...Cambodia Calling 12 - Battambang.

So last weekend a bunch of us decided to put on our adventurer hats and take a trip to Battambang - pronounced BattamBONG. Confusing yet utterly brilliant right? It's such a beautiful city, it reminded me a bit of Phnom Penh but it was a thousand times nicer. It still had a lot of the architecture that Phnom Penh has but it's not so busy and everything closes at 11pm. So if your looking for a raucous night out then Battambang isn't the city to do it in.

The adventure started the same way all adventures do - on a bus. This was my first ride on a big bus and to be honest it wasn't as scary as taking those bloody mini vans. I guess it's because 1.  the bus is a hell of a lot bigger then a mini van and 2. no one can really argue with a big bus, they just get out of the way instead. So we leave early in the morning, get picked up by the skanky mini van and dropped off in town to board our big one. The journey there wasn't too bad, the driver did decide to leave us for half an hour in a random town to do whatever important things he thought he needed to do in the middle of a shift. But hey,  I'm not complaining. When we do finally make it to our destination we get hounded by the tuk tuk drivers (so typical) and they all want you to do their tour (which we didn't, we took the one the hostel was offering which was cheaper) there was a creepy tuk tuk guy who didn't want to take us to our hostel because apparently the hostel didn't like him. Tough shit mate, you shouldn't have agreed to drive us there in the first place! He kept badgering us to let him take us around the town and once we got to the hostel he gave me his business card and told me to call him if we wanted a tour. Clearly I didn't.

We then settled in, had a yummy lunch and then jumped in our tuk tuk to our first adventurer stop - the bamboo train. The ride in the tuk tuk was a little bit long but we got to see a load of the countryside which was nice. Once we got to the bamboo train we were greeted by a really friendly police man who gave us his little spiel and showed us the direction we had to head in but whoa! Who did we happen to bump into? That's right, creepy tuk tuk man. He did not look happy to see us and muttered something under his breath and gave us all death stares. Oh well, never mind the bamboo train was calling us.

It was so cool, it is a platform made out of bamboo with a cut out bit for the engine and it all sits on metal wheels and the engine chugs it along the tracks, it looks like this:

  

After such a fun filled morning we then headed straight to the mountain to go do some hiking - in flip flops, again. We get there and lo and behold who is behind us? Creepy tuk tuk man! This is when it stopped being funny and a little bit scary...

There were so many pretty temples up the mountain, I took a picture of the inside of this one because I love the colours. The whole temple was decorated in the same bright colours and it was so beautiful to look at. Next came the killing caves and I didn't want to go in. It was such a strange experience, right before the opening of the cave, where the stairs were the air felt instantly cold. As is someone had sucked all the life out of it but when I took one step back it was hot again. That really unnerved me and yeah it may be me being a little superstitious but I've learnt to follow my gut and my gut said no, so I didn't go down to the base of the cave. I just stood on the stairs for what felt like forever and then left.

We then bumped into a few monks who we got chatting to. One asked me why my skin was so dark if I am from London, I just smiled and told him there are many different types of people in London with many different skin colours. I don't think my answer was a sufficient one cos looked at me like I was crazy... They showed us to the top of the mountain which was another long walk but it was absolutely beautiful - well worth the hike.

To round of the day we made it down to the bottom of the mountain to watch the fruit bats flying out of the cave at exactly 5.50pm, which is the time they all go hunting for insects etc, it was so cool and such a lovely end for the day and that's exactly what I'm going to end this blog with folks. It's a video (obviously...!) so please enjoy.

Big Ocean crossing love ya'll.

...Cambodia Calling 11 - Last Day at Work.

So Friday was my last day at work, which on one hand was brilliant and on the other hand it was really sad. It has been such a crazy 3 months, I've done so much, I've had good times and some not so good times. I counted down the days to the very last day and now it's been and gone I'm a little lost. My boss cried which was pretty weird, I wasn't sure what I could do about it so I just sort of stood there but when old people cry it makes me cry! Other then that I'm going to miss all my little kids and I don't think they fully understood that I won't be coming back. My big ones got it, I think, they all gave me such big hugs before they left and one of them made me little origami cranes, stars, love hearts and a giant ball/star. I was really touched, it must have taken her so long to make them all and I really appreciate it. Now the only problem is how to get it home! I don't want it to be crushed and I really want to hang it up when I get back so any suggestions on how to bring it home safely will be much appreciated!!

