…eh, nifty…
5) Water…delivered to your home. $1 per jug. Yes, $1.per.jug. What do we pay at home for 8 ounces of bottled water…ummmm…yeah, $2.00 in a vending machine?
6) Here’s the biggest sticker shocker (in a good way) I’ve witnessed so far…I don’t have any pictures…but for 5 days straight, starting on a Thursday, Trevor & I were at the "hospital”. Only Thursday and Monday was he seen during regular business hours. His ENTIRE …yes, ENTIRE bill for all of these visits, after hours, emergency room treatment, CBC (complete blood count) Lab Work (with results in 10 minutes, not 3 days), fever reducing medicine, anti-biotics…EVERYTHING…was $400. FIVE DAYS of hospital visits. FIVE DAYS of anti-biotics. FIVE DAYS of lab work. FOUR.HUNDRED.DOLLARS.
7) Pharmacies. You can walk into the pharmacy and buy (without a prescription:
“Z-Pack”. Several hundred dollars at home without insurance…with good insurance, a $40 co-pay. Here - $4.90.
Singular for Zachary. $110 for a month supply without insurance…with good insurance, a $20 co-pay. Here - $4.00.
8) Mani/Pedi.
At home – about $30 for both.
Here - $4.
So…yes, I’m adjusting to life here Phnom Penh. I don’t need a $74,000 Ford Explorer…I do like fish eating my feet…I like getting mani/pedis for $4…I’m getting used to the different bugs (the landlord is supposed to be dealing with the termite issue tomorrow!)…and I’ve got my hubby and my boys. Thank you Cambodia!
Great post. Thank you for sharing and enlightening all of us to the "ways" of Cambodian living. I really hope you all are adjusting well given that you have left eveything you knew to move around the globe. If anyone could do it...YOU ARE THE ONE!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
That's a praying mantis. Keep those around. They're great bug killers and are supposed to bring you luck. Donny had one for a few months when he was 10. Her name was Lucy. Kinda friendly too. Love these posts. Can't wait to try the feet fish.
ReplyDeleteI just can't get past the bugs and the fish eating dead skin. Ok, maybe I could get past the fish, but the bugs. Good thing you have boys.
ReplyDelete