Currently in a rehabilitation center in Norway after being robbed and hit with a machete in Cambodia - AMA

Do you think you will still be able to travel and walk about in public without feeling scared?

I have no idea tbh. I have been outside two times since it happened pic: https://imgur.com/flmFUnm (except for 3x ambulance "tours"), and that was outside the hospital in a wheelchair. I have yet to actually be outside, walk and be outside in the dark. But I guess so, I dont want to quit travelling because of one bad experience. Thinking of going to the Ukraine for ish 2 weeks when I have healed fully.

OP: [Gets mugged and slashed by gang members in Cambodia] I'll go to war zone next.

https://wikitravel.org/en/Ukraine#Stay_safe

COME VISIT US IN AUSTRALIA, YOU PUSSY.

Seriously, though, mate. That's a wicked injury you've got, and I hope it all heals well.

Australia is on my list ! Kind of scared of your spiders tho :(

Australian spiders don't carry machetes though... Or do they?

They carry something far far far more dangerous, my crippling fear of spiders

Nothing here wants to kill you.

Plenty of things will kill you, but they don't want to.

There's really only one spider you need to worry about, but they just locked him up and, anyway, you don't look like young enough.

They dont have to be able to kill me, but they look sooooooo fucking scary that the fear will make me go ko-ko, good thing they locked up the dangerous one ;)

Im planning to head over there tho!

My dad and i were attacked in ethiopia (we are from Germany) and from my experience u become a bit more cautious but not paranoid :) U will be Fine, and if you are not go see a psychologist! It really helps :)

What happened to your dad if I may ask? Yea I think I'll be fine, no nightmares or stuff like that :)

A guy (for no apparent reason) tried to kill him with a knife. Ran past me my mom and my Brother(luckily) and tried to stab him but my dad somehow blocked the stab with his hands and got his hands cut (was unable to move some of his fingers after but its mostly fixed now) I was next to him and tried to Grab the blade which resulted in some minor cuts. We then were able to take him out with the help of our travel group (aka my Family and our neighbours). We were insanely lucky nothing too bad happened:) I wish u a swift recovery! :)))

Damn, sounds pretty bad :( GLad you dad is mostly healed now tho, lucky he managed to block the knife. People are crazy (the guy that stabbed your dad)... Thanks :)

I just now read your whole story and damn thats bad! Stay strong while recovering and keep your attitude, u seem like a very positive and chill dude!

Gotta stay positive when spending 80-90% of my day in bed and before that 100% :P

Fun fact I think it actually was a Norwegian doctor that did my dads operation! And yes, very lucky. We all reacted almost perfectly somehow...

Random AF !

Honestly... I have heard some horror stories about travels to Ukraine from the most bad ass adventurous travelers I know. In fact, I went to Cambodia with these same folks and they loved it and want to go back (Cambodia was cool, but I wouldn't go back personally). These friends I was mentioning had planned a trip across Ukriane but said from the moment they arrived it was one sketchy thing after another. They stayed in a hostel the first night and did not feel safe, so they they went to the nicest hotel they could find in the city for the next night. It also felt sketchy, and on that night they said someone set off fireworks in the hallwa ybut they could clearly hear gunshots and lots of commotion following. They assumed someone was killed. Needless to say they left first thing the next morning (too frightened to leave their room that night) and are never going back to Ukriane. Why not visit somewhere less dangerous next time? Also, they said it was the least convenient place they had ever visited and said they only met 1 person who spoke any shared language with them in their 4 days total they were in the country. They honeymooned by touring Chernobyl - these people dont complain about travels. I took their warning seriously.

Sounds a bit sketchy yea :O Ive been to Russia (roadtrip) and wasent that scary there, but Russia and the Ukraine isnt the same ofc. Just want to go there to visit Chernobyl, might head over to another place instead, havent yet decied, cant even walk yet so not going to be travelling anytime soon anyways :p

Yes, they enjoyed Chernobyl a lot and their appreciation of the natural beauty and history of the area reason they went back to the region and visited Ukriane again later. However, they said their experience navigating the country on their own was a chilling one.

Hang in there, I hope you recover soon and feel well.

I will, and thanks :)

What was the first thing you remember going through your mind after they had left?

I read what happened in the other thread*

Kind of a foggy memory about the whole thing. THe first thing I remember... Hmm.. I think it was something like "this did not just happen!!!!", but I think I said it out loud (in English).

I would have thought/said the same thing probably if I was able. It’s a shame it happened to you, could you see yourself ever wanting to go back to Cambodia again?

Yea, it was kind of a shock moment so I just spoke a lot of BS to myself in English for some reason after it happened. I COULD go back to Cambodia, but I have seen "everything" there, planning to go to the Ukraine for 2ish weeks when im healed tho. But maybe ill go back, not sure

I was once hit by a car as a pedestrian and my reaction for the first days was like, This cant be happening. Even though I couldnt walk, I fidnt brlieve what happened.

I feel you, I had the same thing in my mind after I got hit and the following 1-2 days in the hospital before it sunk completly in

I came from a shitty country, I wouldn't ever go travel to places like this. I would barely go visit Thailand, Cambodia is a complete no no

Where are you from?

