From Phnom Penh to Kompong Cham and a shocking house!
on So Now It's Cambodia (Cambodia), 26/Oct/2009 05:02, 34 days ago
We finally got packed up and were picked up outside the VSO office which doubles as a hostel. This is very good because it’s free accommodation we can use any time and they have superb cooks which you can request. The office staff are on hand and there is a good internet café and supermarket nearby.The coach journey was fascinating and I took lots of photos and videos. It’s a very green and verdant country. There’s a lot of water, banana trees and palm trees of various types.We stopped at a service station where weird and wonderful food was available! Some even braved the fried tarantulas! They only eat the legs which, I’m told, tastes like bbq chicken!We finally arrived in Kampong Cham by the Mekong. We were met by the other group of volunteers who are a month ahead of us in training. Tuk tuk were arranged by I ended up walking to the hotel as there were not enough.The hotel was ok though shabby. The other group had organised a buffet dinner for us as one of the cafes on the river front run by a French man. It’s called the Lazy Mekon Daze!We started our language training with Dara (a Cambodian or Khmer). He was a refugee for 15 years during the troubles! He works us hard and fast but we are learning quickly-which is amazing!We had to move from the hotel to a rented house shared with other people in our group. It was a bit of a disaster! It was far too small– only a single room. This was crazy as they had single people in spacious rooms in the hotel!! I tried to charge Alison’s camera. When I plugged it in nothing happened so I tried to take it out.I then got a massive electric shock which ran up my arm to my chest and threw me across the room! Need less to say, my scream raised some attention! It has been reported to VSO office. I recovered but was shaken. We couldn’t sleep because there was no ceiling fan and the floor fan was too close for comfort.We eventually negotiated a move back to the hotel which is much better. It also has Wi-Fi which the house didn’t. Generally, their electrics and plumbing are in need of updating!! Another mission for VSO perhaps!We need to use bikes to get around and these are arranged by VSO. Inevitably, we get the ones that have problems! My bike lock was broken so I couldn't move it and neither had baskets for carrying stuff. We adopted a really nice tuk tuk driver called Gideon who has been really helpful. His English is good and he sorts everything out. Bikes on tuk tuk to market - bike repair - luggage from house to hotel etc.