Phnom Penh to Battambang is a short or a long trip depending on which bus you take. Five hours with a coach bus, or 7-8 hours if you take a local bus, which I did (cost: $10). The local bus stops every other hour to drop and pick up people. While it is slightly longer, the trip is more entertaining; during the journey I’ve met Buddhist monks, listen to Cambodia sopra, watch an old Chinese movie with Jackie Chan in his twenties, and even got offered food by the locals.

People are just excited to have someone different and I enjoyed talking with them, and understanding better how they see their country, life, but also what their dreams, hopes, expectations are.

I arrived late in the night with an empty stomach. I ask my tuk tuk driver to bring me somewhere local with music and food. Of course since I was traveling alone the driver genuinely ask me if I was looking for “boom boom” read “looking for sex.” I told him I’m just looking for something chill with music and food, and possibly locals people.

He brought me to Asean, a restaurant/live band. The place is pretty cool and is packed with mostly Cambodians. I sat there, just listening to Cambodian music, enjoying my beer and appetizers.

After an hour or so, I left the restaurant and went straight to bed pretty excited about the trip the next morning.

I only stayed a night in Battambang; the only reason I came to this city is to do the famous trip Battambang – Siem Reap by boat, which evidently will be my next article.