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So I'm sorry it's taken me so long to do another blog entry. It feels like so much is going on that you don't want to miss out on that it's difficult to make yourself sit down and write a blog! Although I know that's a bit of a cliche.
On the weekend just gone, 3 of us from the volunteer house decided to go down to Sihanoukville on the coast for the weekend for a bit of sun, beaching and just to see the area, although it can be quite touristy. We had a great time - 2 of us stayed in this hilarious guest house that was nothing like it looked in the pictures (maybe the lack of reviews should have alerted us), and then another, who isn't doing the whole 'backpacking' thing, stayed in this incredible hotel on a more remote and beautiful beach, Otres - we all made use of her private stretch of beach. We'd spotted an island, so we hired kayaks on Saturday and went out to find it, which was quite an adventure - it was so remote, only about 3 or 4 locals on the entire island, but a very cool experience to have. On Sunday we accidentally stumbed onto the private beach of the most expensive hotel in Sihanoukville, and were then kicked out when we realised we were supposed to have paid! Still sopping wet from the sea with no towels and a bus to catch in an hour, we made friends with the owner of a doughnut and shots (!) cafe, and had a shower there. As we were leaving we saw there had been a huge fire on the main street. It had taken down about 6 of the main youth hostels, all in just over an hour. We've heard that nobody was hurt but that a lot of possessions have gone, as you'd expect. Quite a freaky thought, knowing that these were some of the hostels I had considered!
So I said I wanted to do a bit about settling in to life in Cambodia. The main part is the heat, especially as April is the hottest month. The first week was really tricky, but it has actually been much easier to adapt than I had thought. I think knowing that I'm out here and will be dealing with it for 5 months has helped me subconsciously accustomise much quicker - I'm not really finding it a problem now. Having said that, decisions about going places are often dictated by the question 'is there aircon?' !
A saving grace is the shower situation. We've been told that out here water is, relatively, very cheap, and it is completely acceptable to be having 2 or 3 showers or rinses a day. All the locals do! One real difficulty is trying to find soap for westerners - everything contains whitening bleach, which is obviously not what we want. When I do run out of mine I've got the pleasant prospect of the only soap without whitening we can find: 'Enchanteur; perfumed soap for the elder lady. A lingering fragrance that indluges the senses to caste a charming spell all day long'.
Everything happens on two wheels here. We got to grips with the Tuk-tuks when we came out as a family last year, and they're still the staple if a large group wants to go out. So much more could be achieved in a day if the whole 'bargaining' was demolished, which always ends in the same way '$6' 'No, we pay $4' 'No, $6' 'Okay, $4.50. We do this journey every day, and its always $4' 'You pay $6!' 'Okay, we'll find another tuk-tuk.' '...Okay, $4.50'.
Since I've been here I've now been getting to grips with moto taxis, which are great fun. The roads here are absolutely crazy, but no one seems to crash, and it's pretty exhilarating whizzing around on the back of a moto. For my first week I had a 'guy' - He's called Voot Voot, and he knew to turn up at 8am and 2pm every day to take me to work. However, I've now got my own bicycle! It's $5 a week to hire, which works out cheaper than a moto. So I'm now getting to grips with the mad city's street on my own two wheels, which is almost the favourite part of my day! The trick seems to be to just point where you want to go, not stop, and have trust that traffic will part, a difficult one to remember as you are going against traffic on a busy street to make a crossing. She (the bike) has been affectionately named Shaniqua by the house, and she's quite a beauty.
I think that's all for now. Mum, you'll be pleased to know I've done 2 washes now, with the travel wash we bought and a bucket. In terms of getting a sugar kick every now and again, all the chocolate is so expensive here because it's all imported. Oreos are the only thing you can really find a good deal on - they're really quite cheap. Beer is 50 cents or a dollar, which is fantastic, and we've struck up a little deal with a shop across the road which works out at cans for about 50 cents each - ideal! There's a meditation session which happens at one of the temples which happens a couple of nights a week. I've read a couple of short intros to meditation and buddhism over here, and a group of us are going to go along and give it a go! Hopefully it will be a good experience and become a bit of a regular thing.
Well that's plenty for now. Goodbye!
- comments
jean Weston Hi Bruno Bee calling Have just read your blog very interesting All well here and hope this gets to you as I'm being instructed By Mandy and Mum .Have a lovely time.Lots of love Bee xxx
Virginia Banks Happy about the washing!
THE Dados Hmmmmm BB, wondering just HOW LONG it will take me to forgive you for not contacting me before you left!!! Like mum, I'm pleased you're washing clothes in the spirit of the locality!!! Take care. xxxx