In a tuk tuk traveling through an arcade of palms on a dirt road full of potholes, we arrived at our destination: the shooting range at a military base located outside the city of Phnom Penh. Now this military base was more like a garage but instead of cars, guns were racked up on the lime-green walls. There was a single folding table with chairs that featured a “Gun Menu.” After viewing the menu which featured choices such as throwing a hand grenade into a pond for $80, or shooting an American AK-47 for $40 (prices have gone up over the past few years). Aside from taking riflery at summer camp I do not know much about guns, and being too afraid of the idea of a hand grenade blowing me up, I opted for the “American AK-47″.

I was offered a cold beer for “muay dollar” (one dollar) which the man pulled out of a dusty red and white plastic cooler and was then led into the back room to the indoor shooting range. They had put some coconuts at the end of the range as my targets. The AK-47 was placed in a wooden Y-stand which helped me prop up the heavy gun. Dripping sweat from the heat, nerves, and excitement, I took a swig of beer,  walked up to shoot, and pulled the trigger.

Shooting Range in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from YandP TV on Vimeo.