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: Samaky Restaurant and Lounge

  First published: 05 Jun 2012
  

  Two minutes from Independence Monument and wrapping the corner of Golden Street (St 278) you’ll find the Khmer-owned Samaky Restaurant and Lounge, a recently new addition to this popular Phnom Penh street. The ground floor restaurant doesn’t have much in the way of walls but still provides plenty of protection from the elements (research undertaken during a … read the full post

• Cambodia’s election alcohol ban

  First published: 30 May 2012
  

  As a visitor, it’s sometimes easy to miss the nuances of public life in a country. You’re less likely to pick up a newspaper or have a chat on current affairs at the supermarket. But you’d need to be really cultivating an ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach not to have noticed that Phnom Penh is in … read the full post

• Review: Equinox Bar and Cafe

  First published: 29 May 2012
  

  Close to Independence Monument, Equinox is slap bang in the middle of the evening entertainment strip on Street 278, usually known as Golden Street. Away from the tour groups on riverside or the appealing mother-wouldn’t-approve sleaziness of Street 51, the more refined Golden Street is home to several bars, and the multi-level Equinox is one of … read the full post

• Phnom Penh card scam

  First published: 25 May 2012
  

  The problem with scams is we all think we’re too clever to fall for one, until we do. Tourists in Phnom Penh have recently been discovering that a friendly interaction can escalate into having their bank account lightened by US$4,000. As will all good scams, the set up is innocuous. A smiling non-threatening member of … read the full post

• Khmer boxing in Phnom Penh

  First published: 22 May 2012
  

  I’m definitely not the violent type, but one of my favourite things to do on a quiet Phnom Penh weekend is going to a kick-boxing match. It’s free, it’s noisy and it’s a totally  Cambodian experience. Most people’s first encounter with Khmer boxing is walking past a cafe full of shouting, grunting men and thinking it’s all about … read the full post

• Review: Happy 11 Backpacker, Phnom Penh

  First published: 18 May 2012
  

  Occupying a corner plot, the white four-storey Happy 11 Backpacker guesthouse does a good job of living up to its name. Formerly a lakeside institution, the owners and staff have been helping travellers to Phnom Penh relax for many years. The new location in a mainly residential area is a five-minute walk to the river … read the full post

• How to cope with riverside hassle

  First published: 16 May 2012
  

  It’s an impossible challenge to spend any time in Phnom Penh‘s tourist areas without being approached by hawkers, beggars or tuk tuk drivers. Street commerce is a fact of life here, but for some visitors the constant “Wanna buy book?” and “OK, tuk tuk” get a bit wearing. So how can you deal with the … read the full post

• Review: Villa Khmer

  First published: 12 May 2012
  

  A short stroll from Independence Monument, Villa Khmer is situated on a leafy side street off Norodom Boulevard. The red and black décor adds a chic touch which emphasises that this isn’t just another cheap eatery. There’s a choice of seating in the airy bamboo courtyard, including a cabana with a low table for relaxed … read the full post

• Swimming in Phnom Penh

  First published: 09 May 2012
  

  As the mercury shows no signs of dropping for at least another month, there’s no better way to cool down than spending some time poolside in Phnom Penh. If you’re lucky, you’ve checked into one of the Phnom Penh guesthouses that has a pool. If you’re slumming it, or didn’t realise how essential a pool was until … read the full post

• Dancing the Madison in Cambodia

  First published: 04 May 2012
  

  Phnom Penh is doing a good job of getting noticed recently, sometimes via shameless self-promotion. So it was no surprise that on an overcast Saturday afternoon in April, more than 1,000 young people gathered at Wat Botom park to try and enter the Guinness Book of World Records by dancing the Madison. The Madison, in … read the full post