I'm back :)

I am now in Mui Ne, Vietnam! Came here for my bday and intend to stay here until 11th.

So lets take a trip back to Phnom Penh. My last night there was, as my blogs tend to go, an eventful one. I was writing my blog to you guys when the guesthouse owner asked would I speak with one of the guests for him who was American and acting weird. Now, why he asked me, the smallest one there, I don't know. Apparently the owner said this guy, who was sitting at the table with his suitcase and sweating profusely with a bad case of the shakes, had pocketed the room key. So I explained to this guy, what they thought and a little incoherently, he said that he has the key, becasue he has paid for that nights stay and does not check out until the morning. The GH owner kept saying, "no no" "he not pay - he has flight tonight" - so I aksed him, if he was staying another night why does he have his suitcase with him??? he just kept saying "there's been a screw up" - I told him to find his receipt for the night's stay and if he wanted me to check his flight times I would - he spent ages in his suitcase looking and then came at me with this piece of paper shoving it in my hand and then I noticed, at the same time as others, he had a stanley knife blade... A STANLEY BLADE!!! As you can appreciate, I didn't bother read the paper I gave it back to him. Whilst all this was going on the security guard was watching the film "The Hangover"... oh fine, don't mind me over here, i'm only getting stabbed!! :)

I have to end it here, as being chucked out of the cafe, I will do more tomorrow x x

I am not sure why he had this knife, but where I thought my negotiating skills were being put to the test and coming out on top - it turns out he felt the same as my brother, that my voice sounded like nails down a blackboard and made him violent... who knew? :) Turns out that the GH owner found needles in this guys room and he only ever left the room at 1am with his own personal tuk tuk driver and the night before had woke other guests up with screaming - think he was a bit dodge.

The next day the girls left for Vietnam and I left for Takeo, to go to the orphanage. I went to the bus station and booked a ticket, thinking I was getting a VIP tourist bus, but no, I was shoved with the locals... I found a seat by the window only to be told to get out and ushered to the aisle... I had to sit on a make shift chair in the aisle, sitting on a lower level than a lady to my right and a guy to me left. Then was asked to stand up and stand between this young girls legs while they pushed past with local produce to the back of the bus, by the 3rd time I knew what I had to do.. and so did she, she grabbed me by my hips to steady me and eventually (it was only a matter of time) motioned for me to sit on her lap... I did think about it... but very graciously declined the offer. So 21/2 hours later I arrived in takeo. I met this Californian couple who were of Cambodian decent and Khmer.. so we shared tuk tuk to the orphanage... and were gretted with smiles, and cheers.. " hey lady.. where u from? how old are you? you stay here? how long?" and all rushing to grab your hand and show you around... all speaking very good English!

I left the Orphanage and headed to the Volunteer centre about 10 min walk... it was all a bit hap hazard.. no real structure and so relaxed. I met the NGO director, Neville a guy from England and was shown to my room. The centre, was communal living, shared rooms, dinner at 7pm, eating outside, whatver was being cooked, and then all sat on balcony, drank and chatted, there was an option to wacth DVD's or TV... very chilled and relaxed. The next day I went down to the orphanage and met some great kids. they ranged from 6 -21, 3 of whom had gone to uni, all went to school and most spoke really good English. You, soon have your favourites and u soon become "theirs". They were like one big family, no arguing and all smiles. One day we went to the local market and brought 2 kids with us, we said we would buy a present for them and for them to choose, one chose a school bag and the other a school shirt... of everything there.. unbelievable. The day consisted of, however long you wanted to spend at the Orphanage.. whenthere, you could play volleyball or football all day - do hair and makeup with girls, DIY with boys, any DIY that was needed around the place, teach if they wanted to and make these cotton bands, which I became a pro at, if I do say so myself. I stayed here for 4/5 days, would have stayed longer, but the kids were going back to extended families for 3 days for a religious holiday. Again met some really good people here. Other than the orphanage, there was very very little to do in the village, very rural and no tourists. On 6th Oct - Me and this other volunteer, Alex, made out way to Ho Chi Minh City, with a few minor probs of no running buses due to holidays and language barrier, we made it to HCMC... we splashed out on $12 each for a room. Here, another epiode happened ...................... xx ( next blog)