...Cambodia Calling

Hello cyber pals, so it is officially the end of my first week here in Cambodia and so far so good. I don't really know where to begin so I think I'll start with the end and work my way back to the beginning - but knowing me I'll probably just jump back and forth a coupe of times till I get the story right.

So today we went to see the Tonle Sap Lake which was quite depressing. The people there live on the lake and the money they earn comes from the lake. That wasn't the completely depressing part, because it was fairly depressing in itself. For me it was the children posing for pictures for you then asking for money afterwards and the mothers/daughters using babies to beg for money. I know it's how they can earn a little extra cash and frankly who am I to judge what's going on after all I decided to come there and view the way their living, so why can't they make a little money out of it? It's just hard to come to terms that that is how people are living, how they have to live. I know on my trip here I will be faced with these situations everyday and I will have to learn how to (this sounds harsh) "block it out" but I think it will still take some getting used to. 

So this morning we had a Khmer language class and learnt a few phrases to use when we're out and about and learnt a bit abut the culture and the dos and don'ts, which is handy. 

Well I've also seen all the temples and in one of them I lit some incense and received a blessing from one of the Buddhist ladies and two bracelets for "long life and good luck" which was all very nice. At the end of the day our tour guide took us back to Angkor Wat and by one of the shrines to Buddha there was a book of Sanskrit and the tour guide said you had to put it on your head and then take the pointer that was attached to the book of Sanskrit and let it fall wherever your hand felt it should go. So I tried it and he deciphered it for me, it read: "You are loved, you are liked, you are cared for and respected." I really needed to hear that. I'm not being sarcastic. I've never been this far from home before and I didn't realise how hard it would be so for him to read that back to me made me feel a lot better.  He could have been bullshitting but I'd rather take the cynicism out of it and trust in what he read.

Right so that was Wednesday I think. I'm gonna jump a lot because I'm running out of time and need to brave the thunderstorm to go have dinner, yes I said thunderstorm. I've never, ever seen lightning like they have it here. It's beautiful but deadly all at the same time.

I''ll tell you about the plane journeys. They were very long and tiring. The first flight was ok, had to stop myself from crying the whole way through, so to cover I watched a few films that were tear jerkers. The next flight was shit, my telly didn't work and I was sat next to a large man who had really bad breath and I couldn't sleep. So boooo Emirates sort your shit out. The last flight was in a turboprop plane or a tin can death trap. That's what they should call it. I have never felt so terrified in a plane until that day. I had to not look down because I was sure there was no possible way we could stay in the air.

Right I'm being rushed so I'll mention a few last points:
1. The mossies have been biting the shit out of me. I hate them all.
2. White Tiger Balm stops mossie bites stinging so much.
3. Cambodians don't find dark skin attractive, so daddy if you're reading this, have no fear, I will not come back married. 
4. The alcohol is super cheap and super strong.
5. You can also dance on the tables/chairs.
6. I have a room to myself and only 2 days ago figured I could keep the fan on whilst turning the light off (long story fill you in next time)
7. You can't flush toilet paper down the toilet. It has to go in the bin, no matter if you've done a number one or two. Yep you heard me. 
8. I think I'm going to like it here. The people I'm living with are nice and apart from the heat the country is lush.

Right off to cycle in the rain on Oliver (that's my bikes name, he's super cool.) to get me some dinner. 

Big Ocean crossing love ya'll.