We weren't planning on returning to Sihanoukville again, but somehow it seemed a necessary excursion to keep everyone from going mad!

After a bumpy two hour ride in the back of a ute, we pulled up in front of a very expensive looking massage business in the centre of Sihanoukville. Aidan was hopeful that we were all being treated to a massage, but it turned out that Gil-ad, our project director, actually owns the business and rents the building. Above the business Gil-ad has also attained a large and very comfortable fourth-storey apartment. We were all welcomed graciously, and we ate, drank wine, spilt our hearts and laughed about it, 'Shebat Shalom'ed and farewelled Sara, Gil-ad's mother. It was fun but strange, like a big, slightly awkward and misplaced, happy family.

As we were once again in the suntan capital of Cambodia, we tried to enjoy the salt water beaches. This was hard because of all the jellyfish that had been finely chopped into small irritating pieces by the usual swarm of boats. Nevertheless we enjoyed a few cocktails and even got our massages.. on the beach!

The most productive part of the weekend was bartering ourselves a bicycle. We searched a few shops until we found a really cool bright blue bike with green wheels and grip-shift gears! We negotiated a better seat, pegs for easy doubling and a bit of a tune up, and finally payed a stubborn $40.

Cambodians seem to be able to tie anything to the back of a vehicle, so we left our new toy behind at the massage business hoping to do the same in a few days. Unfortunately, when we went to retrieve it for the bus ride back, the bike was all locked up with nobody home.

Now on the bus, we're feeling satisfied, but sadly will have to wait until Gil-ad can carry the bike back for us in the back of his ute. Hopefully it won't be long, as it will be very useful for getting around to the outskirts of the village.