Small World

Jennifer and I stopped off in Phnom Penh for a night before heading to Vietnam. We wanted to do some shopping and I had a birthday gift to mail. As we ran between errands, Jennifer was telling me a story. When she suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, I looked up to see our German friend, Daniela, walking towards us.

Daniela had left the group in Laos and headed for Vietnam. We knew she was eventually coming to Cambodia, but we did not expect her so soon or to run into her on the street. We stopped to have a drink and made plans for dinner.

This is why locals think we all know each other -- because we do! That is one of the fun parts about backpacking in Asia -- you run into friends along the way. Most of the travelers here are in the region for an extended trip and criss-cross through the same places, so you are bound to see familiar faces.
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