New Years Eve 2005

New Years Eve 2005 in Cambodia

With only half a plan in mind, we head off round to the Peace Café. The idea being that everyone meets up there and about 10 or 11 we all head off to find a party somewhere, Dave the owner included.


Café Sonteipheap (The Peace Café) http://www.sonteipheap.com/
20:00 two of us in the bar [and Dave the owner] not a good start ?!?
over the next hour a few of the regulars wander in, we all sit at the bar chatting and discussing where we feel like going, has anyone heard anything about a good party for tonight, that sort of thing.

There are only a couple of places that people have heard are having parties. So we head to one of the larger venue in the city which is having one:

Café Freedom
23:45 arrive to what appears to be a big let down, the 8 of us join the other 6 people there for ‘the big party’ ?!?!
Midnight comes and there is a slightly half hearted ‘cheers’ and a few hugs, followed by a round of nervous laughter, which was followed by another round of beer.

Time to try another venue and to check out another ‘party’…

Elsewhere Bar
01:00 a couple of dozen very drunk people stagger around in this walled garden bar, some swaying dangerously around the dance floor, a few swaying very dangerously along the edges of the pool. One guy, clearly under the influence of some mind altering substance, is floating fully clothed in the middle of the pool, eyes closed and smiling about something to himself

A very large, old and sedate black Labrador was lolling around the place. He eventually climbs up onto the bench next to me and went to sleep drooling and snoring as he lay there.

A slightly surreal feeling was in the air, which was not changed by the appearance of some random Frenchman in swimming trucks strutting across the dance floor [area] and swaggering into the pool.

Mmm, 02:30 not really that exciting time to try…

Salt Lounge
Only recently opened, it is in fact a gay bar, but we were all curious and we had some ladies in the group so we all felt secure !
A modern design, Perspex and blue neon. Friendly staff. Only two other customers in when we arrived – two guys – the cocktail list was long, the beers only US$1 a can, same for shots.

During our visit there the two guys left and two girls appeared, the owner came out and chatted to Dave - fellow bar owners and all that

Not really our thing, but friendly and interesting.

Now, after all the beer we are getting a bit peckish, time to try…

The George Bar and Kebab house
Opening night for Phnom Penh’s newest bar – and only kebab house!

We all went there for ten seconds, it was around 3AM and we were all desperate for a kebab. Having got past the thirty odd girls (?) we were told by the giggling Khmer guy behind the bar that ''we no have food, maybe next week, maybe next week?'' A kebab shop with no kebabs. I give it a month, unless the guy can get me a tandoori chicken donar with fresh chillies and all the trimmings.

Not even bothering to stop for a beer we head off for…

Howie Bar
We find the chuck wagon in its usual spot outside Howie’s and the Heart of Darkness. Feeling in need of substance [i.e. not rice] I opt for a bacon cheese burger with fries!
At this time of night, and after a lot of beer, it almost seems edible.

The road is absolutely solid with moto’s, cars, motodop’s, party-people, taxi-girls, tourists, ex-pats, et cetera. Every species of Phnom Penh city dweller and visitor is represented.

Dave and I have a quiet couple of beers on a pavement table outside Howie’s and watch as the stream of people going into the Heart just keeps increasing – it is not that large inside, it must be shoulder to shoulder all they way throughout.

04:00 time to go home…