Today started early with a full-day tour of Battambang’s countryside. Before hitting the road, I fueled up with a big plate of chicken and rice from a roadside spot near my hotel. It looked simple, but the food was fantastic. The chicken was tender and the rice was perfectly seasoned. Honestly, it blew yesterday’s upscale place out of the water.

As a farewell to Phnom Penh, I went on one last photo walk. I found a busy street in front of Kandal Market, a local open-air market, tucked myself behind a parked car, and started photographing passersby as they walked, biked, and motorbiked past me. I caught a neat shot of a rickshaw just as the rider cruised by. It’s not the sharpest photo I’ve ever taken, but I liked that he turned his head right as I hit the shutter. I love capturing people’s natural, unfiltered expressions. Those fleeting little moments when they either don’t know, or have just realized, they’re being photographed.

This morning, I returned to what’s become my favorite breakfast spot and ordered pho along with three of the tiny Vietnamese-style coffees. Still, both the waiter and waitress laughed. They were clearly amused that anyone could drink that many cups. As I paid, I shared a translated note with them: “Coffee here is good, although the glasses are just too small for an American.” I didn’t want them thinking I was some kind of weirdo. It’s not me, it’s the American in me.

I’m still recovering from jet lag and kept waking up after 1 a.m. Eventually, I gave in and dragged myself out of bed around five to take a stroll around the neighborhood. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the only one up. By six, the city was already humming: street vendors were setting up, people were out on motorbikes, and the day was clearly underway.

Today marks the beginning of my journey through Indochina, a region once ruled by France and now encompassing Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. While each country has its own distinct culture and history, they share a common legacy of colonialism, war, and a long struggle for independence. France’s foothold in the region began with 19th-century military campaigns in Vietnam and gradually expanded into broader colonial rule.