OBAMA!!!!

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Obama!!!! yayayayaya!!! I just finished watching his speech with 4 Aussie political afficiendos and I'm not gonna lie and say I may not have shed a tear or two. I've never been more proud to be from the U.S. and I have not wanted to be in the States during my travels as much as I did just now. This election is really inspiring. Have FUN at all your election parties, no matter whom you voted for!

This morning I took a shared taxi from Takeo up to Phnom Penh where 8 people were crammed into a little taxi meant for 4 adults comfortably - only we had 4 in the backseat and 4 in front. The driver made his week's worth of wages, or he's able to add another diamond to his already massive, sparkly ring.

I eventually found the Indian Embassy and managed to be promised I could pick up my visa on Friday - a bit of a feat because usually it takes 4 days and with the office being closed all next week, I was nearly forced to wait to apply for the visa in Bangkok and thus not get it until end of next week. Kay, a fellow volunteer at New Futures, spent over a month in India three years ago and has been telling me her fair share of stories, a verbal spillage I encourage because it makes the eventual cannon ball into Indian culture a bit less likely to end in drowning. I was more prepared for my encounter at the embassy as a result of chatting with her, and I fully acknowledge she partially attributed to my speedy visa. 😊

Yesterday we went to Phnom Da, a 8th century pre-Angkorian wat on a little island in the middle of the expected, semi-permanent, rainy season, floods. The temple was much bigger and in much better condition than I expected, a little temple off the the side was endearingly charming, and the man-built caves were cool, but the stench of guano was overwhelming and made you appreciate the occasional perk of tourism, e.g. cleaning out caves.

Dropped off on an embankment of mud and garbage, we followed the general waving of a local to an unmarked path through the woods to reach the temples and caves. With no pavement, and 1 sign in English, simply saying "phnom da" at the water's edge, it was refreshing to finally beat the tourism industry before they bulldozed in with pavement and pancakes.

The boat ride's first leg, part of a 4 hour return journey, was marked by us huddling underneath a taurpe to avoid the cutting wind and rain and the second leg marked by me huddling underneath my umbrella to avoid the sun (the little boy accompanying the driver, although occassionally driving himself) was asleep under the taurpe on the way back. We sailed over the tip-tops of fields and marveled at how big the sky seems when you can see all the way to the horizon in every direction.

Cambodia is unique in that until a few thousand years ago, it was entirely submerged in the South China Sea. Eventually, seddlement and silt built up enough for people to inhabit the land but every year during the rainy season, it seems half of Cambodia is resubmerged under floods. Great for rice irrigation and exciting for transportation!

Happy Elections Day!

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