Burning Braincells in Cambodia

Intrigue and adventure collide with pandemonium and hilarity in this insane true story about life in Cambodia as an expat.

With its fascinating culture, friendly locals, and cheap lifestyle, Cambodia is a popular destination for many foreigners. Unfortunately, what people fail to mention are the dangers of being an alcoholic in this country-when disaster strikes, it can happen quickly and violently.

After thirty-one tepid years of living in Scotland, filmmaker and full-time party addict, Richard John Currie, decided to inject some much-needed adventure into his life and went backpacking in Cambodia for two months... That was in December 2011, and he didn't leave until 2019!

Richard's list of misadventures while residing in Cambodia reads like a rock star's greatest hits: brawls with fellow expats, being threatened with an axe, having a motorbike helmet smashed over his head, frequent encounters with pickpockets, and undergoing backyard surgery on an exposed bone.

Miraculously, Richard was able to find employment as a film producer and attempted to sustain a "normal" existence. But inevitably, he allowed his chaotic social life to interfere with his work, resulting in a slew of ridiculous mistakes while working on expensive film shoots.

Then came Richard's most audacious venture yet-buying a hostel in Phnom Penh. For twelve months, he dealt with a conveyor belt of carnage: belligerent customers, a soiled mattress, building repairs, and being ripped off by a local policeman. Richard handled these problems by increasing his alcohol intake, which naturally spiralled into even more shenanigans.

Burning Braincells in Cambodia is Richard John Currie's incredible journey into a never-ending abyss of chaos-a collection of entertaining and hysterical true stories about life in Cambodia that culminates in hope and redemption.