My arse hurts...

I left Siem Riep by boat yesterday at 7.30am heading for Battambang, the second biggest city in Cambodia after Phnom Penh. We had to get out at midday as the water levels are too low at this time of year to get all the way there by river and we all piled into three pick-up trucks, thirteen people in the back of ours plus luggage, three people sitting on the roof of the cabin, and set off for a two hour journey along a "road" stopping occasionally when the truck stalled or when the driver/guide had to get out in order to hack vegetation from our path with a machete or more alarmingly to guide the truck through pits, holes and dips in the "road" that threatened to tip us over. I sat/bounced on the side of the truck hence the arse-ache-age. Still it was all quite good fun as we had some lively characters in the group who cheered everyone else along. Left to my own devices I would undoubtedly have sat there in silent uncomplaining discomfort for the whole trip. We all met up for a meal that evening and are doing the same thing tonight. Just as well really as there is flip-all to do in Battambang apart from visiting Wats and various caves outside of the city and I've seen enough Wats and caves to last me a good long while. I've just bought my ticket back to Phnom Penh for tomorrow so will be there for one night before heading to the coast. It's Chinese New Year tomorrow so there may be some craziness afoot. When I arrived in Battambang I kept hearing what I took to be gunshots and thought hmm..maybe I will stay in my hotel room but then remembered CNY and realised they were fire-works...probably...most of them.

Lets see...what else...Oh yes, I nearly got my camera snatched in Phnom Penh by two kids on the back of a moped but fortunately had the strap round my wrist so ran along behind them snarling "Let go you fuckers!"as aggressively as I could before they gave up and buggered off. They nearly came off the bike when they swerved to avoid a lamp-post but fortunately didn't as I would have had no idea what to do then not having the necessary authority or manhandling skills with which to carry out a citizen's arrest.

I have developed something of an aversion to rice which, given the part of the world I am in, is something of a problem.

Read Inversions by Iain M. Banks recently. It was crap. Read Dirt Music by Tim Winton. It was good.