I took lots of pictures of my kids and of my way home from work. I managed to cycle and take pictures so I think my cycling has improved dramatically from the first day, seeing as on the first day I fell of my bike in the middle of traffic...oops! So this blog will be mainly pictures mi amigas, I hope you enjoy taking a look!

 Somnang with the little ones in the Kindergarten.














Me and the little ones - they are so cute!

















Doorway of the pagoda that I cycle past everyday.

















Full view of the pagoda. Such a beautiful place to cycle through.
















My big kids and I. Going to miss their cheeky faces!
















The second pagoda I cycle past at sunset.

Photo exhibition by Pablo Bartholomew. He's such a brilliant photographer go check him out online - do it now! 

 Cycling home.

 Roads don't look too busy but they were! At those times I thought it best to put my camera away and concentrate on not dying...

Oliver and I on our way home.

Approaching chocolate road.

















So here you go! I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures and there will be many more to follow!

Big Ocean crossing love ya'll!

...Cambodia Calling 10 - Landmines, Waterfalls and Another Farewell.

So it's been an eventful weekend fellow cyber trekkers. After a long week it was really nice to relax and go hang out at a waterfall. Again! Getting up at 6 in the morning after 4 hours sleep wasn't very nice but it was worth it.

After getting on the road we then had the option of stopping at the landmine museum which I was very happy about seeing as I had planned to go once I finished work, so that was a big bonus. It is such an inspirational place, the man who founded it and still runs it is called Aki Ra (totally thought of Japanese anime the first time I heard his name) and he is a former child soldier for the KR. He was trained to fight and to lay land mines around the Cambodia - Thai border. He defected from the KR when he was a teenager and joined the Vietnam army to fight back and after that he dedicated his life to removing all land mines in Cambodia and training other people to do it his way (which is the total crazy way, he uses a sharp stick, his hands and sometimes a wrench...). It is predicted he has removed over 50,000 land mines himself and the number is even more when you factor in all the ones he has removed with his team of over 1,000 dedicated land mine removal staff (which are mostly army guys whom he trains). Within the museum there is also a school for children who have been affected by land mines.

This is a case showing some of the land mines and the missiles that Aki Ra and his team have deactivated. There were so many different ones within that case and even more in the museum. Not everything they deactivate are land mines, if you look really closely you can see a few missiles as well.









After mooching around the museum we climb back into our mini van and continue our journey up to the waterfall. It was relatively pleasant, only the usual bumps and jiggles you get with a Cambodian road but then came the mountain. I was so scared, it was so steep I seriously thought we were going to roll backwards and off the mountain and never be seen again. The poor mini van kept groaning and at one point we all thought that it may be a good idea to just get out and walk! But the treacherous climb was worth it, the waterfall was absolutely beautiful.

 It's so purdy!! I couldn't hold back my excitement and decided to run into the water and then realised my mistake. The water was absolutely freezing. However this still didn't stop me from attempting to go behind the water and peek out like a little rabbit in a hole. That was even colder. I felt like I was hyperventilating, the water was cold, fast flowing and pounded on my head and my chest like nothing I've felt before, I only stayed behind there long enough to take a few pictures then I bailed. I'm such a smart girl! I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon, I've learnt my lesson....

After lunch we went trekking in the forest up to the temple - trekking in sandals may I add, which is not a smart move especially when you are told not to step off the path because there may be poisonous snakes/spiders/plants lurking in the bushes waiting to cause you some serious damage - cheers jungle. But it's pretty hard to trek in the jungle/bush area with only sandals - I don't recommend it. If you know you're going trekking always, ALWAYS wear hiking boots. You don't want to accidentally slip, stumble off the path and into the eager, waiting clutches of a deadly poisonous snake. Hmmmm.

So all in all it was a good but exhausting day. I had a very good time chilling in freezing cold water (I decided to go in once more at the bottom, cos you know I obviously thought my body was impenetrable and the cold wouldn't affect me. It had absolutely nothing to do with the 5 beers I had previously drunk...) but I was ready to go home, get warm again and have some dinner. 

