Lekima Puts a Damper on Things

Serendipity Beach, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
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I had decided to upgrade my room to include hot water and a TV and the room was nicer in general, all for $8.  I ended up with a corner room with two sets of windows.  A little exhausted from my trip, I didn't make it out for a few hours, figuring I had 2 more days to enjoy the sunshine.  I headed out to check out the beach which was now dark, but outlined by the multitude of bars/restaurants.  I wandered down quite a bit before it became very obvious where the barang (Cambodian word for foreigner) places stopped and the local places started up.  I headed back and happened to see Ian (the guy I crossed the Cambodian border with and hung out with the night before) at one of the bars.  I stopped to chat and he told me how great the boat trip was, except for the soldiers with the AK-47s coming close to him as it turns out someone had smuggled monkeys aboard and were in a crate very close to where he was sitting.  He was staying at the Cool Banana that was on top of the hill where my place was.  I walked back with him as I wasn't sure how lit the streets were.  Turns out they were Ok, but not that great.  We parted ways I and I had dinner at my guesthouse.

Serendipity Beach, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
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The next day, ready for some beach time, I woke up to absolutely pouring rain.  This went on for the next two days.  I basically holed up in my room watching movies and Animal Planet.  I did venture out to check out the area, which really didn't have too much going on and to eat.  However, it did mean getting soaked.  In talking to Ian the day before, he said that he had asked some of the locals about Chris' bar (the guy from the first night in Cambodia) and no one had heard about it.  I also wandered around the area where he said it was located and couldn't find it.  Somehow I think he had made the whole thing up.

I found out that Typhoon Lekima coming from the Philippines was the culprit for all the rain.  I started checking out all of SE Asia to see where a  dry place might be and it didn't look good.  Ugh.  Plus, with time to kill I determined that I wouldn't be able to fill a whole month in Cambodia, the time needed before meeting up with some old co-workers.  I had to come up with a new plan.  I decided at least to go to Kampot as it looked like there might be at least one OK day.  Plus, according to LP, it was a 4 hour trip to Phnom Penh from Sihanoukville versus a 2 hour trip to Kampot then a 2 hour trip to Phnom Penh so I didn't really have too much to lose.

My last night I fell asleep around midnight, only to be woken up around 1:30am by a knock at my door.  I sat up and listened but didn't hear anything else.  I dozed off again only to be woken again, this time by a rap at the window right above my bed.  Now this was beginning to creep me out.  I knew I was the only one at least on my floor and possibly in the whole guesthouse.  I didn't dare look out or open the door.  Instead I stayed awake only to hear one more knock (but thankfully no attempt at opening the door) and one more rap during the next two hours.  It was now 4:00am so I decided to turn on the TV hoping that the noise would deter any further knockings or rappings.  I guess it did the trick and finally at 6am when it became light outside, I finally fell asleep for a few hours, having to get up around 8am to figure out when I was going to leave for Kampot.

When I told one of the workers what had happened, he said maybe it was the security guy thinking that no one was in the guesthouse.  I hope that was all it was.