Road Rules

When ever I have asked one of my Khmer friends or one of the Khmer staff at Grace House what exactly are the road rules, they look at me in a strange way. I am not sure if it is disbelief that I would consider there are any rules or disbelief that I haven't yet comprehended that there doesn't seem to be any. Well I have been paying close attention and there obviously are rules even though one person looked me in the eye and denied the existence of this 4 letter word.
Rule number 1:
First person at the intersection has right of way - particularly if you are a big truck or bus. (If there are traffic lights just all creep forward until the green lights  up)
Rule number 2:
Drive mainly on the RHS of the road - except if you are a big bus or truck - drive where ever you like
Rule number 3:
Entering a main road and turning right into the stream of traffic, don't look just swing out and disregard the other drivers.
Rule number 4:
Left hand turn - when the oncoming traffic thins out enough swing over onto the wrong side of the road  making sure you stay on the inside of traffic going in the correct direction, turn left whilst looking over your right shoulder and slipping back over the road into the correct lane.
Rule number 5:
Overtaking - overtaking the vehicle in front of you that is overtaking the vehicle in front of him at consecutive moments is perfectly acceptable as long as there is enough room for an oncoming bicycle to squeeze through when they are travelling in the correct lane. Do not use indicators but DO blast your horn for as long and as loud as you can.
The main thing to consider is that buses and trucks have top spot in the hierarchy of traffic and they can and will do whatever they like, next come BIG SUVs, mainly Lexus, Audi and Toyota, then standard cars followed by tuk tuks, motor bikes then bicycles.
It is permissible to carry 2 pigs (upside down) a trailer load of vegetables (tied in a big bundle) 24 chickens tied at the ankles or 5 passengers on your motorbike.
I am quite satisfied that this research is true and correct.

My daily triathlon continues, I have uped (I know it is incorrect English but it happens to us all) the swimming and now swim around 500 metres (around the pool 18 times) pedal a little faster but try to avoid arriving at work dripping and the leg with the children remains a challenge but one I remain up for! By the time I get home - particularly after the 2 extended days when I do an hour extra teaching from 3-4pm, I fall into the pool and wonder if I will ever find the energy to get out again. I am so tired at night that I want to go to sleep at 8pm but the trouble is then I am awake at 4.30!! Of course this has turned into a cycle of early nights and early mornings. I have beaten the pool cleaner into submission in the mornings and he has given up trying to beat me down there now. I break the rules and slip into the water at 5.45 and there is no way that he is going to come in to work any earlier!!

The ride to work remains an adventure. Last week the damaging irrigation seemed to have stopped and the locals started to rebuild their bridges and start working on the fields but low and behold the irrigation gates have been reopened and the water is flowing faster and higher than before. The locals just get on with it and do the best they can. I suppose the fishing improves at these times!! The bridges which have steel ramps have deteriorated markedly over the past 2 weeks and the ramps are separating and the sand is disappearing due to the amount of traffic scattering it. The ride up is now a bit longer and faster being very careful not to get the wheels of the bike caught in the gaps which could lead to being catapulted into the canal and joining the ducks, or being run over by the following trucks. Neither on my bucket list thanks.

The previous week at school had a theme about hearing which lead onto noises and animals in the jungle, a very loose connection I know but we were trying to achieve a theme for a photographer we were working with. She unfortunately was sick and didn't end up arriving so Amber and I dug out the digitals and had some fun with the kids anyway and got some great shots. We let them have a go with the cameras also which they love. Some of the shots are posted below.

Lois remained with me until Friday and she managed to fit in a bit of poolside activity and more cultural experiences along with a few good meals out in the evenings, plus a vist to Grace House to see the weaving and donate a bag of goodies.  But as previously commented, I am not much fun at night and just want to fall into bed! We visited the Temple Bar and watched the Apsara dancing show, went to the charity quiz night but left before the questions started as I almost had my head on the bar - asleep and had dinner with Marcias son Darren (who had just arrived from Korea via Phnom Penh) and Kanal (a tour guide friend that I met previously through Marcia). A busy week all round!

As Lois had departed, I vowed a quiet weekend of lesson planning and self indulgence but was foiled. Saturday started out as planned, I went to The Angkor National Museum which is fantastic and very sophisticated in its presentation and artifacts. I was pleasantly surprised. I then got a phone call from Kanal telling me we were meeting for dinner with Darren and Marcia's other visiting offspring, Julianna. A very pleasant evening which I forgot to mention was preceded by a massage and pedicure!

On Sunday I rode into the town and visited a business that downloads music onto your laptop etc for $1 per album so have increased my music list enormously. Spent the late morning and most of the afternoon at the pool and was joined by Phearom (Khmer teacher from Grace House) and her gorgeous daughter Sana. Sana has never been in a bath before, never mind a swimming pool and she was amazing. So confident and had such a lot of fun. In the evening Nak and I strolled up to Beaches (my favourite Thai restaurant) for a meal before I fell into bed again at 9pm. Late night this one!!!!!!

Monday, back to work, definitely having a quiet week!! Hasn't worked out that way so far!! Out to dinner Monday night with Alan and Alison, a couple from the UK who are long term volunteers. Alison is a very organized and knowledgable primary teacher who has written a 12 month teaching plan for the pre school kids and that is no mean feat. Alan was a school principal who took on the role of volunteer coordinator and also teaches. They have also been working in a border town called Palin (near Battambang) working with some Marist brothers doing outreach work. People to be admired. They are also finishing up this week, there will be a mass exodus on Friday with very few volunteers arriving for April.
Last night out with the volunteer staff from Grace House for a very chilled evening and out again tonight with the volunteers from Globalteers. I am very fortunate to be included in these outings. Also fortunate that I also have the time I have to myself living at Frangipani. Staying here was a very good move by me!!

