Cambodia was a very different place back in 1989. Journalists had to fly via Ho Chi Minh and all unaccompanied travel out of the capital was prohibited. I was travelling with Louise Williams, who was the Bureau Chief of the Sydney Morning Herald Magazine at the time and we had agreed that while she dealt with several interviews in PhnomPenh, I would see if I could disappear for the day and come back with some interesting images. 
I managed to smuggle myself onto the Southbound Train headed to Kampot, shooting this image of Cambodian People's Armed Forces soldiers on the roof after we had been soaked and snap-frozen by a fierce monsoon storm. On the return trip our train broke down and the darkness enveloped us. Desperate to get back  before my disappearance was discovered I found a ride with some motorbike smugglers and we set off into the night. On arriving in Phnom Penh hours later I tried to offer them money but they refused, huge smiles on their faces. I later learned that thanks to my presence we had made it through every military checkpoint without having to pay bribes or taxes because they had said I was Russian. That night in the capital we ate the Khmer delicacy, Chap Chien; sparrows that had fled the Russian winter for warmer climes only to be harvested and deep fried in an upstairs restaurant near the central market. Louise, I should add, stuck to her vegetarian precepts and refused to be tempted.