That night was the last night in Cambodia for Emily (DS), Emily (Spuddy) and Katie (KLS), they were heading to Thailand to spend Christmas on the beach! It was sad but I wasn't totally distraught this time, mainly because 1. we all live in England so it will be pretty easy to see each other again and 2. I'm seeing Emily (DS) at the end of Jan in Thailand for one last crazy night out before we both have to head home. I'm looking forward to it so much, she is such a crazy girl (in fact they all are) and I do really miss having my Brits around me but we will meet again. Like I always say it is never goodbye, it's an I'll see you later. Steph and Nina leave tomorrow *sigh* and then come Monday it will be Thirza, Kai and myself packing up but I won't be moving on (only to a hostel) and Thirza and Kai will go to join the Emily's and Katie in Thailand, Nina goes to spend Christmas with her family and Steph goes to join her boyfriend in Australia. I'm going to miss them, Siem Reap won't be the same without them. I'll try my best not to cry but I can't promise anything. We have planned a massive get together next year, so I am very much looking forward to that.

But for now I'm going to go and have some lunch before I head back to work - oh did I mention I only have 3 AND A HALF MORE DAYS TO GO???!!! I cannot bloody wait. I'm going to SLEEP without the constant barking of those bloody dogs, the cats humping and the building work starting at 5 in the morning! Wooooooo!

Big Ocean crossing love ya'll.



P.S I forgot to mention I finally got me some of this:



It tasted AMAZING.

...Cambodia Calling 9 - Corn.

So for the past week I have been obsessed with corn. I want, nay I need, to eat me some corn. I don't know why I just really, really want some.

It started last week when Jenni and I were cycling back from work and we passed a guy selling corn and I was like "Ahhh! Corn!" But I couldn't stop to get the delicious smelling corn because one: I was running late for an English lesson and two: I had no money on me. It sucked. I was so hungry and it smelt so good but I figured that he'd be there tomorrow because you know everyone wants corn, what crazy person doesn't?

The next day arrived and I was armed with some money but he wasn't there. He wasn't there on the way to work and he wasn't there on the way home. Gutted. The next day the same thing happened, this is when the hunt really began, I was so determined to find me a man selling corn that even when I cycled into town I was sure, so sure that I would find someone, but there wasn't anyone! Not one person selling corn! It then became a mission, a need, to hunt down whoever was selling corn and to buy it. All of it. Then consume it, letting the juicy, corny goodness into my soul and nourish me. (It's a wee bit like food porn isn't it? Very sorry...)

I still haven't had any corn. I think it's a conspiracy. Whenever I'm hungry and I'm looking for corn there is no one around, only the pancake guys and the weird snail/cockle men, (but really who wants to eat snails and cockles?) and then when I've given up and decided to eat a proper dinner there they are! (Corn is actually a very healthy dinner.) The bastards! They know I have no space for their delicious corn and they taunt me with it. I'm so angry! I just want some corn! Is that too much to ask? Am I wanting too much? Do they not want my money? WHY WON'T THEY LET ME HAVE ANY?

I feel like this could affect me, you know, deep down, psychologically scared for life. So much so that even when I go home I can't look corn in the eye, it'll be too painful. 

You're probably wondering how I've managed to write a whole blog about corn but if you know me well, you know I like me some corn. At home I eat it out of the tin. Just for a snack you know, it's delicious and nutritious and a lot better then eating a packet of digestive biscuits so WHY WON'T THEY LET ME EAT CORN? I think I may need to take this to the PM. I think I may actually have a problem...I think I should let it go, I probably won't though.

On other non corn related notes I officially have 9 working days left. Huzzah! I also have this whole week off because of the water festival, which is cool, it means I can relax and not have to always be rushing around all sweaty and dishevelled. I can actually cycle for pleasure. It's all very weird and wonderful. I'm actually considering buying a bike when I get home, I really enjoy riding Oliver (hahaha! Riding Oliver, get it? Get it?) and I think I will miss the exercise when I get back. We will see, I don't think London would appreciate my Cambodian style cycling on their streets. It's the only way I know how to cycle now, it's not my fault and it actually makes a lot more sense to weave in and out of the traffic ignoring the toots from the cars and the buses (I'm basically just trying to justify my crazy cycling...)

I also said goodbye to another Thida girl. It's gonna be like this for the next 3 weeks, more and more of us are leaving, it's so sad. So I said goodbye to Phavy and luckily I got to take her to the airport which was so emotional and I really didn't want to say goodbye. (I don't think I can handle anymore goodbyes, it's really taking it's toll on me). However, like I said to her, this isn't goodbye, it's just see you later. The beautiful thing is it's a bond (hopefully) for life. Phavy if you're reading this you cannot escape me. It's too late, I've latched on...I just want to let you all know how amazingly wonderful, caring and dirty minded Phavy is. I don't think anyone has made me laugh that hard in a long time. I'm gonna miss it. Who shall I make dirty jokes with now? Who?! I'm just gonna end up being wildly inappropriate with everyone and that's gonna get me nowhere (Phavy this is technically you're fault), or it may get me somewhere..! Ich liebe dich Phavy. You are my star and I love you to bits.

