John Beeson, teacher, travel writer, blogger and feels just like Indiana Jones (just need a hat)!

45 years old, mid life crisis, I decided to leave my job I held since leaving school and sold up everything I owned! I studied to get my TEFL level 5 diploma, packed my bags, booked myself a flight (Disclaimer: if you press that nasty red link it will take you to trip.com where you might just pick a flight or hotel!) and here I am! As you can tell I have done more traveling than teaching but that was the plan for the first six months.

I am now living a village lifestyle for 12 months in Srah Srang in a traditional Khmer home to be near the temples that I love so much. They give off an energy, I just can’t explain that feeling just yet. Phnom Penh was good to start with but I am just not a city living person.

I bought a moped brand new, it cost me $1200 as it is a Thai import and is basically the same as the Honda Scoopy but lighter. Would it get me around Cambodia? The resounding answer is absolutely, and more so! Armed with my lonely planet guide and smartphone I soon got temple addiction! Angkor is amazing but so many other temples get overlooked. I decided to visit and learn about as many as I possibly can, I got the bug. If anyone tells you that you cannot ride around Cambodia on a moped don’t listen to them, 2200kms ridden so far, Kep, Kampot, Battambang, Siem Reap and other places I have forgotten the names of but will remember as this blog develops. The beauty of the country still astounds me, hence why I am staying another 12 months.

BOOKS I FOUND USEFUL ON MY TEMPLE ADVENTURES!

(I may earn a small commission if you purchase these books through the links)

MY NEW HOME IN THE ANGKOR PARK. THE LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE!

I came across one of the ladies selling goods outside the temples on my first visit in February, 2025. My lease was up in Phnom Penh in April of that year. After purchasing the obligatory items such as coconut water, scarves and cotton clothing, she jokingly said “do you want a house?”. I went and took a look, for 1000 USD for the year to be so near to the temples, learn the culture and attempt the language, I just could not say no! After deciding to save $100 on a van moving, I did it on my moped. Retrospectively I should have spent the money. More on that later! Within two days I found myself fully intergreted into village life, drinking and partying with the locals and eating street food at the market for about 75 cents a day. I will guide you through cheap living tips as the website grows!

RECENT UPGRADES TO HOUSE!

So after 5 weeks of living out of an icebox, using endless gas canisters to get hot water and struggling with just one gas camping stove to cook on, I thought it was time to increase my living standards, just a little! At the start of June 2025, the “luxury”purchases were complete.

Purchases as seen above, included a water heater, an air fryer, a fridge freezer, table and chairs and more importantly a new guitar after finding it very difficult to transport by moped from Phnom Penh! Life is a lot easier now without going too western. Still basic shower and toilet facilities and clothes washing by hand, although I have found a sneaky local laundry place if I need clean clothes for work which I’m trying to avoid!