I'll Skip Lunch

The next morning, we took the first coach South to Phnom Penh. The ride took 6 hours and at £2.50 each, it was a steal. We had to endure the god awful television shows that the Cambodians seemed to be loving; a stand-up variety show which consisted of a man and woman shouting at and interrupting each other - a joke that dragged on for half of the journey.

This sign made me laugh though:

Hmm. Faster!

We stopped at seemingly a shack in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't a town, but there were some women, and their children, waiting by their kiosks for passengers to buy goods. I figure these stops have been created by the bus companies to make a bit of profit. Nothing particularly appetising, so a quick gander round and I was on my way.

Another stop, only about an hour from Phnom Penh, but I stretched my legs. I walked past a group of woman sitting behind baskets of some food or another piled high in front of them. And then I was asked the worst thing I've ever heard in my life:

"Sir, Spider?"

What!???????! The black objects in piles were fried tarantulas, a 'delicacy'. Apparently the legs are crunchy and the abdomen is juicy from the web-making parts, faeces, the babies, and poison. But, at 6 for 50p, what a bargain!

Suffice to say, I was on the bus quicker than you can say 'I'm not a Cambodian, get me out of here'. Eyes (and ears) were firmly wide shut as other passengers meandered past me, carrying bags and crunching down.

I figure they must be cultivating the tarantulas to have so many. In that logic, a few must be on the loose. It makes me feel sick just thinking about it. Crawl on over to this site if you really want to see some pictures and read a verdict. This picture was taken from the saftey of the coach. Praise the zoom.


We arrived at Phnom Penh around lunchtime, and greeted isn't exactly the correct word. Tuk-tuk drivers pushed and pulled. Us, not each other. They were rude, ready to lie to make some money (much like the Bangkok style "That temple's closed today, come to this temple aka the jewellery shop"). It wasn't easy trying to decide what to do with that many people in your face. And with Phnom Penh being the capital, it was dustier, hotter and noisier.

I already missed the charms of Siem Reap.