Right, I need to put some clothes on and go get some lunch; just to clarify I am wearing clothes but I can't go outside in just my pants...Until next time.


Big Ocean crossing love ya'll.

...Cambodia Calling 8 - To Loose a Generation.

So this weekend was a wee bit emotional. Ronny and I popped down to Phnom Penh to drag Phavy back to Siem Reap with us and along the way we decided to pay a visit to the Killing Fields. Now I make it sound like we just popped down for a quick cup of tea and then had a jolly little nose around and then came back home but it wasn't like that. I'm not quite sure what I expected. Neat little rows of graves maybe with little white crosses to mark where the people have been buried? Or maybe just an empty field? I just know that I wasn't prepared for what I found and what I saw. I'm finding it hard to put it down properly in words so excuse me if this comes out a bit jumbled. I've been trying since Saturday to collect my thoughts but they are refusing to rest in the same place as each other.

So where to begin?

It was a lovely day, not too hot and then sun was preparing itself to set (sounds magical doesn't it?) We take a moto to get there and riding a moto in Phnom Penh is a hell of a lot scarier then riding one in Siem Reap, for one there is so much more traffic and for two the people don't really give a shit if they crash into you. This was made all too real when a truck loomed out of nowhere and all I could think of was how to protect my head if I happened to hit the ground. Thankfully it didn't happen but I now know how I will save myself giving the circumstance (dramatic aren't I? I bet most people on a moto are thinking about the breeze in their hair and how wonderfully exhilarating the whole experience is).

So we get there, pay to get in and collect our headsets. There are a few tourists still hanging about and most of them are giggling, which gives the false impression that this is going to be a lovely experience. The first thing I saw was the memorial stupa and to be honest the only reason it caught my eye was because the first two levels (which were completely glass windows) had rows and rows of human skulls, sitting there, staring back at you. It was incredibly haunting. I don't think I can really describe what it looked like and the feeling you get when once you have finished the "tour" and realise where and how the skulls came to be there.

We went on and saw a lot of excavated graves and non excavated graves and specially cordoned off ones for, well, for the truly horrific deaths. I didn't take many pictures, it didn't feel right but I did take a picture of this tree:

Beautiful isn't it? There were so many bracelets on the tree that from far away you would never have any idea about the horror that has been burned into the bark. The board reads : "Killing tree against which executioners beat children".














I think this tree sums it all up for me really. The man directing our audio tour said that the KR had a saying that I can't remember properly but it was something like "pull out the roots from the tree" meaning take care of the children so that they can never exact revenge for what we do to their parents. I can never ever in my wildest nightmares imagine something so horrifying as this. The Cambodian people have lost a whole generation, not just the younger ones that would have been in their early/mid thirties but also their elders. Everyone. Gone. Wiped out for no apparent reason. I've been trying to make sense of this, I've been trying to see if there was at least some pattern, some thought behind any of this and I haven't been able to come up with any answers. I have never felt so sad before. Maybe sad isn't a strong enough word but I really can't think of a better one right now. I have so much more respect and love for Cambodians, to come through so much atrocity and still hold so much love in their heart's for mankind is something truly remarkable. It just goes to show you never know the scares that linger underneath a society until you take a closer look.

I can't say if I am glad or not that I went. All I know is that it was an experience, one that I am still trying to wrap my mind around. I'm not sure I'll ever make sense of it.

Now that I've laid the heavy on you I should let you know that the week before this was better. I was ill, I got better and my kids made me get well cards. They are brilliant. I really adore my children. I was told that I should watch a lot of Mickey Mouse, I'm guessing he can make you better. They also asked Jen (another Thida volunteer that I work with) if I was in the hospital because I was sick. When she said no they then said why not? You should call an ambulance and she should go to the hospital. I think it just goes to show that one, they are actually paying attention in their lessons for the day before Jen taught then all about the hospital and that's where they got the idea from. Two, they do like me! Even if I'm really strict and make them do lots of work, deep down they think I'm a good teacher. It's true! I have written proof of it...

