Sewage and Scenery

Well, we are here in America...er, I mean Cambodia (just in case you thought we'd nabbed your money and headed to the California coast for a two year holiday). The last three days here have actually been pretty slow compared to the hectic pre-departure live we were living in Maidenhead and other parts of the country.


But it's an adjustment in so many ways - an assault on the senses even. The TASTE of new foods (no fried sparrows or tarantilas yet!) has sent my stomach wirlling. The SIGHT of so many people looking at you as the 'rich westerners' up in their mansion also makes you feel quite sick. The SOUNDS of bats squeeking and dogs barking and Cambodians busying themselves from 5am is somewhat trying on our sleep. The SMELL of the nearby open sewer (which at first I thought was a quaint little canal) with its black, bubbling gue wafting a sweet, pewtrid odour towards our guesthouse is also somewhat different!

The plan for the week ahead - as well as visiting our office, an orphanage, a youth project and another church - is to be more adventurous. Tomorrow we head to the market for some 'native' style cooking of who-knows-what in a wok and perhaps we venture out of town to visit an orphange (Laura is worried we'll come back with five kids on each arm).

More stories from the market and the near-death thrills that is riding on the back of the 'motos' to follow soon...