I travel a lot, and honestly, most of the time I think I am pretty well behaved.
I explore the cities and towns. I interact with locals. I try the street food. I try to do my best to be a respectful and mature traveller…
…but sometimes it just doesn’t turn out that way!
I arrived into Cambodia with the expectation that I would explore all that Siem Reap had to offer, and that I would explore the temples of Angkor Wat as in depth as I possibly could.
This is not what eventuated.
I spent one day exploring Angkor Wat, one day exploring Siem Reap and four days doing, well, actually, let’s get to that a little later!
Let’s start with that one day exploring Siem Reap.
Firstly, I met up with another couple of solo female travellers (girl power!) and we decided to head out to visit one of the nearby floating villages.
Visiting this village was by no means cheap, we each paid at least $20 USD to spend a couple of hours on a boat (ridiculously exxy for a country where you can get a pint for 50 cents) but despite the price tag, it was definitely an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.
Unlike many other ‘floating villages’ that I have visited, this one seemed decidedly less touristy. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there was still plenty of visible tourism; but there were also many locals just living their lives on this lake, seeming completely oblivious to how foreign this way of living is to other people.
After we had left the village and gotten back onto dry land, we jumped in a tuk tuk and began to make our way back towards the hustle and bustle of Siem Reap.
Along the way, I noticed a huge field of lotus flowers and insisted that we stop so that I could take some pictures of them – and I am so glad that I did!
This field (pond?) of beautiful lotus flowers was such a vibrant and mesmerising shade of green that it instantly brought an enormous cheshire grin to my face!
…and that is the last wholesome thing you will read in this post!
Now, let us get to what I spent four entire days doing – drinking about three times my body weight in beer and buckets!
My plans to explore Siem Reap as much as I could were thwarted by an overwhelming urge to put the traveller to bed (at least for a few days) and let my (usually dormant) party goblin run free!
I had made a bunch of awesome new mates at my hostel, and for whatever reason, spending my nights drinking beers, downing buckets, dancing in shitty bars and making poor life choices was exactly what I felt like doing.
I am not usually much of a partier, but the mood had struck and I couldn’t ignore my desire to just let loose for a while.
Sometimes it feels like ‘professional travellers’ can look down on some of the seedier aspects of backpacking life – deeming nights spent drinking and days spent recovering a waste of precious travel time – but I don’t see it that way.
Sure, maybe I didn’t see all that I had planned to see in Cambodia, but instead, I have extremely fond memories of some ridiculous nights out and some perfectly chilled out days spent nursing hangovers whilst preparing to do it all over again.
At the time, it felt like exactly what I wanted and almost like it was what the traveller in me actually needed.
I spent my days in Siem Reap giving my liver a workout and a half…
…and I loved every freaking minute of it.
As always, thanks for reading and happy solo travelling! xx
THE LOWDOWN
Getting to Siem Reap: Siem Reap is well connected by bus, as well as domestic and international flights
The Siem Reap Hostel: Quite possibly one of the best hostels in SEA, dorm beds start at $8/night
Pub Street: The ultimate paradise for backpackers looking for a party
Camera: Images captured with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 in conjunction with M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2/8 lens
Remember: Don’t think you need to travel in a certain way for it to be ‘proper travelling’ – chilling out and letting loose can definitely be a part of your travel experience!
Know exactly what you mean, Adelaide chick. Sometimes you just got let goooooo:)
Absolutely! Letting loose can be exactly what you need 🙂
Enjoy it when you can 🙂
This is true. You have to make the most of the opportunities when they present themselves 🙂
Reminds me of the time I got smashed on Khaosan Road on Halloween a few years back. I’m not a party animals in the slightest, but I was WASTED that night. I ended up eating a whole scorpian that I later found out my friends bought for us to share–but nope, it was presented to me and I took it upon myself to gobble it up on my own. Oh yeah, and I’m vegetarian. Most of the time 😉 It was certainly a night to remember.
I agree, sometimes we just have to let lose a little. Glad you were able to have a memorable few nights with new friends.
Haha that is a great story! I bet you look back on that night quite fondly?
Love the lotus photos – incredible!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Oh Ellen, I would say that we’re not mad…just disappointed…but then I remember that the English Cricket team in Australia right now are portraying all us British as hillbilly fighting drunks so you tearing up Cambodia sort of evens us all out a bit!
Hahahaha good timing I think!
Haha.
Reminds me of my journey to Bangkok and Vientiane a few years back. Well, sometimes you just have to let loose. 🙂
Definitely! Do you recommend Vientiane?
Sometimes you just have to forget the blogging business and let your hair down. 😁. Xx
Totally agree!
I love this post! I’ve definitely had travel moments like this, and nights out are some of my best memories! I think the bonding we have with other people from around the world can be pretty incredible. With balance of course 🙂
Absolutely! Big nights out can definitely help cement amazing travel friendships.
we all need some down time and although others would envy your travels i have no doubt sometimes it all seems like a lot of work being a “professional traveller”
keep well Ellen – Vick xxx
It certainly can be work sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything… provided I get a night off every once in a while 🙂 Take care of yourself Vicki xx
All this travelling and you still haven’t found your (drink) limit? 😄
Oh man I wish it were that simple! Some days I can drink and drink and drink and never get to my limit… other days all it takes is two glasses of wine and I’m in bed! I think my liver sometimes phones it in to be honest
I really love Cambodia. If you can get to Battambang, the de facto arts and cultural center, you’ll see the country in a totally different way!
I will definitely keep that in mind for when I return to Cambodia!
Hahaha love this. No shame in the partying game! Some of the best memories I have from the Czech Republic were of getting hammered in bars with other expats 🙂
Oh yeah that I can definitely believe! I partied pretty hard in Prague too! 🙂
Haha no shame at all in this! Whilst in Split, Croatia, I was so excited to see the Roman ruins of Diocletian’s palace in depth. . . but I spent the entire time at the bar or the beach!
Ha! Was it still an amazing time?
Yes, just not in the way I had anticipated! (the hangovers weren’t so amazing though!)
I bet they weren’t! Totally worth all the fun though 🙂