I'm gonna leave it there. My poor brain has gone into overdrive and I need to space out for a while. I have a week off next week because of the Water Festival (even though there isn't going to be a boat race because the country is still mourning the loss of the former King) so I am going to take that time to sleep, eat lots of cake, drink lots of wine and perfect my tan because frankly I'm looking a bit pale...


Big Ocean crossing love ya'll.

...Cambodia Calling 7 - Goodbye's are Never Easy.

As the title suggest this is going to be a merry little slinger. This week has had its middles, lows and very lows. Don't worry folks, it's not that serious and no I won't harm myself.

So I'm sick - again. A round of applause for my immune system it's doing a bang up job of keeping the lurgy away. I only have one question for this defunct body of mine and that is why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Do I not care for you? Love you as if you were my own? Treat you with love, kindness and compassion? I give you food, water, rum, what more do you need?! Please tell me because it seems like I am missing the point that you are trying to make to me. Do you need more rum? Is that the problem? Ok maybe that was more then one question, but once you start asking the ball just keeps rolling. What can I say, I'm a detective, remember?

"Rachel Roots" - that could be the name of my detective agency. It implies hard work, determination and no fear of getting dirty. Like really, really dirty. Prepared to jump into those big rubbish bins just to find evidence and shit. No actually shit but you know if I'm in a rubbish bin the chances are there is going to be some shit. Hopefully it's tied up in a bag. 

Gone off point! As usual, I should stop trying to mould this process and just let you read a random collection of my thoughts. I did that once, it's titled "Consciousness" and you can find it nestled in between the stories on this here blog. (Nothing like a good bit of self promotion eh?)

So I bought these tissues from a random pharmacy and (typically) I was over charged. That's not the worst part, I'm use to being charged double and 9/10 times I argue the point but I was in no position to argue this time. My nose was running and she was clearly in the whole "supply and demand" mindset, so I forked over my dollar for 2 tiny packets of tissues (it's extortion, in the supermarket it's 70 cents...) and they smell like aftershave. Men's aftershave. Now I'm all for a good smelling man but I really don't want to blow my nose with one. It's like my nose has been assaulted by a teenage boy who was giving a bottle of Joop for his birthday and now thinks he's Hugh Hefner. Not cool. (If you weren't following that whole "tissues smelling like aftershave" is the worst part). She's probably been trying to shift them for a year and no Cambodian wants to take them and then I rock up and she's like "bingo!" and thus the tale unfolds and I walk away with my nose smelling like I should be called Jack, sitting in my local, sipping on a WKD cos I think it's cool.

Blew up that point didn't I?

Well I guess that was the low and the middle is to follow.

My back got better (wooooooo!!!!) and then I got sick. End of story. That was the middle, I hope it blew your minds, I know it was super fantastic.

So the very low. *sigh*.

Today I said goodbye to Charlotte and yeah I know it's not like a proper goodbye and it's just an "I'll see you soon." But nevertheless it reduce me to a teary, snotty wreck, standing in the middle of the road, bawling like a baby. I'm just a glass cage of emotion right now. I blame the flu and the looming onset of my period (that always does strange things to my hormonal system). I'm gonna miss her though, I'm gonna miss her so much. It was such a pleasure getting to know her and we had such crazy, fantastic times that will linger in my memory long after the haze of Cambodia dies down. She is a fantastic person. There are no other words to describe her (ok the words insane, bad influence, ginger, amazing and all round brilliant spring to mind but come on now, we will just stick to fantastic).  So before I start snotting all over the place I will just say this: I have learnt here that experiences that are life changing bring you closer together, especially if you are experiencing those things together. It shows people's true colours and brings to light the sides of yourself that you try to hide. Charlotte let all those sides hang loose and never compromised on what she believed in and who she was. That is something truly amazing and shows an incredibly strong sense of character. It is something I am beginning to learn to do for myself, so I say thank you. Thank you for showing me that I do not need to compromise on who I am, your the bees knees innit? I hope she gets home safely and that the cold isn't too much of a shock to the system! Goodbye for now Bad Influence Charlotte, big love you get me? I don't think it helps that I have Avril bloody Lavigne playing round and round in my head. No Avril I don't want to keep hanging on, leave me alone and go bother someone else.

The next one to say goodbye to is Phavy but I'm not thinking about that right now. I have a whole week to prepare myself.

