This Battered Suitcase
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Around the Web
    • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
    • Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Mongolia
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • The Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • UAE
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czechia
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Latvia
      • Liechtenstein
      • Lithuania
      • Luxembourg
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Northern Ireland
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • San Marino
      • Scotland
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
      • Wales
    • North America
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Barbados
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Jamaica
      • Nicaragua
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • St. Kitt’s and Nevis
      • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
      • USA
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
  • Topics
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
    • Romance
    • Stories
    • Travel
    • Writing and Blogging
  • Work With Me

This Battered Suitcase

  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Around the Web
    • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
    • Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Mongolia
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • The Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • UAE
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czechia
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Latvia
      • Liechtenstein
      • Lithuania
      • Luxembourg
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Northern Ireland
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • San Marino
      • Scotland
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
      • Wales
    • North America
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Barbados
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Jamaica
      • Nicaragua
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • St. Kitt’s and Nevis
      • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
      • USA
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
  • Topics
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
    • Romance
    • Stories
    • Travel
    • Writing and Blogging
  • Work With Me
Travel

The Floating Village of Siem Reap (And The Friends We Make)

written by Brenna Holeman March 13, 2013

 

Near Siem Reap, Cambodia

It was almost two years ago that I was in Cambodia, almost two years ago that I was on this boat touring the floating village near Siem Reap; despite that, I can remember so much of that journey (including the itchy mosquito bite on my cheek). It reminded me of infrastructure in other countries I’d been to, most notably Brunei and Thailand. These people spend every day this way, working and learning and living and loving never more than a few feet away from the water.

There was a constant barrage of people asking for money, including these kids and their snakes, but also people selling snacks and drinks or people simply asking for cash. Boats would come up right alongside ours; once a young girl even leapt from boat to boat as she sold cans of soft drinks. I enjoyed that day, however, as I learnt more about Cambodia and got to hang out with good people (and a bunch of crocodiles). The man sitting beside me during this video, the one you get a glimpse of, is still a friend, and I’ll be seeing him in London very soon.

I’ve talked so often of how and why I love travelling; one of my favourite things, if not my very favourite thing, is that you meet people from all around the world. Sometimes you meet again, sometimes not, but you always have that bond from the experiences you’ve shared abroad. When I head to London in a few weeks, there will be no shortage of people I’ll run into again – Nick, from Australia, whom I met in Cambodia; Lisa, from England, whom I met in Peru; Ali, from England, whom I met in Japan and visited in Australia; Harriet, from Canada, whom I visit when I go to Paris; Claire, living in Scotland, whom I met in the Philippines; Mark, from Australia, whom I travelled through Argentina and Uruguay with. The list goes on and on. Sometimes we spend months or even years with schoolmates or coworkers, never to see them again once we part ways. Other times, you spend one afternoon with someone on a boat in Cambodia and become friends for life.  It’s a crazy world, but one I love living in, and one I love exploring.

AsiaCambodiaPeopleVideos
10 comments
1
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Brenna Holeman

Brenna Holeman has travelled to over 100 countries in the past 15 years, many of them solo. She's a big fan of whisky and window seats.

previous post
Imagination vs. Reality
next post
Food Of Peru (And Checking In)

You may also like

South American Blues

September 25, 2014

On Bicycles and Brothers

June 15, 2016

The End

July 27, 2011

My 2019 Travel Goals

January 3, 2019

Things I Miss About Canada

May 31, 2012

Around the World: Coffee

July 31, 2013

Why London Deserves Love

September 18, 2013

Countries I Need to Give a Second Chance

August 19, 2015

Seoul Sisters

June 18, 2011

Straight Out of La Boca

November 23, 2012

10 comments

Jennifer March 13, 2013 - 6:16 am

Visiting Cambodia is on my list, it looks awesome! I just came back from India for the first time and had this same feeling through out my entire trip of people asking for money. It’s sad, but part of traveling the world.

