...Or not.

Sometimes things happen on a fast pace. Few days ago I was leaving Cambodia in 2 weeks. Well, not anymore.

There is a beach 7 kilometers long. On the beach is a single guesthouse named Broken Heart guesthouse. And that will be my place of work for the next 6 months! Place is owned and run by Finnish people so I'm all good.

And did I mention the beach has been voted as one of top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world?

So yeah, Australia will have to wait for now. I think I will head out and do something since it seems it is going to be another sunny day here in paradise also know as Koh Rong. ;)

I love my life.

FOKR

So I have been here in Koh Rong for what, a week now? Days flow by, sun is shining and it is absolutely beautiful. Though when sun is shining full blaze it's SO hot to work it's unbelievable! I have never been pouring sweat as much as while working here. But our group is amazing. The girls who run Friends Of Koh Rong spend their days planning curriculums and doing other office work. Us short term volunteers do the manual labour. Three times now we have also recruited travellers from the beach to carry some sand bags. When I have a better internet connection I will post some pictures of the school and whatnot.

Today we were a team of four and our task was to improve the path to Long beach, which is on the other side of the island. So off we went with 2 long stemmed machetes, the dullest small axe you have ever seen, some signs, hammer and nails and a 1,5l bottle of water each. It was good fun for a change to be in the jungle chopping vines and clearing undergrowth. And another hot day of course.
When we got to Long beach the view was in a word, stunning. Waves crashing in to a white beach that stretches out for 7km. And guess what? There is a bungalow village on the end of the beach where the path leads to and there I found the first Finnish persons on the island. All 4 of them. And 2 of them run the place.
If I had the possibility I would not be leaving this island for a long time. Needless to say that I quite enjoy my time here. :)
But my beloved bank credit makes sure I will have to put such plans until after Australia...

Koh Rong

Who would've thought that Cambodia is an awesome place for little island relaxation? This Island is a pearl at the moment. Lot of new guesthouses and such been build so give it few years and it's like any other island in the ocean.

I am doing this post as I wait for the hottest part of the day pass. In little more than hour need to go back to work. Because what else would you do on a paradise island like this? Little landscaping in blistering heat. And it's not planting pot plants or watering freshly laid grass. It's making base for a path with run down hoes, shovels and a pick axe. And I even get to pay them for doing this! This is so much fun I will do it for 2 weeks. :)
Also yesterday we had people from the village to help us out to carry bags of sand to the previously prepared parts of the path. Oh, and the school we are building is on a hill. And beaches with sand tend to be little closer to the ocean.

So if anyone wants to help me to help this little organisation (Friends of Koh Rong) to build a school for the local kids, I can channel money to them thru my bank account. :)
I personally payed 225$ for the 2 weeks of working. Ok, I'm getting accommodation, food and drinks (no alcohol) for it also.

If by chance some one actually wants to make a donation, pls let me know so I can get the money to them.

Also, pictures will have to wait for a better internet connection.

Wordless

Well, not quite. Here I go thinking that tonight is going to be an easy night with an early ending. Guess what? There is a local kid's birthday in my guesthouse tonight. As I am writing this from my room I'm feeling the bass thud against my chest and hum in my ears. Apparently even small kids here enjoy music as loud as western teenagers.

And I have my first major injury from the travels.

Infection in my left eye. It started last night when I suddenly realized that I had rubbed my eye beyond the point of no return trying to get dirt or something out. So I knew what to expect this morning and true enough, now I have a bit swollen, bright red eye. The local doctor was a package though. In the morning when I went in to show my eye saying: "I think I have an infection in my eye", The guy immediately propped me against an eye examination thingy and started glaring. After few minutes of intense staring and turning my eyelids inside out (quite painful actually when infected) he stated: "You have an infection in your eye."
And apparently eye exams don't require gloves down here.
But the story has a happy ending. Few minutes of pain and few more waiting and I leave with 9 dollars lighter and 2 different eye drop bottles heavier. One is antibacterial and other is just plain sterile drops. That oughta sort it out.

Now I need to get out of this room even when it's raining cats and dogs outside. Otherwise I might turn in to an old fashioned Finnish axe murderer. Or at least I will go chop their speakers to something suitable of making a fire.

The beach!

I almost jumped the motorbike when I had my first glimpse of it. How can a body of water make a man smile like that?
Anyways, a short post only with no pictures since the internet connection is not the best here. And I can't wait to take my camera for a walk now that I filled my tummy with some delicious prawn masala.
Checked the weather in finland today. I think I'm better off here...  ;)

How's the weather in your town?

