This time when we landed in Cambodia there were no friendly VSO faces to greet us,we were deemed old hands and could arrange our own working visas. Although I was anxious it did all workout and all our paperwork was accepted.
After 5 nights in Phnom Penh during which we had time to catch up with friends and I had meetings with UNICEF and VSO it was time to move on to a new province in the south.
We travelled from PP to Kampot with all our luggage plus my motorbike and a bicycle on a mini bus with 21 other people, 2 babies and a dog plus all their stuff!! Luckily this time our journey was much shorter, only 3 hours.
Arriving in fairly cool and wet conditions seemed rather strange at this time of the year, but was also very refreshing. We now have a week to find a home before I start work on the 4 March. It has not been easy. The first 2 days we looked at places far worse than our shed at home. Yesterday we saw a really nice place for the first time but it was 5 times more than the VSO housing allowance. We also saw a just OK place within the price range, but with a very basic bathroom with no flush toilet or hand basin. It was big, we would be upstairs, and the whole of downstairs would be ours too and therefore empty. Bit scary coming home on my own in the dark, I think, but we may have to have it.
It is hotter here, more touristy, and all be more expensive to live. But we knew all that.
Water Buffalo having a snooze about 8k from Kampot town.
Sitting on the river front having a beer and watching the fishermen leave for the evening catch.
The salt fields just a few kiolometres away - working in 37C
Beautiful bird song all over Kampot. But just realised that the sound is on a looped recorder to entice the birds to nest at the top of many buildings here. Big business in Birds Nest Soup!!
And finally, the end of our non-productive house hunting days are always improved by watching the glorious sunsets over the river.
I will keep you posted as soon as I find a home and begin work, which should be March 4th 2013.
