Dengue, and Cambodia
20 to 28 November 2009
The doctor in Phnom Penh confirmed that I had Dengue Fever (I must have caught it from mosquitoes in Thailand, near the Burmese border). But despite it now being 9 days I’ve been sick (including fever, headache, rash, vomitting once), it’s a mild case. Dengue Fever is often called breakbone fever, and I never had the feeling my bones were breaking. Still, if I get it again, I have a bigger chance of getting Dengue Hemorrhage Fever, so I better be more careful. I was so happy when I had it confirmed though, so good knowing I was right (eventually), and glad it’s not malaria or typhoid fever!
I’d already started feeling better anyway, and seeing the next day was my last full day in Cambodia, I visited S-21 and the Killing Fields with Brent, a guy I met in my hostel.
The Khmer Rouge period of genocide (75-79) is very shocking, and it’s crazy that only now some of the leaders from then are on trial (like Duch, who was the leader of S-21, his trial is being televised in Cambodia).
In the evening we met up at the lakeside backpacker area for drinks with friends there, then later moved on to a night club called ‘The Heart of Darkness’. Good times. Then next day, after getting over the hangover, I felt all better. And that was good, as I was flying back to Bangkok, Thailand, in the evening.
Other random things I’ve done lately and not blogged about:
Went to a restaurant in Siem Reap that was called ‘Dead Fish Tower’ and had a pool with crocodiles and a girl doing a traditional Cambodian dance.
Kampot. Did a river ‘cruise’ in Kampot at sunset, but unfortunately didn’t get to trek up and around Bokor. Did have a nice dinner in Kampot, and slept a lot, ha. Saw a cow wandering in the middle of the city.
Met a nice swedish couple and a canadian guy who is living here, in my hostel, and went out for cambodian dessert at a street stall.
Had good but brief conversations with Brent about books and reading and consumerism, like Walden by Thoreau and read his notes. I still want to read it though.
Yep… remember that S-21 place well – (Sadly) – especially the art of that fella who was one of the last survivors… in fact – I had managed to switch myself off through just about all of it – until I saw that fellas artworks. That for me was the last straw… I had to go and find a quiet corner to step away from the tour… must have had something in my eye!
To think that some of the people who inflicted such things on all the other Khymer peoples are my age and much younger too – way freaky – and a lot scary!