I've found the new Amsterdam. The stoner paradise of the world is none other than Cambodia! A little nervous? Don't be. This country is right next to Thailand but less popular with the tourist scene and less regulated: My first day in Sihanoukville and my eyes widen in amazement - "Happy Pizza"? "Ecstatic Pizza"? Little weed leaves on restaurant signs? SURELY THIS CAN'T MEAN.... One hour later, after whipping on my bikini and heading to the beach, I'm sitting in one of the most comfortable lounge chairs imaginable. I'm so close to the ocean that I can dangle my feet in the waves. It's a balmy 32 degrees Celsius and I'm ordering a "Joint" off the restaurant's "Happy Menu". A menu that also includes happy pizza, happy springrolls, happy curry, happy tea, happy vodka, happy pancakes... This is the original Happy Meal! A very cool waiter swings by with three of the most gorgeous looking things I have seen in the last month travelling, an ashtray, and a lighter. At first I'm not sure what to do. Is it ok to smoke these here? Should I go out for a swim? Should I take these back to my room? There's no way this is allowed! I glance covertly around. Most people are just sun-tanning with a drink but there are definately two or three groups of people who've sparked up. Alright, I figure if the police are coming, I'll smoke discreetly and they'll probably see the larger groups first. It's the same mentality I have with speedinging back home... Two hours later and I'm on my fourth joint, still on the beach, blitzed out my my mind, and sitting with some ex-pats who are attempting to explain Cambodia to me. Ex-pat 1: "The Cops don't care as long as you stick to the right areas." Ex-pat 2: "They don't care at all!" Ex-pat 1: "Most Bars and Restaurants pay out 5$ a month to the cops so they can sell stuff with weed in it or get away with smoking it." Ex-pat 3: "This guy actually grows his own out back." Ex-pat 2: "It's the Amsterdam of South-East Asia" I ask them if they know a good place to get happy pizza and they reccomend "Happy Herb". It gets me and my friend so ripped that we spend the next 7 hours lieing on our beds and staring at the geckos on the ceiling. That night, after dancing in some of the nearby clubs, and checking out the cinema (rentable rooms with a massive TV, torrented movie collection, and xbox), my friend lights up a joint on the street. All of a sudden a Cop's walking towards us and my friend (chivalrous as he is) pretends not to know me. I think, alight, at least we'll get off with one of us getting fined - we can split the cost. The cop walks right up to my friend, and stares him down. "Is it good?" He asks, completely deadpan. "Ummm, maybeeee?" my friend replies. The Cop laughs - LAUGHS - and walks away. Unfortunately, I had to leave this pot-smoking paradise. But I wasn't done with Cambodia. I did a lot of touristy stuff, hung out with locals, and saw some temples. But I also occasionally combined that with: Smoking weed in Phnom Pehn: Where our Tuk-tuk driver would sell and roll us joints to smoke, and where our guesthouse let us borrow their grinder and bong. Smoking weed in Angkor Watt: STRONGEST weed food I've ever had. Me and my friend literally had to return to our room, turn off all the lights and just listen to music. So please, if you like travel but you're afraid you're going to miss your BFF Mary Jane while you're abroad please consider Cambodia. You need to be quite adventurous - it can be a little rough around the edges sometimes, but the people are incredibly friendly, the prices are cheap, and the weed is... basically legal. At least until the cops realize they can extort people for smoking it. Then it'll be Laos.
So you been to school For a year or two And you know you've seen it all In daddy's car Thinkin' you'll go far Back east your type don't crawl Play ethnicky jazz To parade your snazz On your five grand stereo Braggin' that you know How the ******s feel cold And the slums got so much soul It's time to taste what you most fear Right Guard will not help you here Brace yourself, my dear… Brace yourself, my dear… It's a holiday in Cambodia It's tough, kid, but it's life It's a holiday in Cambodia Don't forget to pack a wife You're a star-belly sneech You suck like a leach You want everyone to act like you Kiss ass while you bitch So you can get rich But your boss gets richer off you Well you'll work harder With a GUN in your back For a bowl of rice a day Slave for soldiers Till you starve Then your head is skewered on a stake Now you can go where people are one Now you can go where they get things done What you need, my son… What you need, my son… Is a holiday in Cambodia Where people dress in black A holiday in Cambodia Where you'll kiss ass or crack Pol POT, Pol POT, Pol POT, Pol POT, Pol POT, Pol POT, Pol POT, Pol POT... And it's a holiday in Cambodia Where you'll do what you're told A holiday in Cambodia Where the slums got so much soul Pol POT!
Haha love the Dead Kennedy's post, saw that coming. I'm surprised no one else has commented, Cambodia sounds kind of sweet now! I've added it too my countries to visit list. Thanks for the post!
try giving the local officers a nug, they will reward you with ceremony and feasts like no other. they will shower you with flowers and give you money. they will overflow the streets with jello. they will command their leader to appoint you the position of chief. they will show you the ways of the samurai. they will not only give you their hats, but they will clean your pastrami
Heres a good video of that place. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDKGEWIfuIo]YouTube - Marijuana pizza[/ame]
Aghh man! me too, i love asia, and especially this area by the phillipines and what not, wanted to go over there and teach english and everything 2 thumbs up
It's just so ideal. Laying on the beach... working on your tan... smoking weed and eating happy food all day. You can rent motorbikes for 5$ a day and find your own private beach. There's great scuba and snorkeling, friendly people, and 50 cent draft. Eff, I want to go back. It probably won't be the same in a couple of years though.