Cambodia: Let's Move On.

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Yesterday we left our slightly beaten up bike with the Doctor and I spent much of the day loading and editing photographs on my laptop (fondly named lapdance) in the cold calm surroundings of Le Royal Hotel. I purposely engage in conversations with the staff in english and khmer so that we all get to practice our language skills. They are quite content to let me sip a single drink over the space of a few hours and even procured a sewing kit for me for when I actually have the inclination to mend some brocken clothing.

Sophat called for me to join his friends at a distant market, but nothing was going to drag me into the heat just then. Instead I paid to eat my fill at the famous Sunday brunch while learning khmer with my work book on the table. This interested the waiters who helped with pronounciation at my request, and then at regular intervals univited, but very welcome. For the price of the average employed Khmer persons monthly salary, I slowly ate from the eight or so displays of foods but declined the unlimited Singapore Slings. Sunday brunch must be ex-pat day at Le Royal and it interests me to see the 'white men' and their Khmer families together.

Feeling a little guilty at this splurge (they take credit card ..an oft quoted mantra of mine) but knowing that further weightloss should be halted, I accepted a the invitation by Sophat (and Lucky One Bikes) to leave my cool cocoon and travel on our newly restored bike to pay it's healers (they take credit card, only I have to drive to their other shop miles away). It was time to think of replacing the donated helmets, but that could wait. We had a party to attend at Mr Bell's home, and all Sophats young PP friends were waiting for us. Meanwhile I started to complain of abdominal cramping about an hour after my expensive meal. Sophat couldn't have been more delighted at the concept of me having food poisoning from one of the poshest of PP's hotels!

There were celebrations in town for some special holiday whose name I will have to see written before it sticks and we enjoyed an evening together around a fondue style pot, eating, teasing and laughing in Khmenglish. Having been dubbed as smart (for learning their language) but crazy for the things I do in their country, they found reasons to stop and raise their glass to us every five minutes or so. To their disdain, I sedately sipped two beers all evening and left Sophat to party on after he took me back to hotel. Plans had been made to spend the New Year all together off the coast of Kep, on 'Rabbit Island'.

Today, with Sophat hung over, the plan is to leave for the Vietnam border to meet with his step father, spend the night there (Svey Riang Province) consulting him on some family matters before heading back up to Stung Treng tomorrow. A family conference will take place and official paperwork completed over land matters. It's then on to Ban lung for more official paperwork and to check on the Nut Farm status as well as some other problem solving activities.

With various papers in hand the intention is to be back in PP before the end of the week for meeting number two with Lawyer number two, a straight talking lady who will write up a fee proposal once the land documents have been searched and verified. In a few months time we should be the proud parents of a new born Khmer corporation.

Sophat is back with two new helmets and wonders why I'm still sitting on my bed wrapped only in a towel. Time to turn this off and get my sore backside back on the bike with a new 'brothel' cushion to replace the one abandoned in the Cardomom's.

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