Diary Entry: On Our Last Leg

by Maxine Lim Jen Ai


I was planning how to write this diary entry for the whole day. I was pondering what I could mention about today that would be riveting, considering it is the Last Leg of our trip . If yesterday was a crazy whirlwind of visiting Angkor Wat and the circuit of magnificent temples, then today could be best described as the Day of Rest where we basically nursed our aching bodies and completed the rest of our shopping circuit.

Old Market - good for your souvenirs!

In the morning, we had ventured together to the Old Market, the veritable *gem* of a place to shop but soon split ways to hunt down our own souvenirs. I was in shopping paradise! Naturally before this we had discussed bargaining tactics, the novice hagglers learning the tricks of haggling from the experts.

As such, I found myself employing every 'dirty tactic' in haggling for the best price. The most important tip is to always say something in local Khmer, like t'lai (cheaper) or ni sahs (university student) and smile liberally all the time. This generally gets you on the good side of the stall owners, which most often than not, leads to cheaper prices or at least, no hard feelings on both ends.

Cambodian wares!

At the end of the haggling and purchasing session, we gathered together to peek at our purchases, which were varied from lovely cotton dresses, turtle-shaped compasses, Khmer silk scarves to silver rings. We managed to lug all of it back in time for our last practice for our Rasa Sayang performance tonight at two in the afternoon.

It was another 'free show' for Popular Guesthouse with one resident eagerly filming us on his camcoder and the waitresses from the restaurant upstairs lingering by the staircase to catch a glimpse of our 'dikir barat'. Today, we even attracted the attention from the staff of the motel across the street with our singing and clapping. I was one part embarrassed, yet proud that we were in the limelight. Monash students, go!

Right after that, some of us just chilled out in the guesthouse as the Siem Reap sun was back to greet us again with full force after a few days of cloudy weather. The rest of us were undeterred and left for Shopping Round 2.

As for me, after hearing about the wonders of Cambodian massage, felt a terrible curiosity to try it out. Previously, I had scoffed at Dr. Yeoh's suggestion that we all go yesterday after the Angkor Wat to Bakheng Hill trek. My muscles were still good to go, or so I thought. After waking up this morning, however, I realized that I had to bow to the Man with Experience. My right arm felt like it had been chewed on and spat out by the crocodiles in Tonle Sap lake.

Sometime in the evening, I ventured into the one next to the restaurant, Red Piano, after some recommendation from the Monash gang. It was an hour of pure bliss. If your idea of bliss is lying face down on a towel-covered pillow and having a petite lady beat your calves into submission with her feet, that is. Nevertheless, it was quite the experience and I half-dozed off, after getting used to my body being kneaded like dough.

I was all ready for the performance in Temple Bar at 9.30pm. Dinner was a mix of enjoying our last Khmer meal and nervous anticipation from all the restaurant patrons watching us as we performed later. After the last picture-taking session with the Apsara dancers, we were ready to troop up on stage, Dr. Michael Sullivan looking at us amused from the audience and everyone else cheering us on. It was a flawless performance and we had an amazing reception. With our Krama's tied over our heads, we joked that we looked like dikir barat 'Rambos'.

Posing with the Apsara dancers.

However, the best was yet to come. The last event was thanking and handing over the official group photographs to our trusty and well-loved student guides, Bunneth, Bona, Kosal, Borey and Sorn. We were well-acquainted with their individual personalities and were deeply touched to hear about their personal experiences with us and wishing us all well.

At the end of the well-wishing, a group of us dutifully trouped to the cyber café to check the Monash examination results, which went up earlier today. Right after getting the good news, a bunch of us went straight up to Temple Restaurant and Bar to celebrate being graduates while the rest of us went for Shopping Round 3, all in a day's work.

It is just 11pm now and the night is still young. A part of me is gunning to go back home. I miss Malaysia's chaotic yet organized traffic; I longed for our concrete jungle of air-conditioned shopping malls and yearned to encounter curt Malaysians who do not greet you on the streets of Kuala Lumpur with a smile. After a week away from home, sometimes you can miss the things you never realized you actually appreciated.

However, Siem Reap is a crazy place that will get under your skin and to your heart. Who knows when we will meet again?