Welcome to China

I was so tired when I arrived in Thailand I got hit in the eye with a taxi door but the hostel was white and clean. I woke up with one day to see Bangkok - and I think I managed pretty well, I hit all the major tourist spots, had a noodle lunch in the middle or a market with a tall dark european and fit in the mandatory thai massage. ouch. A flight this time took me to Kunming, capital of Yunnan province in southwest China. I didn't see much before calling it a night and taking another flight in the morning. It isn't far away but the difference between a bus trip and flying is significant when its up into the mountains. And now i live in Lijiang.... I'm here to volunteer at the local museum. I set it up through people in England and now I'm completely immersed. My only contact here is a student from Eastern China, she'll help me practice my Chinese and take me on outings on the weekends - she's basically my hired friend. My 'apartment' resembles a hotel room, except for the washroom which is a wet room (ie. entirely tiled - basically the room is a shower, with a toilet and sink stuck in). It's right in between a bakery and a supermarket where nothing is what it looks like and I'm constantly guessing. But the walk to the museum is amazing and I can cut through the cities park, a major tourist destination with rivers and temples and beautiful gardens. Its really a beautiful city! I live right on the edge of the old city and the new. The old is filled with tourists from other parts of China, wandering the narrow twisting cobblestone streets to reach points where you can look out over the tiled roofs. The new is bustling with the thousands of people who live in such a small area. Theres lots of bright lights and big signs - but almost No english.

No water no tissues

Well one long monsoon party at C.U.B. and I just couldn't stay in Sihanoukville any longer. The week was full of adventure and I don't think I've ever met such an array of people! The Orlando Bloom and Jason Segal doppelgängers really helped make up for the two weeks I'd spent with my ex's doppelgänger in Malaysia. As well as the company of drug mules, reporters, wine connoisseurs, artists, fruit pickers, my 18 year old manager who wants to be a king in 40 000 years or so and the other great people I worked with including Jason from Arizona (who is looking for a new home in Asia, is writing a movie, and just never runs out of amazing stories a about marrying babysitters or spiritual enlightenment), Dennis from Holland (who is introverted and fears I'm analyzing everything he does but matches two or three to my every drink night along and is at my side when we find ourselves eating ants or the only white people at LV Entertainment club) and Paul, American/Cambodian who is really going to get the bar going if Chean will stop to learn from him.

One long last night helped me sleep through most of today. I lost my camera and my pants were stolen about 5 minutes before I got the bus... Which turned out to be a bus, trek across the border, a couple of overcrowded vans, and finally a bus that was actually going to Bangkok. An additional train and taxi (which i found by walking into it giving me a lovely black eye) finally got me to a guesthouse where i've splurged and had my first real hot shower in nearly four weeks :)
I'm loving life!

Sent from my iPod (Note: May 2012. Just found this post, it had never been published. I'm glad I wrote these as I went because I barely remember that week in Cambodia - To be fair, I was being paid in whiskey...)

If only everyone could make a series of choices that led them to Cambodia

Or to working in a beach bar here, or eating fun & delicious Pandaland biscuits or hanging out with people who just hand out their business cards willy nilly. Yes you. the point of the Yeses is not to say yes to everything, but to let them bring opportunity and change into your life. Like how one day you can be sitting in your flat in London wondering what is there for you and less than a month later you can be in Cambodia wearing a necklace from Malaysia that prompts everyone to call you Turtle Girl. Danny Wallace is one wise guy, even if he undertook a strange and long project to learn these lessons. But who knows if this is where I am meant to be, London may have become really exciting as it does in October. A month ago I was working 9-5, being productive, (and miserable) and now I'm just sitting on a beach not doing anything constructive. Except for working at C.U.B., as one does...

My first day was quiet as quite a storm has come up, we even had to disassemble our dance floor when a large section of the beach washed away. The customers there at the time couldn't leave since the dirt road uphill to the main road had become a strong river, so we all went swimming instead, which meant I was wet for the rest of the night and had a few huge gashes on my feet from getting thrown onto some rocks. But I met many more excellent people and got to know my new coworkers.

I have finished reading Yes Man and I strongly recommend it to all of you. It is not only funny and full of true adventure but inspiring and at parts very emotional. It changed my life. I got to a point where I knew it was time to start saying no (it helps when you are in the dirty kitchen of a club with two naked guys holding a knife) but I don't regret a thing, I've learned a lot and I'm going to continue welcoming opportunity and new experiences :)

Also, wherever I next find myself living I am going to need to buy a scooter or bike of some kind. I am ashamed to say i'd never been on any sort of motorized bike before, let alone a motorcycle. I need to look into this further
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Tic tac toe

Tic tac toe

My first full day on the beach got off to a slow start with switching rooms but the Afternoon had so many unexpected pleasures in store.

