Travelfish correspondent Abigail Gilbert

Dragged up in the drizzly north of England, Abigail prefers sunnier climes these days. She’s been stoned by villagers in India, become an honorary Kenyan tribeswoman, sweet talked border guards and had close encounters with black mambas. After spending time in Africa, India, Nepal, Europe and South East Asia, Cambodia is the place that feels like home. Her motto is: “Live to tell the tale.”
Website: http://www.penhandink.com

Posts by Abigail Gilbert:

• Review: Uraetei Yakiniku, Phnom Penh

  First published: 06 Oct 2012
  

  Phnom Penh has always been ahead of the curve with a wide range of international cuisine for a city of its size. So it was no surprise to learn that a specialist Japanese restaurant had recently been added to the mix. What did take me aback was the reaction when I mentioned the Uraetei Yakiniku … read the full post

• Day trip from Phnom Penh: Ta Khmao

  First published: 04 Oct 2012
  

  There’s no particular reason to visit Ta Khmao, which is reason enough in my book. In the spirit of George Mallory, I went visiting simply “because it was there”. Only 11 kilometres out of Phnom Penh, Ta Khmao is perfect if you want a glimpse of life outside the big smoke but you don’t have … read the full post

• Major Cambodian festivals: Pchum Ben and Water Festival

  First published: 01 Oct 2012
  

  The United States celebrates 10, while England usually has eight. In the league table of public holidays, they are merely amateurs compared with Cambodia’s 28 days of legislated relaxation. Brits may have got a bonus day this year for their Queen holding down a job for a long time, but Cambodians celebrate the King’s coronation and … read the full post

• Cambodia’s National Museum

  First published: 27 Sep 2012
  

  Cambodia’s National Museum (saa-ra moo-un dti if you want to impress your tuk tuk driver) is a reference point around Phnom Penh, an impressive building set in tropical gardens. On the corner of Street 178 and Street 13, two blocks from FCC and the riverside, this is a regular stop off point for foreigner visitors … read the full post

• Our City Festival

  First published: 22 Sep 2012
  

  Art, Architecture and Ideas. That’s the focus of Our City Festival, a celebration and examination of urban spaces in Cambodia. Running from 28 September to 7 October 2012 in Phnom Penh and Battambang, the festival uses photography, film, dance and installations to provoke discussion. Cambodia has been known to knock up some world-renowned buildings, and Phnom … read the full post

• Phnom Penh’s riverside

  First published: 20 Sep 2012
  

  Spend even one night in Phnom Penh and you’ll probably find yourself by the river. Which is not, incidentally, the mighty Mekong but the less internationally-famous Tonle Sap. Check your city map — unless you are at one of the more expensive hotels close to Koh Pich or out on a cruise, the Mekong is … read the full post

• Review: Chuck Norris Dim Sum, Phnom Penh

  First published: 15 Sep 2012
  

  We all know that you don’t go looking for Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris finds you. Well, he’s certainly found clubbing central in Phnom Penh and is serving up dim sum to dancers and divas until the early hours of the morning. Almost opposite Heart of Darkness on Street 51 and just around the corner from … read the full post

• Review: Fancy Guest House, Phnom Penh

  First published: 11 Sep 2012
  

  Although we feel that calling any establishment the Fancy Guest House might be overstating the case, this little Phnom Penh gem does have something that can be tricky to find in budget accommodation — it’s squeaky clean. You get the feeling that dust and grime long since gave up the fight and moved on to somewhere with … read the full post

• Phnom Penh corners

  First published: 09 Sep 2012
  

  There’s something about corners in Phnom Penh. I’m prompted to make this post as one of my favourite corner buildings has disappeared. It was slowly crumbling, its tower drooping, beautifully evocative and the starting point for many imaginations, but now it’s gone. I want to encourage you to walk around Phnom Penh with your eyes … read the full post

• Review: The Empire, Phnom Penh

  First published: 04 Sep 2012
  

  The streets behind Phnom Penh‘s riverside are a microcosm of the city — there’s karaoke, street food, hostess bars, fast food joints, hairdressers, hotels and tailors. In all the excitement, it might be easy to overlook The Empire, a small bar and restaurant and cinema squeezed into a regular sized shopfront two blocks from the … read the full post