I averaged 10.61 USD spent per day during my forty-one days in the Kingdom of Thailand, including bus travel, excessive beer purchases, and my visa extension. I count this as a victory. It wasn’t as hard as I expected, primarily because the cheapest food one can get in Thailand is still fantastic. One can visit any street stall and get a hot, fresh plate of pad thai for a maximum of 1 USD. Rice with curry is about the same. And it’s all brilliant. I know I said I enjoyed the food in Nepal, and to a large degree I did, but in Nepal I still felt compelled to indulge in the occasional 4 USD falafel and hummus at the upscale Israeli restaurant then order a whiskey and cola to go with it. In Thailand I felt no such need. I was always satisfied with the most inexpensive options available and, conveniently enough, those options were everywhere.
Cambodia, so far, appears to be a little trickier. Although I can buy a fifth of Cambodian whiskey for 1.50 USD, it’s extremely difficult to find a meal for less than 2 USD. Last night I found chicken and fried noodles for a dollar, but it was rubbery and bland. This morning I found noodle soup for 1.25 USD, but to do so I had to hike down the side-streets in the baking heat, then convince myself that the meat I was served was no more than two days old. But then, on my way back to my room, feeling a bit concerned about the future of my precious budget, I noticed some delicious looking sandwiches that were selling for a dollar. A minute later I saw big, fat, steamed dumplings that I felt certain would be cheap. And so I reminded myself that these things take time. By the time I cross the next border I’ll have the discipline of living cheap in this country firmly established, just in time to figure it out again in Vietnam.
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