AsiaLIFE

Ever heard of burgernomics? As a student, I was taught that a dollar should buy the same amount in all countries – Purchasing Power Parity Theory. After conversion a McDonald’s burger should cost the same abroad as in the U.S. – simplest definition of the so-called “Big Mac index”. But, what do you do in a country where there is no McDonald’s and the domestic currency has been almost kicked out by the dollar? With only 10 bucks in my pocket for the day, I try not to buy, eat or do the things I would do at home, but to experience Cambodian life. Not as difficult as you might imagine, so long as you get on your bike. Oh and make sure you take along a friend!

8am
En route to our first stop, we have waffles on the street for breakfast. While there we buy a big bottle of water each to avoid buying several small ones along the trip. We go shopping on Street 47 in a huge hangar selling Japanese second-hand import clothes and stuffed toys. I get a really trendy pair of Boyfriend cut Jeans for US$2, this I plan to customise into shorts.

12pm
We ride to Tuol Kork Market, where we window-shop for a while – although there aren’t any windows – before having a challenging lunch in a local eatery. We ask for a one-dollar meal each and get a good sample of typical Khmer food – bitter gourd stuffed with some kind of meat, fried pork with pickled mustard greens, caramel pork and prahok. This comes with an enormous plate of rice, which conveniently covers up the taste of prahok. For dessert, we drink a café dorcow teukor (iced coffee with tons of sweet milk).

2pm
After lunch, a windy rainstorm makes us change our plan. Instead of heading straight to the swimming pool, we make our way to a strange market full of hairdressers and get a pedicure for the price of a rain poncho. As rain is letting up, we reach the Long Beach Plaza Hotel swimming pool crowded with fully dressed Khmer people, already soaked by the rain.

5pm
Running out of time, we join an aerobics class in front of the Ministry of Defence without even taking the leap into the water. All our efforts are ruined by the beer we grab in one of the guesthouses on Boeung Kak Lake watching the sunset.

7pm
For dinner, we feel like having banh bao (steamed bread stuffed with pork, sausage, egg and onions). The best are found close to Central Market. It’s a long ride so we feel we deserve our two pieces (US$1). For the Grand Finale, we pedal our way to Dodo Bar, where the drinks are cheap and the crowd is friendly – enough to buy us a second round of drinks. Buy one, get one free!