however, we had a great time at the party back at Narin...we got through 2 litres of vodka($4 at local shop!) and lots of fish and clams cooked over one the traditional volcano pots and eaten with chilli sauce
the clams were a strange hybrid of clams and scallops and absolutely delicious... not entirely sure what the fish were...little like sardines.
not sure what time others sneaked off..i went up to bed about 11, and woke up with a mouth like the bottom of a bird cage. still I was up early, had packed the stuff strewn around my room 2 days earlier, so was ready, packed and down stairs to catch my bus at 8.30, having eaten a breakfast and said goodbye to Geraldine, whilst all the time sweating pure alcohol from every pore.
Thus began the Six hour journey to Siem reap. Tuk Tuks and chaos, building sites and crammed together streets and buildings gave way to paddy fields, thatched huts, and carts pulled by cows or oxen. The bus was really cold compared with what I'd been used to, and i had to put my sarong around me to keep the cold out, and also my earplugs in (due to constant loud and dreadful) music. Had an interesting "comfort" stop where wizened old women sold huge baskets of deepfried grass hoppers (thought about it, but declined due to the number of flies) and tarantulas (been there and got the stained t-shirt) , alongside fruit and bottles of water and cans of drink from cool boxes. Got fruit and an interesting steamed bun thing that seemed to be full of some kind of hardboiled egg and bean mixture... quite nice.
Loos are strange here. Either western style, but some you cant put paper down; some have high pressure hoses instead of paper anyway (hurrah :) . some are western style, but with no flush, just a trough of water with a pan, or bucket and tap so that you pour water down it to flush it. or the squat ones, which I don't mind as you don't really have to touch or sit on anything at all and seems altogether a better position to go in... they are generally quite clean; though disconcertingly, people often want to talk to you about where you are from and where you are going in them. The over enthusiastic attendant almost tried to follow me into the cubicle! Had to pay her 500 riel ( about 10p) to go away and leave me alone.
The bus arrived at 3 and I was met by a nice man holding a sign that amusingly read "Soapy Boden" and taken to Lotus lodge which is absolutely charming and peaceful, (and has a pool and best of all WIFI! Woot woot!!) ...just outside the main town. I was welcomed by andre and lily, the owners, with a drink, and a brief intro to the area, before succumbing to a large gin and tonic and a dip in the pool....i'm now sitting on the terrace, enjoying the cool breeze, and watching an approaching storm flash and rumble in the distance as i scribble down my thoughts so i can type them up tomorrow (net is down due to weather).
Just realised this is the first real day of my holiday! No more work unless i want it for a while.. now that IS a weird thought! However, still an early start tomorrow; i have a LOT of temples to see.
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