So I'm going to end it there and crawl into the disease hole that is now my room and try sleep off this fever. Finger's crossed I'll feel better come the morning and if not then I'll just chew on a few more paracetamols.


Big Ocean crossing love ya'll!

...Cambodia Calling 6 - Of Mice and Men.

You've probably guessed what this blog is going to about, from the title, well half guessed at least. You're a smart bunch, I'll give you that. I'll start off with the former, the topic being mice.

I think I'm becoming a wee bit obsessed with tracking and killing all mice. Not just the bastard that haunts my house but all mice. Everywhere. Even when I get home I will make it my duty to kill them all. You might think this is a bit extreme but when you are awoken at night by something falling unexplained in your room, then hearing scratching noises and scuttling you begin to imagine brilliant ways in which the mouse, who has interrupted your sleep and left you a present on top of your mosquito net, can be killed. The present on top of my mosquito net freaks me out, it means it left it while I was asleep, which therefore means IT WAS WATCHING ME SLEEP! I may be paranoid but you can't deny I would make one hell of a detective. I could call my detective agency something witty like "Rachel Reaps" or "Righteous Rachel" something along those lines, although the first name sounds more like a prostitutes street name then an upright, legal detective agency. I'll have to have a think and come back with a better name. Anyway I have moved off point, as always.

The mouse struck in the dead of night, scaling the faux marble shelves that are built to house our food and stealing a loaf of bread and scaling back down it, proceeded to eat it in the middle of the t.v room. (Sounds dramatic doesn't it?) But this is the length the little shit will go to eat. It probably gorged itself on bread and then sat on top of my mosquito net, watching me sleep, plotting my doom. I'll catch it and see it's sorted out for once and for all, then leave it somewhere all mice can see as a warning not to enter or the same thing will happen. Like they did to pirates and thieves in times of old.

I think I've gone a little mad and will stop talking about mice just in case some of you get the idea to alert PETA or the RSPCA. I love animals, really I do, mostly cats, but it's just something about these little blighters that makes me so angry! 

So moving swiftly onto the latter part of my subject material. Of men. Not actual men or the Man (he will not be referred to in this blog again (after this reference that is)) no I mean people in general. Like you know how people use the word man to mean the human race, well I'm using it in that sense also. Call it literary license or whatever.

I had to say a final goodbye today to one of the Thida girls, Mirthe. I didn't know her very long, only a few weeks but it was enough to leave a lasting impression - in a good way. She is one of those few people you meet who are genuinely kind hearted, beautiful, crazy, loving, wonderful human beings that I am so happy to have met and have good memories of. Saying goodbye was hard, it was a lot more emotional then I thought it would be, like I knew it would be sad but I didn't bargain for how sad. She is the first person I've had to say goodbye to since I've been here and unfortunately she won't be the last. God only knows how Charlotte's feeling, seeing as they were roommates for a good 2 months and you could see they were like sisters. I'll give her a big fat hug when she comes back from the airport and Phavy too. Mirthe gave me a Baht note (Thai currency) to buy myself a beer once I get to Thailand, I can't remember how much it is and that's not what matters, it's the gesture that's important and it just reinforces how fantastic she is. I said I'd take a picture of me spending it and I will be true to my word. She will be sorely missed.

Apologies fellows for the weird way I may be typing, I just finished reading a book that was based in medieval England and I can't get the way they speak out of my head. It was a good book, it kept me gripped, I read it in 4 days. It wasn't something I'd usually pick up and I feel a wee bit disturbed by it (there was an evil child in it, evil children always give me the creeps) but nonetheless it was a good story.


Lastly I have a new obsession, it's not an expensive one (thank God for that, though the rate I'm going through it, it could bloody well turn out to be) but it is a delicious one.

It's ice tea. I haven't been a fan before but my goodness it is delicious. It's only 50 cents, which is dead cheap considering in some places it's up to 5 dollars. To the left is ice tea number one and below is ice tea number 3. I didn't have time to take a picture of number 2 because I consumed it so quickly. (Don't ask me why the pictures are spaced out the way they are, blogger did it. Call it artistic license.)

Tomorrow we are off on a day trip to the flooded villages and forest, which should be good, I'm quite excited. I'll keep you all updated but for now I'm going to enjoy a nice cold beer and wait for my dinner (we have a cook in the evenings now, with a menu and everything, I'm very excited).


Big Ocean crossing love ya'll.