Trip Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 10 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: Arrived yesterday, the place is really suffering post COVID. The bars are over-flowing with girls but have virtually zero customers. Some great looking girls but you walk into a bar, and you descended on by 5/6 girls. You've got to pick one and buy a drink for peace, at that point you are the only customer in a really dead bar. It sounds great in theory, all the girls but without some atmosphere in the bar I don't find in fun. Secrets had the the biggest number of customers may have been about 8? Talked to the Aussie owner, and it's all about the lack of any COVID bounce back. The money the Chinese bring in ends up in the pockets of the local expat economy and then, they come out. I've got a few days here, so will see if things are better on a Friday/Saturday night. Won't bank on the hostess bars though will get out and find a venue with a bit of live music on. Catch a bit of sport at the weekend On the positive front, this is a city many wouldn't take to but I love the place. Real Asian city that in parts reminds my of BKK before all the malls and condos went up Feel desperately sorry for the locals, lovely people. Very poor country, can only hope for their sakes it bounces back. And that does require the Chinese I have a friend who spent a week in PP earlier this month. He echoes what you have posted. He did mention a Secrets Pub too and said there's a 20% discount off your tab once you pass $100 which he admitted is easy to do there. He said what he enjoyed most about the bar girls in PP is that tats have not really caught on as they have in Thailand but for whatever reason braces on teeth have. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 National museum garden, lovely spot to chill out. Saturday morning and it's deserted. Bar a YouTube vlogger!!! Looked her in the eye and shook my grumpy old head in disgust. It did shame her into stopping for a while, but they can't help themselves. 2 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted January 29, 2023 Author Share Posted January 29, 2023 On 1/27/2023 at 1:04 AM, Lemondropkid said: Arrived yesterday, the place is really suffering post COVID. The bars are over-flowing with girls but have virtually zero customers. Some great looking girls but you walk into a bar, and you descended on by 5/6 girls. You've got to pick one and buy a drink for peace, at that point you are the only customer in a really dead bar. It sounds great in theory, all the girls but without some atmosphere in the bar I don't find in fun. Secrets had the the biggest number of customers may have been about 8? Talked to the Aussie owner, and it's all about the lack of any COVID bounce back. The money the Chinese bring in ends up in the pockets of the local expat economy and then, they come out. I've got a few days here, so will see if things are better on a Friday/Saturday night. Won't bank on the hostess bars though will get out and find a venue with a bit of live music on. Catch a bit of sport at the weekend I just have to ask did you mean Aussie co-owner? "My bad habits lead to late nights ending alone." Ed Sheeran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 7 hours ago, Jambo said: I just have to ask did you mean Aussie co-owner? "My bad habits lead to late nights ending alone." Ed Sheeran I am there in 3 weeks for a few nights will give Ben your love 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 10 hours ago, Jambo said: I just have to ask did you mean Aussie co-owner? "My bad habits lead to late nights ending alone." Ed Yer man sounds more Adelaide than Arsenal now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 2 hours ago, Yesitisdakid said: I am there in 3 weeks for a few nights will give Ben your love You might very well know it but the Lone Star on st 23 is worth trying. Small friendly neighbourhood bar, mix of expats Aussie and American. The food is excellent. They do A $5 daily special that comes with a beer that they'll happily change for a soft drink. It's indoors AC which i know you like, not a hostess place just a regular friendlybar Am off in there at 6.30 for the championship game this morning 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 3 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: You might very well know it but the Lone Star on st 23 is worth trying. Small friendly neighbourhood bar, mix of expats Aussie and American. The food is excellent. They do A $5 daily special that comes with a beer that they'll happily change for a soft drink. It's indoors AC which i know you like, not a hostess place just a regular friendlybar Am off in there at 6.30 for the championship game this morning Appreciate the tip we'll look it up when we're there Hope you're having a good time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karon steve Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 On 1/27/2023 at 11:10 AM, Glasseye said: They wear a lot of fur also. Some good news at last. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 14 hours ago, Yesitisdakid said: I am there in 3 weeks for a few nights will give Ben your love Enjoy your trip mate. Wish I was going with you. Its a toss up which one of us would be least welcome. 