Mekong Delta - day three (well, some of it - some stuff's gotta be kept private y'all).
June 22/09
Although I know I'm living many people's dreams right now today is a day when I'd kind of rather just be at home and just be back to my normal life. I woke up this morning with my ears sore and pounding, a raw, burning throat and a horrible headache. Thanks to extra strength painkillers I'm not in very much pain anymore but I still feel somewhat weak and miserable and we've still got at least 12 hours of travelling by slow boat and mini-van before we get to Cambodia.
This morning our first stop was a fish farm - hilarious to see the absolute frenzy and how far the fish flopped themselves out of the water to get to the food. And then we were off to a small Muslim village where we got to see scarf weaving.
Ricky's blisters are no better and I'm kinda nervous. I only have one tablet left for the Amoxicillan and the infection also still looks very bad - in fact - the redness has spread rather than decreased. I wonder if it has anything to do with being sick . . .
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So, I believe we're in Cambodia now - we got off of our boat, had a rather expensive lunch at a Customs office, filled out some more forms adn then got back on another 3 hour boat. There's about 30 young backpackers and all of our luggage crammed onto this vessel with wooden benches - very uncomfortable. What a fun three hours this will be - and my glasses are scratched and they took my Vietnam Visa! (insert - WAHHHH - here). Because I have a temporary passport they gave me a visa not attached . . . ah well, at least they gave me a photocopy of the thing.
As we were calmly traveling down the river the clouds slowly started covering more and more of the sky as the winds picked up. At first I was pleased - it was probably about the first time in two days that I wasn't stifling hot and then ... the rain. One thing about Asia - when it rains it pours. Have I mentioned that yet? Thankfully the boat has tarps to put over the windows but I'm quite nervous about my bag as it's on the prow and there's no covering - and it's right on top. Most of the bags are safely under our seats. Ah well, if things are soaked they'll survive. This will be soaking number three. I just hope my stuff to hip doesn't get too wet. What a hilarious sight this is - now we're all crammed in in this semi-dark space captive to the fate of the day!
But I'm smiling now - glorying in the fact that this is probably something I'd never do in Canada. At least not with such international company. And also enjoying the beautiful man across from me. A half black German - too bad I looked so wretched. Otherwise I'm sure I'd make more effort to get my flirt on
OVER THREE HOURS LATER
I think it's about time this boatride were over - but who knows. The pain of the morning has expanded to a rather uncomfortable sinus headache - oye me - which makes it hard to wear my glasses, which makes me blind to the life we're passing along the river. For what I do see however, it's interesting. So many people are enjoying thier time swiming and bathing - boys especially, and they're so excited about seeing us - waving excitedly and energetically. I wonder at their excitement when I know boat loads of foreigners must come by for the border crossing everyday. But then I think of the train that went behind my house at Pineway everyday while we swam . . . We never got tired of waving and singing our songs.
The life looks so idyllic here - bathing tending to farm animals, coming to the River to bathe and do the washing. I'm sure though that what the eye sees is only a small part of the story. No way of knowing really I suppose.
- We just passed a bunch of young monks - first impression of Cambodia - So friendly!
Onto previous thoughts, I was reading in Serene's book on the Sex Trade, the secrecy of the Asian men's involvement in it and the plight of the poverty stricken woemn either led to it as their only means or simply sold . . . (the rest of this is lost)
Although I know I'm living many people's dreams right now today is a day when I'd kind of rather just be at home and just be back to my normal life. I woke up this morning with my ears sore and pounding, a raw, burning throat and a horrible headache. Thanks to extra strength painkillers I'm not in very much pain anymore but I still feel somewhat weak and miserable and we've still got at least 12 hours of travelling by slow boat and mini-van before we get to Cambodia.
This morning our first stop was a fish farm - hilarious to see the absolute frenzy and how far the fish flopped themselves out of the water to get to the food. And then we were off to a small Muslim village where we got to see scarf weaving.
Ricky's blisters are no better and I'm kinda nervous. I only have one tablet left for the Amoxicillan and the infection also still looks very bad - in fact - the redness has spread rather than decreased. I wonder if it has anything to do with being sick . . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So, I believe we're in Cambodia now - we got off of our boat, had a rather expensive lunch at a Customs office, filled out some more forms adn then got back on another 3 hour boat. There's about 30 young backpackers and all of our luggage crammed onto this vessel with wooden benches - very uncomfortable. What a fun three hours this will be - and my glasses are scratched and they took my Vietnam Visa! (insert - WAHHHH - here). Because I have a temporary passport they gave me a visa not attached . . . ah well, at least they gave me a photocopy of the thing.
As we were calmly traveling down the river the clouds slowly started covering more and more of the sky as the winds picked up. At first I was pleased - it was probably about the first time in two days that I wasn't stifling hot and then ... the rain. One thing about Asia - when it rains it pours. Have I mentioned that yet? Thankfully the boat has tarps to put over the windows but I'm quite nervous about my bag as it's on the prow and there's no covering - and it's right on top. Most of the bags are safely under our seats. Ah well, if things are soaked they'll survive. This will be soaking number three. I just hope my stuff to hip doesn't get too wet. What a hilarious sight this is - now we're all crammed in in this semi-dark space captive to the fate of the day!
But I'm smiling now - glorying in the fact that this is probably something I'd never do in Canada. At least not with such international company. And also enjoying the beautiful man across from me. A half black German - too bad I looked so wretched. Otherwise I'm sure I'd make more effort to get my flirt on
OVER THREE HOURS LATER
I think it's about time this boatride were over - but who knows. The pain of the morning has expanded to a rather uncomfortable sinus headache - oye me - which makes it hard to wear my glasses, which makes me blind to the life we're passing along the river. For what I do see however, it's interesting. So many people are enjoying thier time swiming and bathing - boys especially, and they're so excited about seeing us - waving excitedly and energetically. I wonder at their excitement when I know boat loads of foreigners must come by for the border crossing everyday. But then I think of the train that went behind my house at Pineway everyday while we swam . . . We never got tired of waving and singing our songs.
The life looks so idyllic here - bathing tending to farm animals, coming to the River to bathe and do the washing. I'm sure though that what the eye sees is only a small part of the story. No way of knowing really I suppose.
- We just passed a bunch of young monks - first impression of Cambodia - So friendly!
Onto previous thoughts, I was reading in Serene's book on the Sex Trade, the secrecy of the Asian men's involvement in it and the plight of the poverty stricken woemn either led to it as their only means or simply sold . . . (the rest of this is lost)
posted by Charles at 3:08 AM
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