Saturday 6th November
A day of discovery. G noticed that the pannier racks on the front of my bike were not level. 4 bolts removed and 3 went back in successfully. The final little blighter decided to cross thread. Now in the UK I would have gone into the garage, dug out the rethreading tool and 30 mins later sorted. In Cambodia not the same. However ingenuity and the world of repair is how things are done. After an hour of frustration and trying every trick I have learnt to re seat the nut, we decided that a tuk tuk driver conversation was in order. They looked they chatted and off we went. 10 minutes later we were in downtown Phnom Penh and what can only be described as a cross between a flea market, Machine Mart, Screwfix, B&Q, blacksmith alley and motorbike maintenance world. Some hand gesticulation, pointing to tools and within 20 minutes the hole was drilled through and a round hex bolt found with 2 nuts to stop the thing shaking loose. I will be emailing tubus because to have this happen so easily is a right royal pain in the backside. Mine just to let you know is tender but manageable.
We decided on the route, updated the satellite tracker and the charity page. We went again to Khmer Kitchen tonight. The food is absolutely awesome and the best we have had to date.
Sunday 7th November
Lazy morning, it is Sunday after all and we had a very late one last night. For some bizarre reason shaving is not happening on the facial front and i now sport a quad beard...ummm, black, mousy brown, ginger and grey!' I am not sure that this will last but it has kept me far more youthful in the eyes of an Australian today (Monday 8th) who thought I was still a student. I now realise I did not qualify that as to whether that was a mature one of not!.
Laundry dropped off as this will be out last chance to get it done for at least a week, then onto the Central Market and the Mall. The central market is the commercialised version of the Russian market and we were pounced on by the sellers as soon as one foot went in front of the other. Don’t touch it is just easier to manage and when you do want to look expect everyone to be curious, offer advice and look like you have mugged one of their family when you walk on without purchasing. Every stall holder has a story of how you are their first customer, remind them of someone, or look like someone they know would like to buy x. y or z. The challenge is to remain focused on not buying anything or feeling guilty for walking away.
A quick peruse of the fried spiders, locusts and crickets made me think of lunch and after buying some fresh pineapple on a stick we made our way to the only shopping mall in Cambodia. Lunch in the mall felt wrong, too westernised and much too much like pizza hut but with the next few days of unpredictable sustenance this is my justification for chicken dippers and a double pepperoni pizza. We have bought our emergency supplies although both baulked at the $6 dollars for Nutella but in an emergency it is what you need, or so I have been told ever so convincingly!
The storm hit this afternoon which has threatened all week, our only concern is our laundry as tumble dryers don’t have any place here yet..oh and G's bike now has a horn fitted to enable her to communicate with the rest of the traffic.
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