The general consensus is that this would be the perfect beach (serendipity beach) if it weren't for the near constant offers of bracelets, manicures, fruit and everything else the young locals are selling. If you are nice to them, they are really friendly and I have learned a lot from the friends I made today. There are however those who seem to think the best tactic is provoking the desire to pay them to go away. Although my yeses don't apply to them I did agree to some when they used indirect approaches. As soon as I'd made my way down to the beach I met Mi (who is 17, from Vietnam and has been here for the past ten years with her family of 5 younger siblings). She gave me the general briefing of how things work at the beach, where to sit, what to look out for, how to make the most of my time, etc. I spent my first couple hours sitting with her and her friends, drawing flowers and making friendship bracelets (I have three now! From Nii, KaKa and Sam). During this time I Also agreed to buy two personalized bracelets and leg threading... As we got to know each other I started getting better tips on how to avoid - a simple no thankyou isn't going to do it, and if you say maybe later or I'll think about it they Will remember you and make you promise to buy it from them alone. To illustrate, when I bought the bracelets from Nii a girl came up and said that she had offered me bracelets first (possibly as Mi and I had passed her not paying attention?). Despite any apologies you can make they insist you buy from them as well (they aren't cheap) And so this girl started crying! but you can't afford to buy from everyone who cries! They'd catch on. I don't want to become the girl who ilicits crying as she walks down the beach!

The remainder of the afternoon I whiled away reading and enjoying the sun and peace having Learned that all I needed to say was that I'd already promised someone else. Also of note here - supposedly I have a look alike on the beach because some crazy lady started yelling at Mi and KaKa since I had been promised to her. Eventually she discovered her mistake and returned to ask me when I had arrived and apologize, but she really ought to have apologized to Mi.

Drama aside, there were tons of things to say yes to on the beach today including invitations to two more parties (yes and yes) and a request to kiss me from two guys (yes, I suppose) passionately (yes? Both of you? yes), invitation to watch the sunset, a restaurant recommendation and a game of tic tac toe with very high stakes... If I won, I got a free bracelet and a boyfriend ( the networking of Mi and her friends, in this case Sam has found me a handsome Canadian, who's tan is supposedly coming along very nicely.) If I lost, I would have to buy an anklet but would gain a lifelong friend in Sam. I lost. but she made me an additional friendship bracelet - I think this is the start of a wonderful relationship.

And now, no tic tac toe rookie, I refused the next time a small boy asked to play a game - which would have led to me buying a fish. And I'm not quite sure I understand his tactics but he followed me all the way along the beach cursing. As well as throwing in some creative stuff like 'you should go back to your f****** own country and on the way I hope your f****** plane crashes and burns'... *€&@*... *%$@£... 'if you survive find a husband and have a f****** baby. I hope your baby dies because your a ******* ****** ******'
Did I deserve this in my week of positivity and yeses? I think not. Jason suggests you pick these small ones up and throw them into the sea, I met him when he sat down next to me and offered me a manicure. oh the things that will bring travelers together.

Last night yes saw me accepting a job offer at C.U.B. Where I report today at 2. I then sought refuge by moving along to the second party with someone I'd just met, isn't it nice how yeses can overlap? Here I found my awesome friend Argentinian Marianna from the night before who soon suggested I get really drunk (yes). Which was helped along by several free drink offers which unfortunately encouraged the attentions of some incredibly creepy people, including some very drunk girls who knew no such thing as personal space or unfriendly touching. But yes is positive and my meeting and avoidance of dozens of people led me to accept a lesson in French kissing (apparently only genuine with a French man), give my email out to who knows who, accept offers of accommodation in sseveral cities I will probably never visit, drink More, drink things i am allergic to, meet the 'soul assassin', a dj, a tree hugger, a Canadian expert (not Canadian himself), someone who followed a girl here, someone selling Viagra (thank goodness he didn't present me with any yes moments), a diver, someone who Had thrown a child into the sea today as well as people from every continent. And I finally accepted the suggestion of going to sleep (thankyou) at 4. Luckily, since I have work to get to.