Holy shit man! Living in Cambodia now, where exactly was this? Did they catch the guys?

Hmmm... where were YOU that night??

hahahah

Otres Village outside of Sihanoukville, on right next to Otres Beach at 1am to be exact

There are definitely lots of shady characters, both native and westerners in sihanoukville. I don't think i will be revisiting, especially after reading what happened to you. I spent 2 months there in 2012 and never even heard a rumor of anything like this happening.

It happens :/

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/police-blotter/big-day-booze-ends-brutal-machete-attack

https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/woman-dies-in-hospital-following-machete-attack-106515/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3006121/British-man-condition-gang-robbers-storm-Cambodian-bungalow-attack-machete.html

He gives the location on the other post he made. But he said it was a road called by the locals “The beachwalk” from how it was described sounded like a very long and narrow road perfect to get robbed on

It is a looooong road next to the beach where 2/3 of the road is missing lights (approx), a good place to rob people for sure!

Any hot nurses? Or ambulance staff? or doctors? or assailants?

Dude... it's Norway

So yes or no?

It's a yes

Hows the billing and insurance translating between Cambodia and Norway?

Regarding the Norway part. OP probably hit the annual limit of 2000kr(~$230) so he's done paying for medical issues for the rest of the year.

Regarding the Cambodia part. Here's hoping OP had travel insurance.

No insurance. The hospital in Cambodia only charged me $300 anyways. What was expensive was to get home, that landed on $13000, would have been approx $0 with insurance. Never again without

$13000!? Holy crap. You are going to be my example of why you need travel insurance going forward.

Its my example also ;)

Thirteen thousand U.S. dollars?? Was it first class?

It was including a doctor from Norway that picked me up in Cambodia and brought me home and business class tickets

A Dutch/European way of thinking: "At least it happened in the beginning of the year, let's get all the other checks done as well whilst I've already paid all of my $230... Sigh"

The limit period starts at January 1st every year? If so, that's kinda odd. In Sweden it starts at the date of your first payment after the last one has expired. And ends at the start date, a year later.

Im not sure how it works in Norway tbh, havent been hospitalized since I was a kid but I bet it is the same as Sweden

SHOW US YOUR HAND.

Also, did you get at least one good hit in, that’s all that matters?

Haha, my hand? I posted a picture of it :p

Nah, no hits in.. Tried to run, but was hit under the knee so I was fucked

Aw shucks. Wasn’t worth it but now you’ve battle scars and can make up stories for the laides(or lads whatever you like). Hand didn’t get stitches?

Ahh my hand now :p

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https://imgur.com/UU2umqD

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No stiches in my hand, a piece of my bone is missing in my hand but the docs said no stiches or surgery on my hand was needed, looks alright, hurts tho, as everything else in my body does (that got hit), still cant walk or stand and sleep is minimal (even on valium and ambien).

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I got battle scars and a battle story to tell the ladies (not lads) yes, well see if its worth it once am able to stand and walk again :p

What kind of story is better than attacked with a machete? You usually say you stupidly trip over scrap metal.

Yeah but If I have to realistically tell the story “I was attacked by some guys in Cambodia no idea how I survived” sounds a lot less cooler than “I fought off these Asian motherfuckers with swords, no idea how I got out alive”

Spoon-attack maybe?

So what did they rob you of? Also that looks super painful.

Samsung Galaxy A3

60 US Dollars

My ATM card

Unbelievable. Thieves are the lowest. I'm so sorry that you were hurt. I hope your recovery goes well.

I bet they needed their heroin or meth fix, they were daaaamn desperate to almost murder someone over nothing. Hope so too and thanks :)

So the TukTuk ride wasn't so expensive after all? Really makes you think of all the choices you made that ended up way more expensive if you didn't try to save a few dollars. Best of luck in your recovery and hit that PT hard.

Had I paid a couple of dollars to ride the tuk-tuk then none of this would have happened. One little change in life alters a lot! Weird to think about.

Thanks, and I will / I am :p

Yeah you can only make the best decisions knowing you will never be able to always make the right decisions. For all you know you could have gotten in to a TukTuk who collaborates with gangsters and he would drive you straight into the same situation.

True, impossible to know the outcome beforehand

How did you walk all the way back to Norway with wounded knee?

My right foot is still alright so I used crutches and walked.

But naah, I flew business class home

Yeah you deserve first class seating after an injury like that!

HAHa yea! I had to keep my leg completly straight (still have to) because it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo painful to even bend it 5 degrees, so I would have been stuck there without business class or 1st class :p

Not comparing (yours is way worse) but I had a cut along my leg in the same place as yours, couldn’t bend my leg for a while because it would of torn the stitches out. Sucks man.

Sucks big time :/ Im wearing a brace that goes from my ancle and over my thigh so i cant bend my knee while I sleep or by accident. In total I will have had it straight for 12 weeks then they will open 15 degrees bend every 2 weeks I think.

Why do Norwegians take the potatoes out of their mouth while speaking Danish?

They don't.

Because we dont want to sound Danish

Did they sever any ligaments? Will you need surgery?

