More exciting travels with the traveling circus

Next day we went back to Phnom Penh.
From Kep we zoomed to Sihanoukville ( famous tourist beach ). On the way we passed over a new bridge. I remember one and a half years ago having to detour around the old bridge.It had fallen down when a loaded truck tried to cross it. Seems the locals had been stripping as much iron and steel from the bridge as they could ( nuts,bolts, struts, support pieces ). These article would be sold for recycle. Voila- the bridge fell down.. DUH, let me think, why would this bridge fail?

We arrived in Sihanoukville to find no reservation for " The Fords ". This is between Christmas and New Years days when all unreserved rooms are booked. Search, search, ponder, ponder, suddenly my brain experienced a great flash of insight- could the reservation be listed under " Heather "? Yes it was, all is well. We had lots of fun at the beach.

One night we decided to go to Mick and Craig's restaurant. Looking at the map I knew it was very close to our hotel, but not being sure I decided we'd best take a tt. The guy wanted $5- no, no tylie nah ( too much )- finally we agreed on $4. I knew this was too much but wanted to eat, I was hungry. Well, we did a perfect square and came right back to within 200 yards of where we started. The tt driver took my $4 and laughed and laughed. We saw him several times again and each time we both laughed. I think it is the first time I've really been gyped in Cambodia.

We were to come home on Dec. 31st but decided to see if we could stay one more night and come home on Jan. 1st. The receptionist checked her computer and said " yes, but you will have to move rooms for the extra day". Wade and Heather and family could stay in their same room. Wouldn't you know it, come the afternoon of the 31st we ask which room we are moving to- there is no room for us! I tell them that I have paid for a room and it was reserved for me. They say " we will get back to you". A couple of hours later they tell us they have one (1) big room for all of us- both families. They will put in 2 cots in addition to the 2 large beds that are already in the room. We agree. 3 trips later to the desk we finally get our 2 cots. Many phone calls to the desk to get 5 more towels results in3 small hand towels coming up. We just get settled in the room and BANG, BANG, SMOKE, the power goes off in our room.God is surely punishing us for some previous act. I begin to plan how we can get light and air into the room. I'm sure there is no way this problem will be fixed at 5 P.M. New Years Eve. Up comes a maintenance man, he opens a little container on the wall, flips a few switched and MAGIC the power goes on. I mutter to myself " Oh you of little faith ". That night we went out for New Years dinner, came home and tried to sleep as 150 decibell music pounded up from the courtyard below our window.   
What else did we eat? Think. Think. Uhhuh, your on the right track- yes, YES your right       RICE
While at Rabbit island Sotheary bought crab right out of the crab pots in the ocean. We had the crab cooked ( shrimp also ) right on the beach. A culinary delight.
Kep is an old French resort area. Rich French colonists built huge house and came the for holidays. The houses were all destroyed during Pol Pot times.The beach on the ocean is not great, but for $20 you can rent a boat and go to Rabbit island, about 25 mins. This island is a tropical paradise.
After arriving in Kep Susan, Stewart, Blair and I were dumped off in the middle of a street. I knew that our final destination was a fair distance away. O.K. what now, here we go again, what to do? 4 people, 4 large suitcases and no knowledge of the area. I don't know why but the song " you picked a fine time to leave me Lucille, 3 hungary children and a crop in the field" kept bouncing around in my brain. However, as often happens in Cambodia, no problem. Within mins. a tt came to pick up a couple from. K Switzerland who were on their way to about the same place as we were going. Six of us with all our luggage piled into the tt and away we went. Dropped the couple off and carried on to our place ( Vanna Bungalows ). When we got there, because we were so heavy, we couldn't get up the hill-komprouey ( don't worry ), out we get and haul stuff up. It was worth the trouble, Vanna is beautiful and peaceful.

On the way down Heather wrote the following:

While driving to Kep we saw this family harvesting rice so we stopped and since we had Sotheary with us ( who is Cambodian and spent her 4 years during the Khmer Rouge working in the rice fields- beginning when she was 6 years old) -she asked if we could come over and watch them cut and bundle the rice.

Kyle cut his own stalks with a sickle. They take a few stalks and wrap them around and make a special tie then put them all together in piles. A wagon picks up the piles of rice stalks, then takes it home where they bang the heads on a tilted board and the rice falls out. To separate the chaff the ladies put the rice in big shallow baskets and throw the rice into the air and catch it. The wind blows the chaff away. The rice is then spread out on bamboo mats and the sun dries it. This is all done on the farm.
During one of the boys first tuk tuk (tt) ride they all waved and yelled hello to everyone that they passed by ( and let me tell you there are a lot of people ). Almost all the Khmer's on the street, on motos, in tt's smiled and waved back. A few looked questionably at them, a few dismissed this group of white folk with no reaction at all. The Khmer people in general are very friendly.

After Christmas away we all went to the southern coast. Paul, Sotheary, Alan, Anika, Wade, Heather, Stewart, Kyle, Blair, Susan and I. Wade and Heather and Kyle travelled with P and S in their SUV. Wade, Heather and Kyle had some problems. Seeing that they might need a fast toilet stop they got the private car ride. Susan, Stewart, Blair and I went on the bus. Our destination ( Kep and Kampot ) was about 4 hours away.
Blair ( our daughter's 4 year old son ) is a hit in Cambodia. Cambodians can't keep their hands off him. they pinch him on the arm, on the cheek, rub his back, smile, stare, laugh and talk to him. Why do they think he is so special? I guess it's the same as looking at a little black haired, dark skinned, beautiful young Khmers and wanting to hug them