This morning Nak picked me up at 5.15 for a sunrise view of Angkor Wat. Meant that I was up at 4.30!! Unfortunately for me I was still awake at 1.30am - had one of those sleepless nights, so very little sleep when the alarm went off. I couldn't believe the crowds that attended, Nak who attends this regularly was also shocked at the number of people. It may have been as the previous 2 mornings had been cloudy so no view. Anyway, we settled ourselves on the bank of the pond and watched the sky and the water reflect the pinks and mauves and then like something surreal, this massive orange globe appeared above the main tower of Angkor Wat. What a sight to see! Lots of oohs and aahs!!!!! We took bucket loads of photos and then went for a walk around the outer perimeter of the temple. I was astonished that so few people did this as you get a completely different perspective of the temples. I will always remember this walk and the screech that reverberated around the Wat when I stood on a red ant nest and they jumped on my ankles and bit me. So embarrassing to hear the echoes of my squacking!!! I was also told this morning that last week some excavation was being done at the Bayon temple and a 1 kg gold crown was unearthed and they believe it was the kings crown, an amazing find.

Unfortunately the photos have downloaded out of sequence and my skills using the blog are not yet upto editing this!!

I returned to the hotel mid morning and promptly fell asleep after a swim and ended up not going to work today. Pointless as I had to shower, eat and dress and would have got there too late. Felt very guilty sitting by the pool, dangling my feet in the cool waters, eating lunch whilst my co-workers sweated it out at the project - NOT!!
So another busy and rewarding 10 days has passed by and only 2 more to go until I finish at Grace House. Still waiting to hear if the trip in May is proceeding, hopefully it is and I will get to return and then stay for a few more weeks work after the clients depart.

Good luck for you, good dreams for me.

Better late than never!

I have received a few reminders that Monday was actually a couple of days ago and I have not kept up to my promise of completing the weeks blog! But some things are really worth waiting for.
The photos above are a few of the 124 that I managed to snap in the course of a 2 hour exploration of this amazing Temple called Beng Mealea.  This temple complex once had a direct road to the Angkor Wat complex and is about 40 km away as the crow flies or an hours drive from Siem Reap. Lois and I were very lucky to have been taken there by my friend Nak. This so far has topped the hit parade of temples that I have experienced. It is a 12th Century temple enclosed by a massive moat that is partially dried up but what remains is so pretty. There are also the symmetrical ponds that are found at the main entry.
This temple has not undergone restoration. Parts have been secured for safety reasons and much of the undergrowth has been cleared, that for centuries hid this fantastic place. It is what a temple should be, serene and spiritual. The carvings are magnificent and I spent quite some time sitting in what would have been the courtyard garden, examining rocks and seeing how it could be pieced together by using the puzzle of the carvings. There are Apsara torsos on one massive stone and around it lay equally large stones with carvings of legs and others with heads. Imagine trying to put it all together. I actually believe that by seeing the temple in this state allows us the luxury of contemplating the past and how the destruction occurred. This temple deteriorated over the ages but once the Khmer Rouge located its existence, they then went on a rampage of explosive destruction looking for treasure that was thought to be hidden. Of course that had been removed centuries before and their  behaviour just demolished more history and caused even further destruction for the Khmer people to deal with.
In 2004 a movie was shot on location here and a large wooden walkway was built and this allows visitors the opportunity of viewing the ruins from so many different angles and perspectives.
After our visit to the temple we viewed the river bed which extends from Phnom Kulen and this is where the stone blocks were cut and then transported to the temple site. The cuts and partially completed stones are still evident in the river bed.
I could rave on for hours about this place, absolutely loved it.
After this exploration we drove to the other side of Siem Reap and visited the land mine museum. This is the work and collection of a Cambodian man called Aki Ra who as a boy was enlisted into the Khmer Rouge and had the job of laying land mines. He then went on to defect to the Vietnamese army and fought the Khmer Rouge. His knowledge of the placement and his ability to defuse the landmines made him a valuable asset. After the war he then made it his mission to clear landmines and assist land mine victims. The funds from the entry fee go towards running an orphanage and centre where land mine victims can be educated and employed. There is a big collection of defused mines and artillery here and is most depressing to know that many of these were dropped by the USA yet they take no responsibility in assisting to clear them and I believe have never assisted with financial compensation. Their mission was to blow up the Ho Chi Min trail that went through Cambodia and in doing this left behind a massive swathe of destruction.

Very pleased that I have managed to fit in a little more culture on this short trip!

Of course the day was completed with a swim followed by an extravagance. Us girls tarted up and went to Raffles for high tea!! The hotel and pool complex there is as you would expect - magnificent! Pity the same couldn't be said about the high tea. Disappointing. High price for Cambodia and average food offerings I am sad to report. Dry sandwiches, little in the line of sweet offerings but there was a redemption in a nice pot of tea. Still it was an experience but not one I could recommend to fellow travellers. I shall try the Hotel De La paix if I can find an interested person to accompany me!

Needless to say we both collapsed into bed relatively early Sunday night! School tomorrow and another week of tales to share in the next chapter!

Good luck for you, good dreams for me.