5th Week Cambodia

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This week was spent at Wat Damnak working with the monks to teach the children and to build an extension onto their organisation's building and repaint, to store rice and supplies for the poor. I was a little worried when we had to build our own scaffolding from sticks and a few nails on which I had to learn how to climb up onto the 3rd level without a ladder to scrap the paint off the outside walls. None of the platforms were secured so we had to make sure we balanced 2 people on each level to stop it tipping...slightly terrifying but became easier after 4 days. Otherwise learnt how to brick a wall and make cement. On Monday I went to help cook for lunch in the Wat's kitchen for the monks and ourselves. I sat on a little wooden block on the floor chopping vegetables with a meat cleaver and stirred the huge couldrons of rice and vegetables over wood fires....it was exactly how you would imagine a medieval kitchen to look like with a dog and a couple of cats, steam everwhere and smoke from the fires. We served the few hundred monks first on the temple floor mats. We were allowed to eat with the monks for the first time on the temple floor where we had an hour nap afterwards to escape the midday heat. I spent the whole of Thursday in bed asleep due to a fever which has thankfully passed on to the others lol.

Friday, Sat and Sun is our 3 day weekend to see Ankor Wat and surrounding temples and so far I have been to see Bayon, and the Leper terrace. Lots of pics which i will send back since internet is too slow here to upload.

Will report again in a week after building next house in a tiny village near Tonle Sap lake.

Take care all! x x x

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