And for those of you who I've given my email to, or my card (as one does when one is this hip) and have eventually found your way to this page, where all my contact details ultimately lead - I didn't say yes to you because I had to, I said yes because you were awesome and I got to say it to You. (unless your name is ed, mark, johnny, molly, or tom). there were still choices involved and even if I said 'Yes, I will stay until closing so we can make out on the bar' or 'yes I will leave with you right now' or 'yes I only have eyes for you, funny that you knew to ask, you're right we probably Should go home together' I obviously didn't follow through. Not to worry folks! And to those who kept telling me to follow them I did try, but there were so many friends along the way and distractions to say yes to.

Yes had made me popular but I just can't be everywhere at once. Especially when I am sleeping.

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Yes. If you say so...

Sihanoukville was just what I was looking for - beach, relaxation, and company before I finally make my way to China where I'm starting to fear that I will either need to learn Chinese very quickly or face potential loneliness. But who knows what it will bring! My lesson for the week is positivity and openness! YES. I am even reading Yes Man (loving Danny Wallace) and have tasked myself to say yes to everything while in Sihanoukville. With obvious exceptions of tuktuks, street sellers/vendors, and proposals (you wouldn't have thought the last one necessary but the last two days had presented me with an offer each.)

As I started this task as I read on my way to pnom penh, I spent a very interesting day in transit - and I thought I'd have nothing to blog about! The 6 hour bus ride sitting over the wheel with no leg room and a sleeping man slouched against me had seemed bad, but the company decided to refund me as the second bus, pnom penh to sihanoukville, was suddenly full. They suggested trying the other bus depots around the central market. So bright eyed and bushytailed with my backpack and purse I met moto-duk driver Han... Han and his bold faced lies.
Not that seeing the sites on the back of a bike with my backpack and clutching my purse wasn't enjoyable but Han had agreed to tAke me to the central market and I am quite confident I never made it there. Although he was very talkative He was also very persistent, after he brought me by another bus depot where I took his word that they were also full, he ignored my pleas to continue on to the central market because I'd reLlg prefer a bus. But he insisted that a taxi was the cheaper (triple the price) and faster (twice the time) with the Added bonus that I had absolutely no idea what was going on. He dropped me on the side of he road leaving the city where I van with 20 people already in it pulled over and somewhere mysteriously tucked my bag away inside, so it was either stand on the side of the road luggageless or follow my bag. Despite everyone in the van shaking their heads And smiling at me when I said sihanoukville I got in, and for the next two hours provided them with endless entertainment as if every time they saw me sharing the seat with five others they'd forgotten I was there. In the beginning we drove with the door open so that we wouldn't have to stop when we payed off all the policemen we passed, after that we stopped periodically along the route to let people on or off. And finally we arrived. In a town I still don't know the name of, and everyone piled out and my bag reappeared and I was ushered into a new an where I got to share the front seat with a sullen man. A least for this half of the journey there was no pointing and laughing, I was even entrusted with a baby for a short while. And from my new view at the front I could watch for road signs that confirmed I was headed in the right direction. I could also see now that the speculated was broken, along with the windows and doors and lights. Also fun was discerning the general patterns of Cambodian traffic - yellow lines and oncoming traffic be damned, overtaking is always allowed, ne, encouraged, and if you feel like holding down the horn the entire time so much the better. Needless to say I arrived in Sihanoukville over 12 hours after leaving Siem Reap. Said yes to the first room I was offered despite it being available for one night only and invitations to parties at two separate beachside bars.
And relax, everything from here on out will go wondefully. I'm meeting lots of people, seeing fire throwing shows and regaining my sense of adventure. YES

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Cambodia

My second day in siem reap I spent nine hours exploring the Angkor temples. With my friendly tuk tuk driver bringing me to all of his favourite sites I started at the more isolated sites Banteay Srey and PPP. At this site my driver parked the tuk tuk handed me an umbrella and simple said 'that way and Up 2km'. I realized about 500m in as I climbed up over massive rocks and loose sand holding my camera in one hand and the unexplained umbrella in the other in my dress and flip-flops that I had absolutely no idea what was at the end of this climb. But, totally worth it, there was a waterfall and river running over ancient carvings in the rock. And the trek back didn't take as long as I could simply jump down, luckily never hurting myself, and the umbrella even came in handy to use as a brace when lowering myself off the higher rocks.

