Hi, hope you are all OK, and those of you back at school, still standing! I have been away for a 36 hr quick trip to Battambang, we left very early Sat morning and returned mid afternoon today, Sun. It has been good to get away from here and see something different, although I did it all last time I was here. The journey is nowhere near as straight forward as it looks on the map, but to make it interesting we went on a bus and returned on a boat along a flooded river, sailing over the top of grown trees and through forests of water hyacinth and across an extremely flooded Tonle Sap lake. It should all be flooded by the end of Oct, but not the beginning of Sept, so it does not bode well.

By Sunday the floods and river level had subsided, just leaving a messy, messy lot everywhere. There was the detrius from the river just lying so unhealthily. The roads are in a dire state to Grace House, but with care they can be cycled on, some locals are trying their best to fill them in a bit, but really that doesn't make too much difference. It is certainly good to be back on the bike.

Last week at GH a onderful sight met everyone, a lady who is employed to work 1:1 with a mentally handicapped boy had spare time last week as he was away. She inspected everyones hair for head lice and then preceded to wash it with the special shampoo. The children thought it was wonderful to have so much attention and a hair wash to boot. Soapy suds were running everywhere. Who knows how effective it will be, but done regularly the children must feel better.

Today Tues., started very early, at daybreak about 4:45am with very loud funeral music, no break until sunset, so I was welcomed home by it too. It will continue now for either three days if a poor family, or 10 days if a rich family, so I hope ...!

Also today the power went off at 7:50am and din't come back until 6:30pm so life as not been easy without fans, water etc this was the same at Grace House too, although theirs returned by about 1:30pm. We had a very heavy storm late afternoon, the rain has now stopped but there is terrific lightning display.

Antonia and I went to Battambang by bus on Sat am and returned by boat on Sun. It was a great weekend and the weather was very kind to us. The roads there were not too bad, but we did see one car which had left the road sinking under the flood water. Fortunately, our bus driver stopped and we were able to watch the two male occupants get out through the side windows and immediately use their mobiles. I'm sure the drivers are all extremely inexperienced and cannot cope with the road and traffic conditions in vehicles which are far more powerful than they are used to. Amazingly, when we got there the tuks were waiting for us and I spotted Mr Ollas who we used last year when I visited, so he was quickly taken on and proved excellent again. Again we stayed at the Royal Hotel, but only slept there. Our afternoon trip was excellent, the Bamboo railway lived up to expectations and we were lucky to see two local families using it. Granny had even brought her own armchair to sit on and the moto was on too.

We climbed the 360 steps to the top of Banan Temple and then walked to the top of the next mountain (hill in our words) fortunately, it was late afternoon and a pleasant temp without great humidity. Much work was happening in the paddy fields and we saw both oxen pulling ploughs and the new technology of a hand driven motor plough. I love seeing the life in the countryside but is so poor and hard. In the evening we thought we were going to see the NGO Circus again, but it turned out to be a music concert. It was excellent, nothing like we know, but the energy, musicianship and innovation was so exciting. It's difficult to believe that these adults have been rescued form a lifeof prostitution, drug abuse and homelessness. It is a French NGO which works with both orphaned children and adults.

Our return journey, by boat, began with a longish ride because the high water stopped the boat going into Battanbang, but it was great to see the early Sun morning life and local market in full swing. The journey was less stressful than last time, perhaps because I knew what to expect, but also the boat had life jackets too! We rode on the tops of the flooded trees and bushes and through very narrow channels between trees which we had to avoid if you didn't move serious injury could have been caused to limbs and eyes in particular. The water hyacinth kept on wrapping itself around the propeller, so many stops were made for that to be cut off. I was very excited to see about six pelicans, numerous cormorants and a few nameless water living type birds. After 6hrs we arrived back but a diffedrent point because of the flooding, but a guest house very kindly took us the 30km in their minibus for only 1$. The ride through that countryside was so interesting and we saw water buffalo carts, but one rice threshing machine. We passed through a few floating villages which don't seem to change, but I think I saw a new floating school set up by a catholic missionary group.

I have seen much of the US Open tennis as it is on during the night so when I cannot sleep for the heat and humidity the TV goes on! Last week I saw a bit of the athletics too.

Volunteer numbers are going up, New Zealanders, US, Belgians, and Brits but no OZ as yet.

Better close now in case others need this computer, Alan still hasn't looked at mine, so still no skype, unfortunately.

The first mushrooms were there yesterday and we ate them for lunch, nothing like anything we know - flavour and texture completely different, will put pics in next album.

The other exciting news is that GH is able to send 5 students to university for the very first time. They have been accepted on their final grade from their exams at state schoo,l but GH is financing them. They take a baccalaureate type final exam covering 10 subjects, however, I'm certain the standard will be nothing like even our GCSE's. Two will study Eng Lit, one IT and web design, one Business management and the other Chinese. The courses will last 4 yrs, with the first two based mainly on English and the last two their specialism. They will study for 3 hrs each evening after doing vol/paid work during the day. I interviewed them all, they say it is only because of GH funding them and supporting them by telling them what they can do that they are attempting it. Their families are so poor and from a uni educ the students believe they will be able to support their family. Will tell more later.

Must finish as I'm sure others would like to use this before power goes again.

Take care and love to all, J