PS I LOVE the necklace you are wearing in this video!! LOVE it!! 🙂

Reply
This Battered Suitcase March 13, 2013 - 4:35 pm

Cambodia is really great; I’d like to spend more time there. I only had two weeks!

By the way, the necklace is from Pushkar! I was in India a few months before heading to Cambodia and I wore it all the time around Southeast Asia. Weren’t the markets in India amazing??

Reply
Jennifer March 15, 2013 - 4:05 am

SO AMAZING!! I can’t wait to go back!! I could shop for days there! I visited Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, but next time I want to explore Rajasthan and I will need A LOT more time! 🙂

Reply
SiemReaper March 13, 2013 - 5:23 pm

Floating villages are one of the most unique and enriching sites you can visit around Siem Reap once you’ve visited Angkor. Unfortunately, Chong Kneas (the one you went to) has become a huge tourist trap, and the constant asking-for-money thing ruins the experience for many tourists. I’d really recommend going to Kompong Phluk, or (even better but a bit further) Kompong Khleang: they’re much more authentic and are almost scam-free.
I recently wrote an article comparing the three main floating villages around Siem Reap, you can find it here: http://tripleacambodia.com/siem-reap-floating-villages-what-to-expect-and-why-choose-to-go-to-kompong-khleang/

As for the part about meeting people, I totally agree. it is one of the most beautiful things about traveling, and one of the main reason I travel for. 🙂

Reply
This Battered Suitcase March 14, 2013 - 1:10 am

I definitely felt that it was a tourist trap, and I would really like to visit Kompong Phluk the next time I’m in Cambodia. Thank you for the tip!

Reply
Antastesia. March 13, 2013 - 7:11 pm

Oh snakes I would have been quite scared!
But the village looks beautiful ! It’s such an unusual thing for us to see buildings on water. I remember that even in Venice it was very surprising!

If you have time and want to when you’re in Paris, we could have a drink or something! 🙂

Reply
This Battered Suitcase March 14, 2013 - 1:10 am

I will definitely let you know when I visit Paris in the future!

Reply
Steph Lloyd March 14, 2013 - 5:39 am

I’ve been there – such a crazy experience! I’m definitely going to start doing videos when I travel. You and Kerri have inspired me!

Reply
This Battered Suitcase March 15, 2013 - 3:57 am

Though I only recently started posting the videos I’ve taken on my travels, I find I watch them all the time! You are instantly transported back to the time and place, more so than photos in my opinion…

Reply
Travel Makes Me Tick December 8, 2013 - 5:33 pm

I agree, part of the allure of travelling is the people you meet on the way 🙂

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

My name is Brenna Holeman and I drink a lot of whisky. No, wait. That’s not how I want to start. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm about to become a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here .

Keep in touch

facebook
instagram
twitter
pinterest
youtube

Newsletter

Subscribe to get the latest updates from This Battered Suitcase!

Archives

INSPIRATION

Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

About Brenna

This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why.

Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too.

For more, click here.

WHERE AM I?

Last stops: Manitoba, Canada

Currently: Manitoba, Canada

Up Next: Manitoba, Canada (are you sensing a theme?)

Archives

Want local knowledge about Manitoba?

AFFILIATE POLICY

Please note that some links on This Battered Suitcase are affiliates (at no extra cost to you); I only recommend products I use and love. This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

INSPIRATION

"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

Currently in

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

Last Stops: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Up Next:  Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

(AKA: STAY HOME)

Disclosures

This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and links to Amazon.com. For the full disclosure/privacy policy, please click here.

Popular Posts

  • 1

    On Ghosting (and what to do if it happens to you)

    August 8, 2016
  • 2

    What to Wear in Canada in Winter

    February 28, 2018
  • 3

    What to Wear in India

    December 15, 2014
  • 4

    Giraffe Manor: Is It Worth The Cost?

    November 22, 2017
Promotion Image

The Last time I saw you

Promotion Image

What to wear

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

@2018 - All Rights Reserved


Back To Top