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Hi, as you can see we are seriously flooded in this time, water in places waist deep, and that is the case along most of this road. We have worked three days this week, but the major rain came on Wed evening and lasted torrentially for about 16 hrs. We have had more since, but not as ferocious or long lasting. Thursday we managed to get to school after a frightful journey, very strong language and worry about our survival, the tuk broke down twice and how we didn't overturn on the road as we went through the potholes we'll never know. However, as conditions were so bad we closed school for everyone's safety. After a lunch in town we managed to persuade a tuk to bring us home but the water was knee deep out here by then.
Friday was spent watching it rise further, the locals going about their daily lives pushing their bikes and motos as too difficult to ride/or they'd broken down. The ladies were still delivering the large blocks of ice on their bikes, and of course, locals have to shop daily as they only buy sufficient for one meal as they have no means of keeping it in the heat. As various people passed or phoned the office we learned how bad it was in town - worse than anyone had ever seen before. We panicked as we didn't have much food, so Nick very kindly went in for us and brought back a few basics. As the levels continued to rise, the security guys here began to make sandbags and put them on our top step, I thought it a bit unnecessary, but they have been proved right! No water is in here, but it is over the bottom of three steps.
My major worry was Jen and Ric as they were supposed to be arriving in SR from Saigon Ho Chi Minh City that night at about 8:30pm, I sent them an email saying stay in Phnom Penh, but they didn't read it, I was so worried that a tuk driver would bring them so far and then dump them in the deep water where there are no lights and say, 'not going any more.' As it happened he actually showed them the water and then took them to a Guest house - it now being about midnight' After a sleepless night, Ric was able to ring me earlyish this morning, so relief quickly set in.
It was great fun waiting for them to arrive as the locals were going shopping again, the guy next door went on the board he carried the pups away in the other night and returned using saucepans as paddles. Then a long bamboo pole sailed past, he rescued it and tried being a gondolier, too tiring, so resorted sitting and using as a punting stick.
Jen and Ric managed to wade here and thought it was a great adventure. It was great to see them and their photos and of course I'd asked them to bring bread. However, Bevan, Sian, me and them decided to walk to Wat Bo to find something to eat. I was terrified and felt like an old lady using the umbrella to find the potholes, but as we got a bit closer to the river, the force of the water was immense and made walking very difficult, definitely acted as a workout, it could quite easily knocked any of us over. How the kids stand up to it I shall never know. Two places we intended to go to were badly flooded but Soria Moria was open. A two course meal for five with two drinks each cost 25$, so we didn't do badly. Jen and Ric went home as it was pointless them walking back here to go back again, but we have made arrangements to meet in town tomorrow - us the difficult walk, theirs much easier! The water is certainly not potable! What we cannot do is think about what is in it - some will be fresh, the rest sewage and the like! It's great fun to see the coconuts bobbing along and I think about teaching seed despersal, but not the rubbish and the abandoned flip flops. We all shower immediately the water has touched us, but I notice my legs are still tingling - 3 hrs later!
After last week 70 families in one of our villages hadn't got any food, so GH made an appeal on Facebook for support, but have bought 80kg of rice for them. However, now families have had to move ionto the classrooms, so Dani has moved out to school to supervise the support that GH can give. How any of the families are coping I caanot imagine, many animals are drowning, and the rice crop will be lost as we have got too much lying water now and it has lasted too long.
Some dogs are enjoying the water, but most are trrified of it, and many cats are staying on roof tops, I closed my window this morning as I was worried one might try to get in through it! The puppies in the photo were many moved to drier land and the lady takes the mother to them every day to feed them, but this morning when she was dragging mum back she escaped the piece of string and ran straight back.
There have been 58 deaths that I'm aware of and on Thursday 300 tourists had to be rescued from Bantreay Srei temple by helicopter as a bridge was swept away. That is my favourite temple and I was intending to take J and R there, probably not possible.
We are experiencing cabin fever and the girls who are only here for a month are really missing out on the experience of working at GH and seeing the local life/sights etc. Hopefully things will improve, but everyone is expecting it to take a while and of course, more rain may fall.
The locals take everything in their stride and are still friendly and smiling, but this is also spoiling a special time for them as at Pchum Ben families get togethe,r and many will have been stopped from travelling by the water - like snow at Christmas. They also visit the pagodas together to remember their deceased family, have a large meal together and dance
Enough for now, we're not starving to death yet and are warm and dry - it may improve or get worse! Don't worry Mati and Geoff I'm sure all will be fine by when you arrive!
Didn't want to write about the floods before in case it worried Eileen, but J and R are fine and thoroughly enjoying themselves and eating well!
Take care and love to all, J x
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