Here's how I found my second house in Cambodia. No before I tell you about the house I will talk about getting my luggage to the guest house from where the bus dropped us off.  Sokha wasn't sure where in Kampong Speu we had to be, so sadly we were dropped off too early. In PP you can't go anywhere without hearing Tuk Tuk - it's not going to be so easy here!! Luckily I only had my case and large sports bag, everything else is still in PP waiting to be collected. My suitcase was put on the back of one moto, my sports bag and Sokha on another and I being the largest, oldest and I suspect most decrepit of the objects being transported had one of my own. Off went my bag just balanced on the back of a moto when I can’t get the stupid thing to balance on the floor without falling over!!

Guest house is on the main road so is noisy but clean and comfortable, I don’t ask for more.

Now Pisit had done his job and found me a house down a quiet street away from the main road (I instinctively know that Sidney will not like that road!!) As we drove up I thought good, outdoor space. It was a traditional home made of wood so anther good point - it would be cooler. In we went through what had been the sitting room but was now a garage, into the bedroom/ living room. It had a bed and a table but that was all. I then walked into the bathroom, actually I didn’t because Sokha was in there and there wasn’t any space left, it had a squat loo and no shower. Upstairs (a wooden ladder, like we had at Gaysham, but steeper, with a trap door that I bumped my head on) had 3 further bedrooms but no furniture. My heart sank and Sokha’s face was a picture. As I left I decided no there had to be something else – luckily she said it first.

So off we went on the back of one bike looking for a house – well we didn’t the Moto driver did. He knew where there were other volunteers he would take us there. He was right and luckily there was something available. It was a room, with a bed and a bathroom – shows how bad the first one was I preferred this. However I am promised a sitting room etc so we said we would carry on looking. While we were looking at the room the Moto driver (his name is Vannak and I have his number) had been busy and had discovered a purple house down the road.  

Now this time when we drove in my heart started to sing – there has to be a song about a purple house. The family had built four typical modern concrete houses, so they are a terrace, all very deep and narrow with no window in the bedroom in the middle. My one is the end one and has 3 bedrooms – one downstairs and 2 upstairs (one with a bathroom!!) You go straight into the living room which is double height, the bedroom is behind it with another room behind that. At the back there is an enclosed covered outside space which is the kitchen. There is also space on the roof. The only problem is lack of furniture to sit on but she promised me a sofa with cushions. Moving in on Sunday. Thank you Sokha – what I would have done without you I do not know.