Cambodia trip 2016 - the Rowan & Ellie Wedding Edition Pt II
Oct 18: Day 4 - Singapore to Phnom Penh
Breakfast at The Book Club again. It is western and expensive (S $42 the other day, and $1S=$1AU in terms of loading travel card at the moment). Eek! But yep, very good.
Actually I'm not finding Singapore to be cheap at all, street food is, but western food, clothes and electronics are all pretty similar to Australia really.
Check out of the Studio M hotel by midday then head to the airport early to make sure we're there and maybe do a little shopping.
And in today's news of a genius, I securely locked my keys in my bag. Thank goodness I gave one of the locks and a pair of keys to Arwin!
Spent ages trying to get some US currency to land with. Ended up transferring $AU to $S on the travel card, withdrawing from an ATM, and taking the cash to a change Bureau. We had $US on the travel card already, but couldn't find a way to get them!
Flight from Singapore to Phnom Penh was delayed due to congestion at Changi airport, and the flight itself was pretty lumpy, seat belt sign was on for all but about 10 min of the 1:40 flight. The descent into PP was fast and my ears wouldn't play nicely, but managed to get just enough popping happening that I wasn't deaf on landing. The landing was a good double bouncer, but eventually we stuck to the ground despite how wet it was. Took our time sorting out visa and customs, no problems, $30 for a tourist visa. Glad we had the money on us despite the hassle!
We were met by Vija and Rowan, as we were on the same flight as an aunt and uncle. Got a SIM card, $10 for 10GB data, but no outgoing calls. Turns out, as I suspected, Telstra (contract) phones aren't locked.
Took tuk tuks back to the hotel where the relatives were staying, same driver as last time I was here, so that's nice :) Sopiya has now finished his vetinary studies, but he would have to work in a province. But he wants his kids to get a good education so it's better for him to continue to drive tuk tuks in the city. Sad. We had some food at the hotel restaurant, then Vija, Arwin and I came back to the house while Ellie took Rowan to collect the next set of relatives.
Their new house is nice, in a gated community. 4 bedrooms over 3 storeys (only one with hot water), nice kitchen, and a table tennis table in the front room. There is also rooftop access but as it was night I haven't seen that yet. Stairs are very steep, I'd forgotten about that!
When Rowan and Ellie got home we played an Aztec themed board game, quite fun :)
Oct 19: Day 5 - Phnom Penh
Woke up at 6. Love you too, heat :p I slept with the fan on, but turned the air con on for a bit.
Surfaced again at 8:30 but only Vija was about still. Got a load of washing done (got drenched in a rainstorm though!), read a few chapters of my book, did some cross stitch, played 6Nimmt and Twenty. Good day :)
In the evening we went for dinner with Rowan's aunts and uncles at One More, a nice Khmer restaurant, followed by coffee at Brown Coffee, a Cambodian owned American style cafe.
Missed the supermarket but managed to get to an ATM and chemist so I now have some money and shower gel, shampoo, and best of all, face wash! Getting used to cold showers, slowly.
20/10/2016 - Day 6
Today a bunch more people arrive including TomZ and his girlfriend, and we go for fittings this afternoon.
Arwin and I took one of the new metered tuk tuks in to the city and visited the National Museum. We were going to go to the Royal Palace as well but it's closed between 12-2 which was a bit inconvenient. So instead we wandered down to the river and had lunch, and found Arwin a hair dresser. Still a bit early so walked along the river to where we're to meet Tom and Tien(?) and Ellie at 3. Having another drink now, Arwin is finally trying a shake. Pretty sure i'm getting a cold :(
360 degree panorama on Tonle Sap riverfront
Full sphere panorama in front of Royal Palace gates
Met up with Ellie alone as the bus was running later than scheduled, so Ellie took Arwin and I to the tailor then dropped us back at the palace and went to get Tom again. Fitting went fine, they had a jacket that would fit Arwin and I am the right size generally :p
Getting there was fun though, Ellie's car had been parked in, but the parallel cars were parked in neutral and there was a traffic guy just pushed them out of the way when we wanted to leave! This place is crazy :p
After that we wandered back to the museum to reserve tickets for the traditional dance performance for everyone. Then the rain struck! Ellie and T&T turned up eventually and we all went to Happiness Pizza for tea :)
I'b god a colb.
So does Ellie so at least I don't have to worry about making her sick. Yay?
Groomsmen are all entirely un-Cambodian in stature other than Rowan but they are workable, and I'm a good size apparently. No surprise there :p
Festivities start tomorrow evening though the crazy dresses aren't till Saturday. I'm yet to see them, just trusting it'll all work out. Turns out we're all just trusting it'll work out! Ah well!
Dance performance was excellent. Bought a tshirt even :)
Home, quick game of 6nimmt, throat lozenge for Ellie and Codral night tablets for Rowan and I, then bed.
21/10/2016
Tomorrow is the big day!
Lost my bedroom and back to the couch so that Rowan's aunt and uncle can have the bedroom.
In the morning Ellie and I headed to a nice salon and had our nails done - Ellie got fake red nails with floral designs painted on two of the nails of each hand. Very out there for Ellie but very subdued compared to their suggested wedding nails which were *amazingly* sparkly!! I got light purple on my natural nails with nice patterns on the ring finger and thumb. I also got my hair washed and much massaging, was lovely! Only problem was realising just how fat I am compared to those girls :(
Picked up a bunch of stuff from the bakery for lunch including sweet bean dumplings, yum!!
In the afternoon Rowan's family came over and we had a chat and meet up before heading to Ellie's brother's house, where the wedding will be, for pre-wedding family dinner. This was all fine, we met the other bridesmaid, Pia (Sophea), her daughter (who Ellie sometimes claims is hers!), and John and Gemma, Rowan's previous housemate and groomsman and his wife who is also a bridesmaid. Only problem was Rowan's sister and her partner, and Tom and Tien weren't ready when the others left, so rather than being at our house at 4:30 they were leaving the hotel then, which meant they were late and affected by traffic, their driver didn't know where the place was and went completely the wrong way in a traffic jam. Eventually we managed to get in touch with them (Rowan's sister gave the driver Ellie's number I think), but it was all very difficult, and they eventually arrived as the rest of us were finishing our food. Oh well, they still got fed. Food was interesting, loads of rice, a mushroom and shrimp Tom yum soup, some sort of sautéed mushroom dish, a whole river fish with green mango salad, and steamed duck and veggies. 3am start for Ellie and I tomorrow, our hair and makeup session is at 3:30am!! Crazy!
So for now, sleep! And for tomorrow, more cold and flu tablets!