Dilemma

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

So I’m in Kuala Lumpur and wondering where to go next. When I started this trip, I had no clear agenda beyond that I was going to visit four neighbouring countries and experience a slice of local life. I was making it up as I went along.

It’s one thing to read about these places and see pictures. It’s another to walk the roads of a strange new city, fending for oneself, experiencing first hand the sights, sounds and grime.

Bangkok was a metropolis, and full of character at that. In Bangkok I found a theme that could carry me through the trip: visit all the metropolises in the region and experience the subtle differences to their characters. On the surface, all big cities are the same: they have wide roads and flyovers and mass transport and rush hours and traffic jams, and are different only for the topography they were built on.

Yet, deeper, each city has unique character. It’s fascinating. In Bangkok, for example, English is a distant second language, used only because it makes for contact with the farangs. It’s otherwise unwanted. Leave the city and even road signs no longer use it. Contrarily, In Kuala Lumpur practically everyone speaks it, in an accent perfectly intelligible to my South Indian upbringing. English is native here.

It makes sense therefore, to round off the trip with another metropolis, using Singapore to counter observations from Bangkok and KL. Cambodia was to be just a side show, visited because its monuments are world famous and it’s so close from Bangkok.

I didn’t expect Cambodia to be a love affair.

I didn’t expect to be so moved by the warmth of the Cambodian people. I didn’t expect to cry learning about their recent history. Now I’m torn between going ahead with visiting Singapore versus returning to Cambodia. There isn’t enough time for both.

Singapore makes rational sense. It’ll round off the study and it’s cheaper. I have friends there for accommodation and a plane ticket out of the place. Changing that ticket at short notice is going to cause a big dent in my budget. To get to Cambodia from Malaysia, I’ll have to fly; another significant expense. It doesn’t help at all that Cambodia runs on USD. (“Hey mister, you wanna buy a cold drink? Only one dollar.” Only, my foot.) And I’ll have to pay for accommodation again. I had no budget for accommodation for the second half of the trip.

I’m staying at Sham’s place here in KL. Sham had to make an unplanned trip to New Zealand and will not be back while I’m here, but was kind enough to put me up with his family. Yes, it’s a bit awkward landing up on unfamiliar people.

For either Singapore or Cambodia, I have to apply for a visa. Each will take at least three days. With one and a half weeks left, it can only be one of the two.

Either I postpone the love affair for another time, or I go for it, and return to Bangalore looking for income rather more desperately.

What should I pick?

madhav — Dec 13, 2005 1:10:32 PM — # ↩

Sounds like you are having a great time. Go for it, I'd say.
suku — Dec 13, 2005 1:24:45 PM — # ↩

Cambodia! Don't break the affair.
joshmachine — Dec 13, 2005 2:08:56 PM — # ↩

cambodia..cambodia..
raghav — Dec 13, 2005 2:11:28 PM — # ↩

Cambodia, would be my pick. Enchanting green forests, old abandoned temples, mighty rivers, a land emerging from years of suffering from war, very intriguing.
Anonymous — Dec 13, 2005 2:20:59 PM — # ↩

I'd see more places- so Singapore would be the way to go. And by experience, no place feels like the first time on the second visit. Also, you wouldn't want to return broke, right?

-Chetan
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 13, 2005 3:36:14 PM — # ↩
  
  I was planning a different part of Cambodia, Phnom Penh.
latelyontime — Dec 13, 2005 2:46:45 PM — # ↩

Sounds like some experience. Cambodia is more of less a closed book for me. I would love to hear more...reading history is never as much fun as listening to history.

I would recommend going to Singapore. Treat this trip as a scouting expedition to check out different places and then make a separate long trip to Cambodia sometime later. It is always fun to go back to a place after some time has trickled away.

As for coming back to Bangalore. You know my opinion on that :)
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 13, 2005 3:43:01 PM — # ↩
  
  I will give you a DVD of The Killing Fields. It'll tell you a lot.
  
  What you say makes sense. See more places, go back later.
  - latelyontime — Dec 13, 2005 5:10:00 PM — # ↩
    
    What you say makes sense.
    But naturally...hee hee...
sajith — Dec 13, 2005 2:57:20 PM — # ↩

You don't know what awaits you in Singapore. That makes it attractive, IMO.

But do a Steve McCurry if you are going to Cambodia again.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 13, 2005 3:42:07 PM — # ↩
  
  I bought his book in Cambodia. It'll be long, long years before I can hope to take pictures like that.
rohandsa — Dec 13, 2005 3:24:38 PM — # ↩

You "know" you want to go to Cambodia!
themadman — Dec 13, 2005 4:19:40 PM — # ↩

Singapore. You haven't seen any of it yet. :)
irq2 — Dec 13, 2005 4:46:29 PM — # ↩

I was making it up as I went along.

Sort of like our honeymoon (sorry about the state of the gallery -- it's still beta).
tibbot — Dec 13, 2005 7:58:39 PM — # ↩

Cambodia
Nice post. Jace
Anonymous — Dec 13, 2005 9:36:11 PM — # ↩

Laos?
Jace,

Not sure if you have considered Laos. Best way to go there is from Thailand. From KL you can hop on a Low cost airliner to Bangkok and then drive to Laos.

Vientiane is a beautiful city, though I am not sure if you have any energy left for road travel as it can be back breaking.

The "Friendship" bridge between Thailand and Laos is considered "weird" because half of the bridge you drive on the left and at mid point once you reach Laos you drive on the right! Laos gives on the spot visa to Indian nationals even at border posts, but Thai border guys may demand bribe.

Anyway it is great to see you enjoyed Cambodia. (I am the guy who made post earlier about Japanese/Korean bus hordes). I am a Mekong / French asia fanatic and have made multiple trips to that region. Next time may be you can plan around Vietnam/Laos - tons to see and can be done cheaply.

Later
Gaja
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 13, 2005 9:42:35 PM — # ↩
  
  Re: Laos?
  Thanks, Gaja. Laos is a good suggestion, and thaths has been harping on about it, but I'm a bit travel weary now. I think I'll keep Laos and a second time to Cambodia for a future trip and go with urban comforts for the remaining week and half.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 13, 2005 9:43:33 PM — # ↩
  
  Re: Laos?
  BTW, I didn't know about visas on arrival for Laos. Thought everything had to be applied for in advance and sent to Laos for approval.
  - thaths — Dec 13, 2005 11:08:57 PM — # ↩
    
    Re: Laos?
    You get a 15-day Laotian visa-on-arrival at the friendship bright at Nong Khai (quite close to Vientiane).
- thaths — Dec 13, 2005 11:08:06 PM — # ↩
  
  Re: Laos?
  Come to my arms, Gaja. I am a over of Laos as well. Such a beautiful country.
swamysk — Dec 13, 2005 10:31:31 PM — # ↩

No-brainer for me. Cambodia anyday. Singapore is, in your own words, "like any other city" and it actually doesn't have the depth of character other cities have. I haven't been to Cambodia but its a lifetime's yearning, I have been to Singapore a few times - no magic there, just more examples of capitalism.
- swamysk — Dec 14, 2005 3:35:10 AM — # ↩
  
  Actually, I didn't mean to sound harsh about Singapore. Its not a bad city but its just another *city* and unless you're into food or shopping, there ain't much more.
thaths — Dec 13, 2005 11:10:25 PM — # ↩

Cambodia. You are far more likely to make future visits to Singapore. Visits to cambodia are less likely.
ashwinne — Dec 14, 2005 1:41:32 PM — # ↩

Cambodia!
Singapore being the Frankfurt of Asia-Pacific, you can always visit it anytime you want.