‘This is the Coldest You Will Be For 14 Months’ and Other Lies Your Parents Tell You.
on Hells Bells Hits Cambodia (Cambodia), 21/Dec/2010 03:42, 34 days ago
In the beginning there was a force. This force was also known as Mike and Jean, aka, my parents. They helped me greatly in preparation for my trip. They let me move back home for a while, took me to restaurants to eat all the lovely food I may not see for 14 months, let me borrow their car to get to training at Harborne Hall and helped me pack. However, one thing they failed on is temperature guestimation. I had been informed Ratanakiri was sometimes a little cooler (as in 20 degrees rather than 30) than the rest of Cambodia as it is elevated. So on the cold October day our story begins, we loaded the car with my backpack at 4:30am and drove to Newcastle airport. As we walked to the terminal I of course was shivering and my teeth were chattering (the old age problem of not being able to dress according to the weather when travelling from one climate to another). Anyone who knows me well knows how much I hate the cold.‘Don’t worry’ my parents said comfortingly, ‘this is the coldest you will be for 14 months’. Fast-forward 2 months and my first night in my new house in Ratanakiri and I was lying in bed trying to get to sleep. I had 2 sheets, a thermal top, a scarf wrapped around me as a shawl and yes, Iwas shivering with teeth chattering and my parents lie echoing in my head.The weather here is variable at the moment. During the middle of the day you can still sunbathe (or burn) then some nights you need a jumper and blanket and other nights you don’t. However it has been lovely to get a break from the heat and be able to snuggle up in my favourite hoody or a blanket and stargaze. It reminds me of camping – something I’m very happy to be reminded of.The weather here is a very talked about subject and temperature guessing is a regular activity. My lowest guess has been 10 degrees, whether I’m correct or not who knows, temperature starts to be based on what it feels like here and as I’m adjusting to the Cambodian climate what would feel like summer at home starts to feel like winter here. Perhaps that is a good thing as by March the temperature is set to hit 40 degrees Celsius! Orwill it just feel like 40?