🙂 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Sat killing time before my flight at the airport. Top tip get breakfast before arriving. Food and coffee $8 dollars, both poor, worst I've had here by a distance, even for airport standards pretty grim Passap app ordered taxi from the Riverside cost $6 for a 30/40 minutes ride in AC comfort!! There's the value 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yessongs Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just curious for any of you guys who have been recently to Cambodia, is Peter Storm still around? Met him at Secrets Anniversary part Sept 2017, had his fill of Pattaya and moved over there and took over a bar perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Word of warning at the airport at Phnom Penh Was asked by staff to show evidence of my flight out of Thailand, and the guy made a show of checking I wasn't staying for over 45 days. That's fair enough as I was doing a visa run of sorts. He then began to question why I had a new passport in a tone I didn't really care for. Resisted the urge to ask him if he'd prefer an out of date passport! With a smile I said " You know COVID 19,cannot travel." Every foreign passport holder was getting the same treatment. I was through before all those around me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 hours ago, Yessongs said: Just curious for any of you guys who have been recently to Cambodia, is Peter Storm still around? Met him at Secrets Anniversary part Sept 2017, had his fill of Pattaya and moved over there and took over a bar perhaps? Still there hoping to catch up with him in a couple of weeks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karon steve Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 When I checked in at Suvarnabhumi I was asked to prove that I had a return ticket which I didn't have as I am going on to Vietnam and will fly back from there. Fortunately I had an e-visa confirmation which they accepted but my friend didn't and had to go and buy a return ticket before being allowed to check in. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 8 hours ago, Yessongs said: Just curious for any of you guys who have been recently to Cambodia, is Peter Storm still around? Met him at Secrets Anniversary part Sept 2017, had his fill of Pattaya and moved over there and took over a bar perhaps? Peter Storm made his own Cambodiam forum after Ben let the Secrets forum die.....I am not sure if it's still going... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasseye Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 7 hours ago, karon steve said: When I checked in at Suvarnabhumi I was asked to prove that I had a return ticket which I didn't have as I am going on to Vietnam and will fly back from there. Fortunately I had an e-visa confirmation which they accepted but my friend didn't and had to go and buy a return ticket before being allowed to check in. This can really cause havoc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 On 1/30/2023 at 4:31 PM, Jambo said: Enjoy your trip mate. Wish I was going with you. Its a toss up which one of us would be least welcome. 🙂 Boy ain't that the truth ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegrogmonster Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 3 hours ago, Yesitisdakid said: Boy ain't that the truth ! Turn up together, 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 (edited) Practical point to mention. The $1, and $2 dollar notes have been phased outside of circulation. Also more larger denonmination KHR notes seem to have been put into circulation since I went pre COVID You will very quickly find yourself with a large wad of KHR, alongside your USD. The Khmers I found are wonderful people and in the regular shops they are not going to rob you. But obviously be careful around the bars Being able to multiple and divide by 4000 in your head is a bonus for the USD-KHR conversion Edited February 6, 2023 by Lemondropkid 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 5 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: Practical point to mention. The $1, and $2 dollar notes have been phased outside of circulation. Also more larger denonmination KHR notes seem to have been put into circulation since I went pre COVID You will very quickly find yourself with a large wad of KHR, alongside your USD. The Khmers I found are wonderful people and in the regular shops they are not going to rob you. But obviously be careful around the bars Being able to multiple and divide by 4000 in your head is a bonus for the USD-KHR conversion By phased out I assume you mean not as many in circulation but $1 and $2 are still accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 14 minutes ago, Trip said: By phased out I assume you mean not as many in circulation but $1 and $2 are still accepted. I hope so because I've got a boatload of $1 bills in anticipation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 (edited) 37 minutes ago, Trip said: By phased out I assume you mean not as many in circulation but $1 and $2 are still accepted. Yes correct. I came into the country with a handful, all were gone long before I exited 22 minutes ago, Yesitisdakid said: I hope so because I've got a boatload of $1 bills in anticipation No need to worry, could have phrased my comment a little more precisely🙂 Edited February 6, 2023 by Lemondropkid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 54 minutes ago, Lemondropkid said: No need to worry, could have phrased my comment a little more precisely Thanks I was worried about having to turn the 1s I have back into bigger denominations and I've got over a hundred of them 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted March 2, 2023 Share Posted March 2, 2023 Just breezed through to the airport. Passap car at 06.30 was there at 6.55. 25k riel, so $6.25, pretty damn good. Only 5 outbound flights, 2 to China. So pretty quiet here at 07.30 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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