Cambodia Evaluation 223.123

Cambodia

Likes: Siem Reap, Dr Fish fish spa, roof top pools, Tx visiting, Bayon Temple, $1 yellow noodles in the market, my students, ever-so friendly yet not intruding locals, having a table full of poor children join us for dinner around one table in the market and seeing their many tricks and jokes, night buses with bunk beds aboard.

Dislikes: Powercuts which stop the fans and a/c, having such a mixed ability in my teaching class, seeing so many landmine victims, seeing naked crying babies begging with their siblings, the killing fields,

Sunrises missed: 34

Places visited: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville

Number of times i wanted to come home: 1. It would be fun to see the royal wedding and have a tea and scones celebration wouldn't it?

Favourite hotel: Golden Sands, Sihanokville- nice big pool and sunbeds in the shade.
Favourite memory: Cycling to school along muddy back roads in the shade with babies and adults alike shouting hello at us.
Worst day: One evening when we were in the market eating dinner (every dish costs $1-1.25) and some western boys spent a while haggling with the owner to discount their cans of beer. She could not give it to them for 50cents so they left and she felt bad. So obviously so, that we appologised and told her that we understood and that her prices were good prices. She was deflated though and continued to express dismay and appologise that she could not discount the beer that much as it costs more. Where do these boys think think this little market stall in the street with rickety cracked plastic chairs spend all their money? Do they not realise it is almost hand to mouth at this stall? 10meters away is a whole street of resturants that do draft beer for 50cents, go there! However, they continued down the line of similar stalls to ours, haggling away trying to get 50cent beer, but never being offered it whilst the stall holders get sadder and more frustrated.

Favourite new food or drink: Lemon Juice with sugar and Beef Loklak (with plenty of whole green pepper corns).

Best/worst smell: Fish sauce. Why.....?

Best/worst noise: Wonderful and horrible all in one- each wedding would play VERY loud music from morning til night, initially kind of fun to hear as you walk along, less so when you are still trying to sleep at 5am.

Pictures taken before Tx arrived: 17

Pictures taken by Tx: 223
Number of times we said 'Wow' as we walked around Angkor Wat and similar temples: 4,million.

Number of times Xss got a massive bump on his head and a cut from hitting the bottom of the pool whilst trying to do 'no limbs swimming': 1 very funny time. He's fine now.

Best Norwich City Victory: 5:1 against Ipswich. yippee.
Weirdest country fact: Cambodia's 24 hour clock starts at midday and ends at midnigt. A little disorientating when displayed on a night bus.
New thing learnt: When you are away from home there is much less to worry and stress about. Nowdays it is stressful if we have to fit in more than two activities in one day! Oh, its going to be tough going home and managing work. I think i will boycott less things when i am home also. I will pick a few key ones, and leave the rest. Life is too short to be over analysing all these minor decisions when there are so many major ones around.
Country Score: 223.123