Processing Phnom Penh by Martin Bradley
I
sat in that long distance taxi, be-masked Outside those small towns, on that crazy ride at my journey' s beginning, alternatively a to get a Covid-19 Pre-Departure Test (PDT) at the little anxious and a little excited. National Institute of Public Health Government building, thin white cows with short horns I had left behind the keys to my former house, grazed; strange straw mushroom shaped in Kuala Lumpur, in that small room at the haystacks with wooden centre posts seemed to children's charity, in Siem Reap. I also left behind grow as we passed. Then, all of a sudden, Vuthy my young Khmer friends and the beautiful hugs pulled the car over to the side of the road, and from twin sisters Sorphany and Sorphanin. I had onto the red earth verge. He exited the car and clambered into that Toyota Highlander feeling proceeded to urinate in the ditch. A call of nature, sad, knowing that I couldn't stay any longer and nurtured. that I had to start a new life, somewhere. We moved on by small brick kilns fronted by In the mild heat of the Cambodian morning piles of orderly red bricks, saffron clad monks I was driven by Vuthy, through Siem Reap city, with yellow sun-masking umbrellas and white past early morning markets, sellers of bottled Covid face masks, emaciated horses with hair petroleum, Khmer women in pyjamas, on tied in small plumes pulling carts of long wooden bicycles, and men, their sarongs wrapped and planks, and curious tractor-lorries pulling their tied around them, performing their ablutions on loads of coal black charcoal. the pavement. After five hours of alternate green fields and As we travelled, in roadside pools gracious small towns we were suddenly there, driving pink lotus flowers blossomed, while advertising across a bridge of the Tonle Sap river, Phnom signs sprouted up and towered over us Penh, caught up in a traffic jam. The first that displaying Gansberg German Premium beer, we'd encountered all morning. Vuthy pulled the Boostrong energy drink, Anchor and other beers, car up, onto the curb, outside the Government as the driver and I passed and the sun glowed health building. He spoke with a young man shocking orange and brightening. who beckoned me to follow. Follow I did, through gaps between parked cars towards a We slowed through market laden small towns, side street. He then pointed, and I went where he greeted by stacks of locally woven baskets, piles pointed. There were signs, in English,TESTING of green coconuts and swathes of the fresh green THIS WAY, followed by red arrows painted on leaves Khmer people love to eat. a pathway leading into the Government space, and around and in between buildings. 30
