My hotel in the Cambodian capital is EXCELLENT. (Even the U.N. election watchdogs here right now deem it worthy.)

A frequent sponsor of the Cambodian Olympic Committee, they are probably only charging a cut rate $140 $86 / night. Or something like that.

Across the street is the OKAY Guesthouse. The sweaty backpacker crowd are paying $1 / night for dorm bed with mosquito net and fan. $4 / night for a private room. $6 / night for private room with bath and T.V.

A can of Diet Coke is $4 at my hotel.

When I told my host that 10yrs-ago I stayed at the infamous Cloud 9 Guesthouse, he was mortified. “There’s no security there!”

No security. But much more FUN.

A truism so overwhelming as to be boring is the contrast between rich and poor in developing countries.

This guy and his family own a garbage cart.

The conspicuous rich (and how many could have actually earned these fortunes) MUST drive Toyota Land Cruisers or Lexus SUVs. It’s the #1 status symbol. And just to be sure you cannot miss seeing their status symbol, the companies now put the name in really big letters.

How embarrassing.

… HEY. Where’s my personal driver and Mercedes van? He’s LATE!