Even though we were heading away from the city, the early morning traffic snaked along by 07:50. Mini-whirlwinds of dust cut through the krama covering my face. “I don’t think we will get there before the rice runs out,” commented Nick, our English-speaking tuk tuk driver and translator. He was right. By the time we rounded the corner and arrived at Vichika’s breakfast stand just before 08:00, all that was left were some scrambled eggs.
Vichika lives at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump. As a scavenger she eked out a living, making about $2.50 on a good day going through the rubbish looking for plastic, tin and glass to sell to recycle operations. Then Down in the Dumps – a non-NGO with no administration overhead – fronted up with $200 and her life changed. She had the capital to go into business. “She is doing very well,” translated Nick, with a hint of admiration in his voice “and some weeks she can make $70.” For the people at the dump who aspire to $100 a month, it is a fortune.
Vichika’s routine is that she gets up at 01:00 or 01:30 and starts cooking: rice, pork, eggs. Then at 05:00 she hauls the food, plates and cutlery about half a kilometre down the road. Her solid wooden stand is propped up against the fence of a school yard. She lowers it, adjusts the tarp for shade and opens shop at 06:00. She dishes out food until the rice runs out; then she is done for the day.
Most of her customers are workers from the nearby factories. Her husband works in a juice place so his buddies eat there. Others are truck or tuk tuk drivers who don’t have anywhere to cook. They are basic working men who quickly wolf down the meal and swig on cups of tea.
The food at Vichika’s is basic and it is what most Khmer people eat most of the time. Which explains why these breakfast places are found absolutely everywhere.
Breakfast at the dump is about as far off the tourist track as you can get. Getting there before the rice runs out takes some planning. Give Nick a call on 012 361355 and arrange for a 05:30 or 06:00 pick-up to avoid the dust-infused traffic. He has made the run many times with Down in the Dumps and knows the people there.
Pull up a plastic chair and tuck into a bowl of rice and pork for 3,000 riel (about 75 cents) or 4,000 riel ($1) with a side of scrambled eggs. Don’t expect the hygiene standards to measure up to those of the hermeneutically sealed West. We are in the Kingdom, after all.
After the rice is gone, get Vichika or her sister Len – who both speak some English – to take you on the stroll around the dump. The dessert of having breakfast at Vichika’s is that you will realise you have no right to complain about money ever again.
Vichika’s, Stung Meanchey garbage dump; call Nick on 012 361355 for a pick-up.