First weekend in a new country as a worker not a tourist, it's very different. Saturday I confirmed that I am a shop kind a girl rather than a market type. I need space when I am buying something. On Sunday Zoe invited us on a boat trip to celebrate her teacher's graduation - he is now going to study for a masters degree in India. We went up the Tonle Sap to the Mekong and just drifted along - this is a common way of celebrating anything in Cambodia. In the afte...

Great Birthday. Started with my language teacher asking how old I was, my reply was Haa Seup Bpram Boun ngai nee (59 today) and she understood!! Evening spent at a bar with a couple of beers, several other volunteers and some of the staff from the office.

First day training: 1. Changed from old gueat house to the Good Luck Guest house - now have a window with a view (in fact 2 Windows!!) 2. Shown around VSO office - on tap tea and coffee and AC (what more can you ask for) 3. Language training - Sister whoever (can't remember which nun tried to teach me Latin) would have cried with joy I managed to count in Khmer - which is more than I ever did in Latin. We ended up playing Bingo. Tomorrow we go to the market fo...

Journey great, from London to Bangkok I was by the emergency door!! Lunch with VSO staff, short shopping trip, a snooze and that's enough after no sleep. Moving to another guest house and start training tomorrow (I think!) Used 2 words of Khmer and was understood both times!!

Well after several dinners, lunches and bottles of wine I am finally on my way. Bags packed - 15kg 5 more than I took around the world!! - helmet bought, malaria tablets selected and so much more that I just know something has been forgotten!! Thanks to everyone who has got me this far - mind you I am only in the bar of the Holiday Inn Heathrow!!