Although the temples are breath taking, magnificent, awe inspiring, etc, etc, it was the journey in between that i really enjoyed, passing through small villages, seeing kids walking to school when we started out at 8, everyone cooking lunch on the fire at midday, and farmers or fishermen at work.
In the afternoon I went to the much busier central sites including Tah Prohm, known for its massive trees and routes curving around the temple. Next was Angkor Thom, including Bayoun, the terrace of the elephants, the terrace of the leper king and... . Finally we made it to Angkor Wat, full of tourists and lines that after 8 hours I was hesitant to wait in. The relief carvings around the outside were as impressive as they say, and it's big enough to get lost in.

Siem reap itself is worth spending time in. The old market is similar to the central market except for the smell... The central cross section is full of people sitting on the floor or tables selling produce - meat and fruit & veg although this is very inclusive... So if you ever need some chicken feet, a specific type of shellfish or some crickets this is the place.
Nearby pub street is lined with restaurants full of tourists where you can always meet some interesting people and this whole central area is full of people yelling 'lady! Lady!' with promises of tuktuks, cheap drinks, the best food and any and every type of massage. worth checking out are the fish massages, I paid the whole dollar for ten minutes after hearing Chris talk about it rntusiastically in Malaysia and it was money well spent. You sit on a bench with your feet in a tank where the dry skin is devoured by dozens of little fish, ticklish but enjoyable.

Also within easy distance are the floating villages. I visited the village on T
As it was the wet season the river covered the road and a lot of the village and fishing boats had moved into the river from the lake. All by slightly unwelcome very personalized tour with my guide Som I saw the floating school, shops, police station, fish farm and church (both for tourists). it's a poorer side of life but an amazing site to see.
"Thankyou, you ought to give me a tip (of course thats up to you though). If you are happy, I am happy! And I will be waiting here for you " <3

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Monsoon season

As the season winds down the resort is getting much quieter. Those who have been here for the summer and are starting to look forward to going home and those who will be staying through the monsoon season are trying to make the most of the time they have with people here. Basically this week had much more of a holiday feel, and as I also did my PADI Open water the only volunteer tasks I was still involved in were turtle And poacher watch. This meant I had the nights to study and was still getting up at nine to be at the dive shop. needless to say I got through the course pretty quickly with the help of my awesome instructor Kat (who back in the real world is in finance and property investment). You can really appreciate the merits of becoming a dive instructor when you're in a place like this.
On Thursday I was able to go along to the village for the last Turtles Need Trees club of the season. Having already been there last week when we finished painting a mural we got right into things. After a short lesson on Marine parks we drew pictures and played some games. The kids fought over who got to hold your hand or sit next to you, and when they are prying your fringers in different directions and pulling you along it's hard to maintain control or suggest they take turns. They were also fond of a game that consisted of running around me in circles holding. My hands until we got so dizzy we'd fall down. Whatever the game though we all had a lot of fun (possibly with the exception of the resorts resident kid who came along although he didn't talk to the kids and kept on getting run over by the spinning kids when he'd walk right up to me and suggest I fall down. Thanks tips. The other volunteers were convinced he had a crush on me since he'd started using soap and was around a lot more, much totheir chagrin, but I think he just wanted the movies I had on my computer). As Malay timing isn't something you could set your watch by I had to take a water taxi in order to get back for diving, although it wad no where near as exciting as the small boar we'd taken back from long beach Sunday night in the dark with the driver shining a flashlight on his face...

My last full day I got two fun dives in as a newly certified diver. Somehow they just weren't the same as being one on one with kat who always spotted the eels, rays or prettiest fish. Although the sites were great there were other people above and below and a strong current that put the pressure to really practice everything I'd learned about bouyancy and control. Saturday night we got out the Monkey Juice we'd picked up in Long Beach and together Garth, Mike and I managed to get through it while we played tonka and UNO.
And our luck hadn't run out either. With a turtle on our first night and hatchlings on our second we got to see the hatchlings journey down to the sea on our last night as well. Cheesy, but this is something I will never forget - it's been like living in a segment Planet Earth. Whether swimming amongst 20 massive bumphead parrotfish, watching the goby fish and shrimp work together, seeing blue-spotted ribbontail rays selecting their mate or the dangerous triggerfish doing the same, or swimming with turtles, thousands of fish, and seeing a green turtle nest and 115 baby hatchlings crawling up out of the sand to make it down to the sea it's been surreal and simply epic.

As it got nearer to my leaving dollah gradually lowered his price for me to stay another week, From 1000 to 500, 1, 0... I would have loved another week of sunshine and diving but there are always other adventures and experiences and sometimes it's just time to move on.

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