Had five surgeries in about 1.5 weeks. Damage from the machete on the quadriceps muscle, patellar tendon was completly ruptued (cut in half by the machete) and a piece of bone missing from the hand

In the knee? Could they not reach any higher?

Haha, nope guess they were midgets :p Well they hit my hand so they managed to reach higher

Why does everyone chew snus in Norway and not smoke cigs ?

Because we love our lungs :))))

Would you rather be in hospital in Cambodia or Norway?

I would have to say Norway

What's your favorite breakfast food?

Eggs, bacon and beans (I think)

Is that a grinder on the table?

I didnt bring a grinder to a hospital no haha.. It's a "snus boks", google it

So they were both dual-wielding machetes? Sounds like you survived a real life boss fight.

Haha, I wish I could say yes cuz the incident would have been cooler but no, one machete each, no IRL Dark Souls boss

You just survived a boss fight on normal difficulty. It probably ratchets up to two machetes per boss on hard.

Haha yes! I dont want to try hard tho :O

Do you know how lucky you are that your dad has money?

100% lucky :O

I read your other AMA and what a crazy thing to happen to you! I saw that you said you waited like 40 mins before anyone found you. Were you worried that you would bleed out? I can't believe it took so long.

Also, it seems like it took forever to get an ambulance to you. Cops taking 50 pics?? That seems so unsympathetic. Did the robbers take any money out of the ATM or use your CCs? Any updates on the robbers?

Sorry for so many questions! I just got back from Cambodia and I can't imagine this happening because everyone was so nice there. You were right about wrong place wrong time! I wish you the best in your recovery.

Where in Cambodia were you and for how long? :) Yea between 40-60 minutes approximately, I was worried I was going to bleed out, the robbers come back to "finish the job" and everything in between!

The cops took maybe even more than 50 pics, they stood around me with AK-47's while taking picture after picture after picture until the ambulance came, then took more pictures at the hospital while they stiched me together (poorly), I guess they wanted to make money by selling the pics to a newspaper or something, never ended up in the newspaper tho.

They withdrew a couple of 100 since my code on the ATM card was the same as my phone, smart idea not :p Rest was on savings so they couldt withdraw that, phew. The robbers are from Vietnam the cops said, all they said really :/

Were you in pain, or did adrenaline take care of that?

SHIIIITLOAD of pain, its not possible to descibe how painful it was, but the adrenaline took care of a lot of the pain. It really really really hurt like 10 mins after

When you were mugged, were you dressed like a person with money or did you try to blend in?

I was wearing a short, shoes , socks and a tshirt. Worth around 300-400 USD in total (the clothes), so just regulare clothes you would use in a tropical country, but im white so I guess they saw that :p

400 dollars for a t shirt, shirts, and shoes?

3-400 seems about right yea, where the shoes alone are 200-250

What’s the extent of the knee damage and what did the Norwegian doctors do after you got there?

Hope the business class was enjoyable at least and that you medicated with enough champagne. How many stops back to Norway?

The patellar tendon was completly cut in half and parts of the quadriceps muscle was partially cut (but not fully).

The doctor said something like "damn, thats the crazies story we have had at this hospital" :p

The flight wasent too bad, some drinks, painkillers and sleeping pills + business class so I survived :p

Camboda - Vietnam - Qatar - Norway, so two layovers / stops:)

Hope you get better soon and get back to enjoying a cold beer in a far away place soon, dude

Thanks, yea me too. Fingers crossed that it wont be waaaaaaay to long until :)

Where is a good place to visit in Norway?

Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Tromsø, Finnmark and the west coast

You should have just said "all of it" except finmarksvidda, too much mosquitoesq

Originally from Finnmark so I had to include it

Would you say Ålesund is any good?

Ålesund is a beautiful city no doubt! Check out Lofoten also

Thank you! I’ll have to have a look at tickets. Lofoten is definitely on my list of places to go.

No prob! Yea you should check them both out, a lot of places in Norway to see but for a tourist it might get a bit expensive, flight to and from Norway, hotels, flight from there to there and whatnot :/

I know, I would’ve been there already. The flights aren’t too bad, but everything else is extremely expensive. If I get to see a beautiful fjord it will all be worth it though.

True! https://www.fjordtours.com/things-to-do-in-norway/the-norwegian-fjords/

Are you going to be able to walk normally? Run, swim, or other athletics?

They say so, but its a bit hard to have that hope when just sleeping hurts like a bitch, but I believe so yes

Best wishes for you. Sorry this happened.

Thanks :)

Are you Harold Balder!?

No Harold here

Awe shucks! Sending healing thoughts your way my man. I hope you’re up and around soon.

Thanks! I hope so too! :)

Hey there!

Unfortunately you are only allowed 1 AMA every 3 month period.

ops :(

What were you doing in Cambodia in the first place?

Vacation :)

A holiday in Cambodia?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Cambodia

Isn't Cambodia the country where they would kill you if you wear glasses and had special trees just to smash babies against?

I'd say you lucked out.

Never heard about that

OC is referring to the Khmer rouge’s regime. They did indeed kill and torture anyone that looked like intellectuals.

Ahhh yea, that Ive heard about ofc. Ive been to the Killing Fields