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Published: February 2nd 2009
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Connect 4
One of the kids at the orphanage lost his legs in a landmine incident. He's been teaching me Khmer and defeating Rich at Connect 4! Hi!
After a long and tiring flight yesterday afternoon from Bangkok, we began to descend towards the wild and arid landscape that surrounds Siem Reap, Cambodia.
It was an exciting time, neither of us ever having been to Asia before it was an incredible view... this would have been fairly surreal by itself... but was made greatly more-so by the insanely obscure and highly misguided choice of music by Bangkok airways. Of all the songs we expected to accompany into the scorching 32 degrees centigrade, Jingle Bells was definitely the absolute last.
By the time we had landed the extremity of the landscape had made its impact. After saying absolutely nothing for about 5 minutes, we looked at one another and Rich said "...we're definitely in over our heads." Fortunately this was accompanied by "Good Tidings of Comfort and Joy", so we knew the big guy was on our side.
I have to keep this brief because we're currently sat in an internet café, which proudly boasts it's miraculous speeds. By the intensity of the sign you would think Jesus himself was powering the internet connection with the purity of his magical fingers. Actually, it's bloody awful.
Rich with kids
This is the result of getting a camera out at the orphanage. On the far left, Crocodile leans in for a bite. Like it's being powered by a bizarre lunatic, pretending to be Jesus - powering nothing but his ridiculous lunacy. And also, we're going out for some beers with some of the orphanage chaps.
So, we've arrived safely and have found the sights and sounds of Cambodia to be incredibly inspiring, even though it's just been a few days. The entire city of Siem Reap is constantly teeming with life and occasionally you see something fantastic - like a dead snake, or a pack of domesticated, yet wild dogs fighting each other over something so gross you would sooner consume your own fecal matter rather than digest its wormy interior. Then there's the tiny motorbikes with entire families and their bikes casually driving by, looking at you as if YOU'RE the one doing something ridiculous.
We arrived at our guesthouse after taking an incredible journey on a TUK-TUK through the crowded, pot-hole ridden streets. A TUK-TUK is essentially a horse & cart set-up, if you kill the horses and replace them with a small motorbike and remove all aspects of quality and glamour out of the carridge and put a through holes in the floor so you can watch
Manipulation
This is the little guy that has twice made a fool of me. He's afraid of heights but loves shoulder rides... he occasionally protects us from a kid that we're pretty sure is the anti-christ, and he's also very cool. the road tearing by. It was absolutely perfect for us! We smiled the entire journey.
We were expecting the guesthouse to be a small, white room with a dirty fan for air-conditioning and a time-poor bucket made out of several older buckets that were used for a similar purpose. How wrong we were! The driveway up to the guesthouse is filled with beautiful plants and the place itself looks great. Our room has a TV with a ridiculous amount of channels... 90% of them are completely useless because they are all in Khmer, but that's not important is it? 80 Channels! We also have a walk-in shower bathroom, a fridge, two decent sized beds and outside is a pool and jacuzzi. This costs us $11 a night and includes breakfast and two bicycles (amazing).
We began work at the Orphanage today. Yesterday we were completely by ourselves getting around and had a few interesting experiences with beggars and also one particular Monk who "persuaded"(pleasantly mugged) us into giving him $20 for Buddha's purpose. He was the genuine deal, but if I don't get the "PEACE" he promised us I will hunt him down and make him have sex
Osbourne House
This is a photo of the orphanage, before being used as a home & school for kids it was completely overgrown. We're currently working on some of the upstairs rooms, ruining our travel clothes with paint & sweat. with an attractive woman. Monk's hate that kind of thing. Along our trip there were also a few very sad sites such as an elderly woman without any legs being pushed in a makeshift wheelchair by a little girl, and also desperate mothers shaking empty milk bottles at passers by to get money to feed their children. The child beggars are often an Oliver Twist set-up with adults coordinating them to sell/beg to make money for the family, but we've been told that most of the cases are genuine and that many of these people can't afford even to feed themselves, let alone their children... which is where the orphanage comes in.
We arrived at the Orphanage on a TUK-TUK and had to stop and be collected by one of the Orphan workers because the Government were constructing a new sewer and there wasn't an option for diversion. Its normal to just walk through construction works in Cambodia...so we did.
We immediately loved the Orphanage - the building was full of charachter, the other volunteers we met came from every side of the globe and the project is such a positive movement it's a really great thing to
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
This is one of the kids we helped in one of the classes. Except he didn't need that much helping because he wrote this without any prompting or guidance. Many of the kids here are extremely bright, as they go to government run schools and are also home-taught. be a part of, and something we'll feel proud about when we say our goodbyes. We taught some kids to colour today, sung a improvised alphabet song, painted a wall and generally had a laugh. The kids are incredible. Rich got bitten on the chest by a kid called "Crocodile", he should be declared a national hero. Not for biting, but for his natural and undeniable brilliance. I was also bit by him...this time at Rich's urging, but we'll explain more about him later. There are currently 10 children living in the orphanage and they're wanting to expand to 35 kids - it's clearly a great environment to be in and although its obviously very sad that they don't have their natural parents to look after them, but its great that they have such a closely knit family around them that are in place for the long term.
The teaching must also be good because I was decieved TWICE by one of the little creatures. First of all, he took a picture of me and closed in on my face (I didn't even know he'd know how to use a camera!?) then waited for me to pull a strange face and SNAP - I look like an idiot. I then gave him a bandana to wear for awhile, which he seemed to love - then he spent awhile folding it up and making it sure it was all OK then handed it me back. I went for a high-five (as we'd been doing all day) and he absolutely did me over. Full on hand-raise and back over the top of the right-ear! Rich found all this amusing and has uploaded the picture onto facebook like a b*st&%$.
We also now have a Ghecko in our room. We haven't named him yet.
Well. that's all for now. Hopefully the internet connection will be better next time!
In awhile Crocodiles
Chris (Dabbsy)
Love from Rich & Chris
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Jumbro Beef
non-member comment
Alright........... in the voice of Quagmire!
Alright Brozone. Loved the blog son. Sounds like you are having a wonderful time. Me and sally are very jealous. you are quite lucky because I was very tempted to kill you and wear your skin and go in your place. Nobody would be able to tell because we have exactly the same voice and laugh and some say terrible breath. Cant believe you have a found a lad called crocodile! That quality. Keep tons of photos coming mate and Ill keep checking your blog. Me and sal are going to get skype (or whatever its called) soon so we will be able to catch up vocally rather then waste the skin on my precious fingers. Also thanks very much for the birthday card. One of the best Ive ever seen. And the present is pretty awesome to. Take care bro. Love Andy and Sally