Another day, another 20-second scroll on Facebook has revealed even more doom and gloom coming from the Northern Hemisphere. Lockdowns and Trump, and masks and toilet paper shortages.
It makes even the most mundane day in Cambodia seem lightyears away.
Things are still going really well over here, and I'm trying not to make this post a brag. Just the fact I can meet in more than a group of six and I feel I'm rubbing my joyous life in your faces. Sorry about that.
Work
My pet sitting business is picking up! This weekend I was cat-sitting a six-month-old kitty called Kamow (Khmer for black...guess what colour she was...) seemed fitting that I was catsitting a black cat on Full Moon Halloween. And as I type this I have a ten-month-old puppy sitting at the end of my bed called Pixie.
This weekend along is enough to pay almost all my monthly rent. So KERCHING!
Bookings are flying in, and I'm sure my hot competition isn't too happy about that... but that's a story for private chats.
With the help of a friend, I've also managed to secure some play dates with a cute Russian five-year-old called Will. I teach him some English, play and hang out and I've got myself a salary! After months of watching the funds dwindle in my bank account, I no longer have to feel guilty about upgrading myself from a $1 beer to a $2.50 Margherita at Taco Tuesday.
Talking of rent, I've decided to upgrade from my pimp pad, to an even pimper pad (with a garden!) straight across the road and only $20 more a month. Breaking the bank a little with the extra $20, but I'm sure it'll be worth it. Watch this space for another MTV Cribs video...
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| Kamow The Kitty |
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| Pixie the Puppy |
Play
What I have I done since my last post? I have no idea. Every day blurs into one!
Halloween
Halloween was a tame one this year in comparison to the last few (well, apart from last year where I was somewhere in rural Thailand drinking rum and soda with some strangers...) But that doesn't mean it awasn't a good night, or a well behaved one! This year saw a Friday night costume, and a Saturday. Budget friendly, as always.
Whilst the rest of the world is running headless about Corona, here in Cambodia we're all freaking out about chikungunya. Chikungunya (or as we call chicken-tikka, chicken-korma, chicken-run-yeah, chicken-whatever) is a mosquito spread illness. It can last from 1-12 weks and completely wipes you out...and a lot of people are getting it. So REALLY, the scariest thing in Siem Reap right now? Mosquitos. So that's what I dressed as. The original costume was two balloons on my head, some homemade plasticbag-and-coathanger wings alas, the only photo is just me in a stripy top...it's the thought that counts.
Saturday I was a zombie lumberjack. Much more traditional Halloween.
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Me, J and Dan on Friday
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Taco Tuesday, Frozen Cocktails and Rapping Around Siem Reap
The Tuesday straight from Hariharilaya we indulged in somee Mexican food at MaybeLater on their Taco Tuesday. I ordered a water, but a margherita showed up...and the night continued in that fashion. I'm currently doing a mexican tour of Siem Reap to trial all the burritos and tacos on offer. As it stands, Maybe Later (and their damn tasty, but strong, margheritas are currently first place).
And next up starting a night with $1.50 frozen pina coladas is only ever going to end a certain way. That is with Rakdaddy sigging on the rack of my bicycle as we parade the streets of Siem Reap.
Posh Pressure Hour
Every Friday at the local, Star Bar, they do an event called Pressure Hour. Basically, you buy the first beer ($1) then between 5.30pm and 6.30pm it's unlimited beer. The only rules are that you can't leave the bar, or go to the toilet until the horn blasts at 6.30pm.
There's a group of us, call us regulars if you will, who attend most Fridays. Now, my friend Amanda is from The States and she is always dressed nice. The idea sprung into our heads that one week it'd be fun to all get dressed up as nice as we can...so that's what we did. Fancy Friday: Posh Pressure Hour. Get dressed up real nice, then get drunk and slur some Karoke. The same as we usually do, just this time a little cleaner. It turned out to be a great sucess!
Sports
Urh.... yeah. About that. There's not been much of that happening.
Usually I cycle a lot, but between being a little hungover, socialising, eating, uhh existing. I haven't been on the bike as much as I should. So this weeks goal is to saddle up once again and getthat bubble butt back again.
As for Zumba, Yoga, and Running....ummm yeah. I'll get back into them this week too.
BUT I have still been playing Ultimate Frisbee once a week. That's something...right?
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| Drinks with the Ultimate crew |
Here is a photo of me with my first wonton soup after five days.
Now, I feel great!
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| Me and J, gangsta |
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| I'm a superstar...at the Star Bar |
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| (L-R)Co Fancy Friday Originator Amanda, me, Jared and my new next-door neighbour Pascal |
