Survival Guide - Cambodia - page 693

so it will continue to be around for a long time, but if you are a smoker, be discreet. It's probably only a
matter of time before the Cambodian police turn the regular busting of foreigners into a lucrative sideline.
This advice applies equally to other narcotic substances, which are also illegal. And think twice about
buying from an unfamiliar moto driver, as it may end with you getting robbed after passing out.
Travellers should note that they can be prosecuted under the law of their home country regarding age of
consent, even when abroad.
DANGEROUS DRUGS 101
Watch out for yaba, the 'crazy' drug from Thailand, known rather ominously in Cambodia as yama
(the Hindu god of death). Known as ice or crystal meth back home, it's not just any old diet pill from
the pharmacist but homemade meta-amphetamines produced in labs in Cambodia and the region bey-
ond. The pills are often laced with toxic substances, such as mercury, lithium or whatever else the
maker can find. Yama is a dirty drug and more addictive than users would like to admit, provoking
powerful hallucinations, sleep deprivation and psychosis. Steer clear of the stuff unless you plan on an
indefinite extension to your trip.
Also be very careful about buying 'cocaine'. Most of what is sold as coke, particularly in Phnom
Penh, is actually pure heroin and far stronger than any smack found on the streets back home. Bang
that up your hooter and you'll be doing impressions of Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction .
Maps
The best all-rounder for Cambodia is the Gecko Cambodia Road Map . At 1:750,000 scale, it has lots of de-
tail and accurate place names. Other popular fold-out maps include Nelles Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
Map at 1:1,500,000, although the detail is limited, and the Periplus Cambodia Travel Map at 1:1,000,000,
with city maps of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Lots of free maps, subsidised by advertising, are available in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap at leading ho-
tels, guesthouses, restaurants and bars.
Money
Cambodia's currency is the riel, abbreviated in our listings to a lower-case 'r' written after the sum. Cam-
bodia's second currency (some would say its first) is the US dollar, which is accepted everywhere and by
everyone, though change may arrive in riel. Dollar bills with a small tear are unlikely to be accepted by
Cambodians, so it's worth scrutinising the change you are given to make sure you don't have bad bills. In
the west of the country, the Thai baht (B) is also commonplace. If three currencies seems a little excessive,
perhaps it's because the Cambodians are making up for lost time: during the Pol Pot era, the country had no
currency. The Khmer Rouge abolished money and blew up the National Bank building in Phnom Penh.