Cambodia: Alone Again.

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Yesterday began early for last minute girlfriend shopping in Phnom Penh (for the gift, not the girl) so that Sebastien could ingratiate himeslf upon his return home. Hailing a tuk tuk, we made it back to Dara Reangsey Hotel in time to meet the 9am taxi to the airport. With so much for him still to experience, it was difficult for me to send Sebastien home so soon except that he is showing signs of XBOX withdrawal, and exhibiting unsociable symptoms of alien abdominal inhabitants. Yep! Time to leave!

Off then to meet with Legal Profession Contestant number one to determine the best course of action to safeguard land purchased during earlier visits yet at the least extortionate cost to me. A pleasant few hours were spent in the company of Mr. S and his associates, lunching by the river and touring areas of the city still with affordable land options.

At my request I ended up in the clean coolness of Le Royal Hotel where I sipped an expensive coffee as I uncovered the life story of one of the delightful Khmer girls serving me. It's enough to make even a grown man cry and I really should limit the depth I find myself mining to in order to immerse myself in this culture. Still, double the Prozac and deal with it!

Now I wait in the coolness of the room while the motorbike goes through it's service. New tires, a new chain, repairs to indicator lights and general check up before heading of to the coast, west towards the Thai border. This is the one part of the country that I have yet to set eyes on and I'm excited that the overall Ratanakiri Problem Alert is at an all time low, enabling this 'vacation' time for Sophat (friend and driver) and me. If the Berry of Blackness works as well there as here, I shall add more news as events unfold.

"Move away from the AIRCON. I repeat. Move away from the AIRCON"
It might just take such a scenario to get me to willingly endure the outside heat when the bike arrives!

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