Phnom Penh Thmei

HELLO - TODAY PART TWO - ALL FUN STUFF :) HAVE FUN XOXO

Back on the bus and we were off to lunch with dana being transfered to the hotel to meet us. After lunch we started the long journey to ________ , our homestay for the night. When we were about an hr out the bus started loosing water so we pulled over in a little town, while the driver had a look. We walked through the local markets, laughing and waving at kids who thought seeing white people where the best, funniest thing in the world. It was cute. Lots of dogs hanging around as well. The dogs here are pets /guard dogs not eaten, which was good to hear. We even walked past a hospital at one point. It wad two rooms in like a big shed. The first a waiting room with chairs and a desk at one end. Then the second, an open room with hospital beds all along the walls. People laying in them, some sitting, a couple with IVs in. Yep i could see all this from the street..... one guy even came out, drip in on a stand, fluid bag wrapped in plastic and got on the back of a scooter with two other people and they took off. The health care here sure is interesting. Back to the bus and he thought we would make it, stopping to get an esky and beers and drinks for the homestay.

10mins later we pulled over and had to get out. We brought stuff from the little shops (coconut cupcakes are awesome!), chatted and played with the local kids. And the bus was declaired dead. About an hr later a minivan (12 seater) from the home stay showed up. And in we piled with our bags. Yep 17 people, took about an hour. It was super cosy lol. In the very back was blake, me, dana and euan. I think we managed to score the best seats actually. We put our bags behind the seats and managed to all sit next to each ok. Lots of lap sitting was happening further forward in the van. It was an interesting and bumpy back road ride. The sunset and orange full moon were absolutely amazing. Blake spent half the time hanging out the bloody window. He was sitting on the window seal at one point. Told him i wasnt saving him if he went flying over a bump (like i could ever actually do that). When he stoppwd figgeting and turned some music on for everyone. He was awesome and let me use him as a pillow and i had a sleep.

Once at the village we went to the community centre and had dinner by candlelight because their generator wasnt working lol. With their 9 black kelpie crosses and babies running around. One came at sat right on my feet through dinner - of course. Then the generator came on and we got welcomed by one of the head people of the community who thanks us for his support and for helping keep eco tourism alive so that they can maintain their forests and animals and not cut them down for income as they had in the past. Then some of the girls did some traditional dancing for us.

After the festivities and playing with the roughly 8 week old puppies (i only saw 2 but assuming based on the boobies there are more) we found out the buses radiator was completely dead and a new one had to be ordered from phenom penh. So the bus (well a new bus) and our big bags would be joining us in the morning. So a truck was called. A good old fashioned farm truck with a high edged open tray just big enough for us to stand with our bags and the esky and we bumped down the road to our homestay. Full moon overhead and houses and open farms everywhere. We passed a monestry where people where celebrating the full moon and water festivative and a house with a massive light display in the shape of a pyramid which was apparently a funeral.
At the homestay we were split into two groups. The kiwi boys, dana, bianca and i were next door and everyone else was upstairs. So we jumped the fence over a random volly ball court, past the chickens and cows and cute as calf and upstairs. The room was one open room with three double beds and a single bed with mosquito nets over the top. It was perfect :) we put our stuff down and headed back next door where they had laid out a massive tarp that we all sat one and they started a fire off to one side. And we sat and dranks and played games and chatted and looked at the moon for ages. They cooked us some chicken (yes a couple of the ones who were running sround the yard - i hadnt even noticed while they did it, it was super discrete). Just before midnight the community leader and blake jumped on a scooter. I was talking with guss and felix and limney came over and was like "hey amie wanna go for a ride and look st the moon" i had no idea what was happening but i jumped on the back of the scotter and we were off. Best decision ever!!!!! He took us to the monestry where the full moon festival was in swing. There were people everywhere. Lights and candles everywhere and the monks and locals all praying. Being the only white people blake and i got lota of looks but accomidated and moved over on the mats all the same. We sat at the back, respectfully in the praying position and i just watched everyone and the moon was right over head. There was a suspended stick with 4 candles burning and hanging over a banana leaf between the locals and monks. The prayer was for this province and the next. The way that the candle wax melted would tell the monks the kind of year that was to come and how much rain to expect. Once the candles all burnt out, the monk said (as was translated to us) that there would be lots of rain, an extended dry season and then lots more rain. So a good year to come but store things and prepare well. Then a village elder counted up donations and talked to the village. Blake and i added some in. Last minute but i wanted to donate. And the elder stoped and prayed for us, thanked us and wished us good health, happiness and prosperity. And everyone bowed. Omg. I just bowed back it was awesome. Then 2 young couples came out the front of everyone and held one of each others hands and with the other fed them a handful of flat rice. It was to symbolise their bonds and future. After the community leader got some flat rice and bananas for us and we sat off to the side and ate it. It was super tasty. He then packed some in a doggy bag to take back to the homestay. Then back on the scooters and we headed back. Halfway back some passed us and our driver got him to stop and i jumped on his scooter instead. He was going to the same place to pick up his brother (some of the locals had joined our little party lol). He was really nice. Practicing his english, he did really well. Then when we got back i got myself sorted and went to bed (being 1am). Laying here its bright as doay with the moon. Stars through the windows. Animals everywhere, the boys next door still going (lol). Today is what travelling is all about. This is how it should be done. Night xoRead more