Again one week has passed and I almost feel guilty not writing an update sooner. But I've been busy, u know!  I have been reading books, playing beer pong and pool in the evenings and such. :P Those I only did one evening tho.
One day we took off with two Israeli girls, both actually named Tali to go climb up to this pagoda. We had a little too late start and run out of time, but it was a good exercise anyway. Bicycling abt hour each way and hour and a half up a hill.

Lost in the jungle

The next day me and Tali (one seen above) rented a motorbike and went to visit Bokor Hill. Around 2,5 hour drive from which 2 hours up a hill. Lots of squiggly road and tight turns. Lucky the weather is as good as the bike and the driving is smooth. 

Also apparently in Cambodia the passenger can, unlike in Sumatra, get hurt since we both got helmets. Mine offered about as much protection as a 10-year old bicycle helmet. But better than nothing, eh? Anyway once we got to the top we had too options: turn left or right. To the right is a waterfall and to the left is some abandoned from older days. Some probably emptied during Khmer Rouge. We decided to save the best to last so off to the ruins.

Before this house there was a sign saying: "No sleeping here at night!" Just to make sure...

The weather was getting cloudy (read: foggy) so we didn't spend too long there but instead took off towards the waterfalls. 8 kilometers later we arrive and the weather was much better. Only a small drop in altitude and change of the mountainside did miracles. This waterfall was funny because I'm used to watching waterfalls from below, but for this the viewpoints were at the lip of the waterfall. Was really interesting looking at this perspective for a change. 

Down she goes

Yesterday when I was in my guesthouse immersed in a book I suddenly realize that someone is calling for me. From the neighboring guesthouse. I turn my head and see a smiling face peeking above a palm leaf fence that separates us. He invites me over and I discover a secret ninja-route to their side. along a tree trunk, narrow yourself to a board and climb to safety between a bench and the bar. The look on the bartenders face was quite something when I popped my head from there. And here I meet my first Finnish on this travel. Antti from Joensuu. They are playing a card game called Chinese poker, which looks interesting. After watching them play for a while I already got a grip on the rules and get to challenge the second to last in their just ended tournament. Several hours later I find myself still sitting in the chair playing. Lucky there was only family honor at bet, so monetary loss was minimal. A can of coke that being. And I didn't even lose all the games, so I still have some shreds of the before mentioned honor left. 

Today I decided enough slouching on the chairs reading books, so I took my camera with me and headed for a walk. Original idea was to go to the local market, stop by at Ganesha Eco Resort and walk back to town to do some banking and such. Only been once in Ganesha once and going there riding a tuk tuk in the darkness, little did I know that from our place to Ganesha via the market is 5,4 km. And I took off just after noon. 

Take a guess if I was sweaty 1,5 hours later when I arrived to Ganesha Eco Resort and ordered some mango and passion juice? Fresh of course. 

On my way I stopped to take a look in to the market and about 1,5 minutes walking in the market and I'm feeling claustrofobic. So narrow and low! Need to prepare for this better and come again. 

Ganesha is a nice place with bungalows scattered around a beautiful garden. The place itself is in the middle of the ricefields right next to a small river. So a piece of paradise. And the owner is a really relaxed, about 2 meters tall French guy.

Ricefields around Ganesha

And one of the bungalows

Clock was running late and I hadn't eaten a lunch so I decided to book a sunset boat ride and have some food before that. The food was this room temperature chicken and noodle salad, which was delicious. Almost at par with the famous Kampot pepper crab I had the other night. Mmm... Good stuff.

Manuel (owner of Ganesha) kept on saying that the sunset will be good and he wasn't lying. He joined me and 2 German girls (Germans are everywhere here) on the boat to watch the sunset. After that it was already too late for the other planned activities so call to a motordop (motorbike driver) and set sails back home. 

Does this make you at least a bit jealous?

Oh, right... On my last post I was talking about going to Siam Reap and Angkor Wat. About that... A few variables came up and I'm now here in Kampot, southern Cambodia. Next stop is Koh Rong (Island) via Sihanoukville. But when I will go there, I don't know. Now is the start of Cambodian holidays, so all public transport is fully booked, need to get at least 2 days in advance. and that lasts a week. And here in Naga House is a party coming in few days. Maybe I should just hang on to my little piece of treehouse dorm for a little while longer...

I have seen worse dorms. 4 beds and 3 dollars/night