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on Mary In Cambodia (Cambodia), 24/Nov/2009 06:44, 34 days ago
3. Getting used to life in Cambodia.I’ve been here almost 7 weeks now. Some things have changed. The rain has stopped, the temperature has dropped to a bearable 26ish degrees. Cambodian people are wearing woolly jumpers and hats.I think I’ve changed too. I’m not so terrified of crossing the roads, I’m even happy to hop on the back of a motor-bike when I need to. The biker’s jacket and helmet are so hot to wear that it’s tempting to go without them. Most of the volunteers only wear the helmet. I’ve been warned that skin grafts are even more uncomfortable, so I’ll persevere for the present time. I’m not surprised or upset when things don’t work; instead it’s a pleasant surprise when they do. The smells aren’t as sickening, though the meat and fish in the market still turn me off. I’m happy to eat rice andnot wishing for potatoes or chips. I haven’t had a piece of chocolate since I arrived, and I don’t miss it. I’m enjoying the delicious fruit which you can buy so cheaply, banana, pineapple, orange, jack-fruit, dragon-fruit, pomegranate, mango, lychee and more. I haven’t tried the Dorian fruit yet, I’m told it tastes delicious, but smells like rotting meat.One member of our group is a farmer from the Philippines. He grows many fruit on his farm.Bananas come in many varieties and sizes, from the tiny lady-finger to huge ones as big as a man’s arm. They also have red and purple kinds. A banana ‘tree’ completes its life cycle in about 6 months, growing from a tiny plant, producing a flower spike which in turn produces one bunch ( 5/10 sheaves)of bananas. When the bananas are harvested the ‘tree’ is cut down. By this time numerous young plants will have sprouted at the base, ready to grow and produce a crop 6 months later. Usually a banana tree only produces one flower. Left untended banana plants spread rapidly across the land, and can become a ‘weed’.The pineapple is another very interesting plant. The top (green leafy part) is planted. As it gets bigger a baby pineapple sprouts from the centre. As with the banana each plant only produces one fruit. They say‘The tree grows on the fruit, not the fruit on the tree’. The life cycle of this plant is 12-14 months, and then the old plants are uprooted and new ones planted. There are many different varieties and sizes of pineapple. Some are as small as an apple.A poor example of a banana'tree'.