06 November
Today we had arranged to meet Ian (an English photographer living in Phnom Penh) I woke to the rain at 1am and I don’t think it stopped. Ian text at 6.30am to say he didn’t think we could go ahead but could we defer for an hour or so and he would pop over and chat to us.
By the time Ian arrived the sky was sitting so low and the rain was coming down stair rod style. He had taken a detour on his was to us to look at the railway line he had intended walking with us, Apparently it was knee high and had raw sewerage in it so not advisable to plough through.
We chatted for a while then Ian left giving us some ideas of things we could do indoors. One was to visit the Central market. We put on our raincoats and took a Tuktuk to the market. The outside stall holders were trying desperatly to shelter from the rain and keep their goods dry. Inside was very different. Each stall having a very small space for the owner to stand and the stalls overloaded with their wares. It wasn’t long before the haggling started, “Madam, you want silk scarf? Lovely silk, made in Cambodia” Same story from every stall we passed.
What amazed me was the working conditions they were working in. Just enough space to sit on the floor or to stand up. Most stall holders looked bored stiff and just sat playing on their phones. They worked very long hours in such cramped conditions.
Still the rain came down so back to the hotel. And Paul took photographs!
This is great, Thank you! Eddie and I have enjoyed reading and looking at your photos this morning. Have fun
Hello Hayley and Eddie ( and the rest )
Pleased you are enjoying it. Now we have internet access I hope we can get even more updated in the next couple of days.
Lots of love Mum and Nannie x x
Guess you get to your birthday before we do! Hope you have a brilliant day. Happy Birthday xxxxx
Hi Wendy and Phil
Yes it was nearly over by the time you got up ?. Eight hours on a bus wasn’t the most exciting time!! I will makE up for it today. I will open my cards once we can get into our hotel room. At the moment sitting by their pool waiting (it’s a hard life?) We are trying to book a resrurant for this eve but the Annual Riverside festival is on and everywhere is heaving.
Lots of love Cheryl xx
Happy Birthday Cheryl. Hope you have a great day and that you’re having a n amazing holiday. Lots of love Karen, Margaret and Eric xxx
Hi Karen
Thank you. I spent 8 hours of my birthday on a bus moving back to Phnom Penh. I will celebrate better today. Love to you all. Keep showing your Mum and Dad the photos.
Cheryl x
Hi Cheryl & Paul, sounds like you are having a very interesting time in Phnom Penh. The killing fields sounds a very emotional experience-how awful. What a world we live in sometimes!
I am sending you Happy Biryhday wishes for today & hope you are doing something spectacular today!
Thanks for uour eatly Christmas letter with all the news about the family, it was lovely to read how the girls are getting on & their children-they are all young people with their own different life styles.
We do still have our caravan & will try to do a meet up in spring next year.
Will keep up with the blog! Take care & have fun
Barb & Rogxxxx
Hi Barbara, Good to hear from you. Pleased to know you will be keeping up to date with us.
Yes it would be good to catch up sometime 2017. Perhaps Dorothy could meet us as well.
We were very close August bank holiday at Malvern show ground. I thought about you but a weekend just isn’t long enough.
Love Cheryl
Hiya Cheryl and Paul. Sounds like you are having an amazing time already. We would all like to wish you a very Happy Birthday. Mum says she feels guilty cos it is the first year she has not sent you a card. So hope you have a great day exploring. Keep safe. Lots of love from Karen and Auntie Margaret and Uncle David and the rest of us. Xx xx
Thank you Karen. Please tell Aunty Megs I only too happy to know Shaw was thinking of me. I hope they can get to see some of our photos. Love to you all. X
One of the wettest days we have seen this year> Normally just a torrential downpour for a couple of hours, lasted almost 18 hours. Glad we will get a chance to complete the walk when you return from Siem Reap.