So I have all my travels so far jotted in a book, thinking I'd have very little and irrelevant rubbish to craic on with. It turns out that I love a good ramble - who knew? - and so I have a poorly hand. It makes perfect sense to put it all here. Don't bother to read it. Honestly, I chat such rubbish. It's just evidence when I am old and can't remember what on earth I did with my life.
So day one. Seeing as I was most concerned about the vaccinations and the flying alone above the actual being in Cambodia thing, the flights actually went fine. As standard I got searched at every hand luggage scanny thing. Mainly for having my phone in my pocket. Moron. Anyway, I was very well fed. Watched Marley. Remained as what appeared to be the only person awake. Swapped at Bangkok. Did it again. Then was met by a happy chap and taken to my Phnom Penh accommodation by a tuk tuk. Most exciting moment of my life. Probably not. But I like them a lot. The drunken drivers too. I will get to that later though. The roads are just mental. There appears to be one rule which I think is something along the lines of 'each to their own'. I like it. Less traffic, lots of dodging, the occasional road traffic accident. It is really very simple. So I got to the accommodation, met roommate #1, was fed, slept.

Day two. Day #1 of induction. Learnt about the program, a bit of the language, met the others, found out where I would be and what I would be doing. Then went to the genocide museum (S21) and the Russian markets. Bought a phone so that I had a local number. Then we were treated to a 'welcome dinner' at a resteraunt in the centre of Phnom Penh. First attempt at chopsticks: fail. Met the other volunteers who have been around for a bit longer. They all seemed very lovely, but it didn't really matter as I was soon to be shipped off (not literally, I took a bus) to Siem Reap. Oh, we "went for ice cream" afterwards too. Because it appears that everywhere else in the world does that. Yeah, I found out last night that "going for a pint" is strange. The world is so backwards sometimes. England has it sussed.
Day three. Day #2 of induction. We did nothing of significance. I don't even remember what happened. Except I missed the group exercise because I was definitely asleep. Obviously it is very unlike me to dart up at 7am to engage in a little friendly group exercise (I'm talking star jumps), so I guess it must have been the jetlag. In the afternoon I wished everybody luck with their placements and was sent on my way to Siem Reap. The bus station was a sort of garage with a large old car. 6 hour ride through rural Cambodia. It was boring for the most part, so I slept. I do love a good nap. But was interesting to see the little wooden houses, women carrying heavy things on their heads, kids carrying baskets of crops and men fishing on the flooded roads. Yeah, strange. I was excited to see the roaming cows at first too, but soon got a bit sickened by how horribly skinny they were. The accommodation here is very lovely. I have a pet spider named Dylan. At first we couldn't see eye to eye, but we're growing pretty close. He was so little when we first met, and a few days in he is growing so fast. It's kind of sad and yet equally frightening to witness. The other volunteers here (a group of about 6) asked if us two newcomers would like to join them out for dinner, but I felt grim after the journey, so not tonight thankyou. Early night.
Day four. Went to my NGO and met the people I will be working with. They are very lovely and agreed to pick me up at 07:45 on a moto. We had been told that we would have to cover the cost of getting to placement. But apparently not here, which is nice. Later on I went out with the other volunteers. They knew a tuk tuk driver, so he drives us around for free but we treat him to a night out. He doesn't half take advantage of it too! He drinks a lot and very quickly. I don't blame him. He's a funny character. You can get away with having a drink and driving a tuk tuk here, purely because the roads are so mental anyway. No rules = no difference. Went to the local Cambodian beer gardens first. The tourists aren't really aware of it there, and all the menus are in Khmer, so it was nice to see somewhere real. A massive tower of Angkor beer is $4. Which is just silly. That is a lot of drink and not a lot of money. Then we went to Pub Street. The complete opposite. Full of tourists. It's pretty much a street full of Sinners and Sam Jacks, but cheaper. Very mainstream, but a good laugh. Some locals head out there too which is nice. Not very 'Cambodian' though. You could put that street in the middle of any country and it would be exactly the same.
On day five I had my first day at work, after 3 hours sleep. Probably not my smartest move but whatever. They don't tend to really give you anything to do here. You go into the office, sit at the table, get out your laptop, and find yourself something to do. No orders given, no questions asked. Obviously I was a little clueless, but I soon cracked on with some obvious marketing stuff for the NGO. We have a project starting in October, so in the meantime I'll crack on with the marketing, fund-searching and proposal writing. Looking forward to the project though! The only time I was spoken too was during the moto ride home, which was ironic because it would have been nicer if she could have been watching the road instead. It was worth the scary ride though because she invited me to her wedding in November! Yaaay. Fingers crossed it doesn't clash with Thailand plans. Later that night went to Temple Bar on Pub Street. Khmer Amok - best meal in the world ever ever. They do a good Aspera 'traditional Khmer' dance show too. The dancers were beautiful. Everyone in Cambodia is very beautiful, yet they're so excited about Western visitors. They're very unaware. Modest too. You tell them they speak good english and they refuse to believe you. They really are the nicest people. The others here that have travelled all over have said so too. Had a good night. It's a shame the locals have to go to such touristy areas to get away with things that are taken for granted back home, like PDA and the acceptance of homosexuality and stuff, but it's a step forward I guess. At least there is somewhere for them to go. I'd like to think it will all mellow out soon enough. I fell in LOVE with a drunken tuk tuk driver. He had a Rolls Royce 'batmobile' tuk tuk and was called 'Batman'. Or at least that is what he told me. You know, I believe him. He whole ride home he sang and shouted "vroooom vroooom" as he went very slowly down the very bumpy roads. I won't be happy until I find him again. Oh and he told me he loves me too. I will be bringing him home with me. Him and Dylan.

The next day or whatever, (I have lost track of the days so whatever... this is where it all merges into one big event) or maybe weekend... At some point the volunteers I had met in Phnom Penh journeyed all the way up here to Siem Reap for the weekend, so went to Temple Bar for dinner then for a few drinks. Was nice to see them. Everybody seems to be getting along well with their placements. It seems I came off one of the lucky ones being sent to Siem Reap. They loved it up here and were baffled when I said I'd been out a few times already. Apparently I seem to have settled in very quickly. So that's good. The next day I went to the National Museum while they did the Angkor temples. I was advised to go learn about them first, and seeing as I am here for three months and the temples are down the road from me, I gathered it was a ruddy good shout. Interesting but SO MUCH READING. I was pretty drained afterwards. Few of the Phnom Penh lot came out for dinner to the Cambodian beer garden, then we had a very messy night on Pub Street after a mooch about the night markets. I was told I have a "beautiful nose", which was a first. Who the bloody nora has a "beautiful nose", all noses are ugly pal and no I do not want a massage. OH because earlier that day I had actually been for a massage, otherwise maybe. It was $7 for an hour (I paid the extra for air con, ha!) by a Cambodian blind lady. It was very good. I had a general mooch about the town too. It's so lovely. I could definitely live here. In fact I will live here. With Batman and Dylan.
And now, I think I am still drunk from last night. Thank goodness for King Sihanouk signing that bloody constitution, because work would not have been nice. The end. Until tomorrow. Or some other time. x