Off I Go

It's a lovely 3:36 in the morning as I type this. Everything is ready to go, now I just wait for the shuttle to pick me up.

I get the feeling that this year will be full of changes yet again. It's striking how much growth happens there in just 12 months. I expect some new hotels, a couple more paved roads, and perhaps a few less beggars. But with these positive changes also comes the negative. It sounds like gambling and alcohol are rapidly taking off as the new primary challenges in Cambodia. I can see how people would want to grab any opportunity for entertainment after decades of war and suffering, but simple weekend fun appears to be strangling their fledgling country.

I'll have plenty of time for reflection on this as I sit on planes. I should touch down in Siem Reap around noon on Thursday (Central Time).