彳亍着

Went to play pool today. Settlers was too full to seat us.

I also want to thank Iv Ge for getting me a book from Cambodia. It was totally unexpected and I really appreciate the thought. The cover featured Angkor Wat in backlight, far away in the horizon.

One need never say goodbye to Angkor, for its magic will go with you wherever fate and the gods may take you to colour your thoughts and dreams to life's very end.

~ H W Ponder

The holidays has allowed me to drift away from the realities of life, to indulge in dreams. Day-dreaming, one of the most futile activity and yet one of the few luxuries I intermittenly allow myself to savour and indulge in.

Sometimes I dream that I was back in South Africa, France or Cambodia.

***

我很喜欢这一首歌。。。

巫啟賢 - 《邂逅》

入暮的山途獨有我彳亍，落紅鏗然顯凄清
低吟起那幽陰的歌，歌聲抖出了蕭索
歌韻隱隱飄蕩入我波心，牽引我山游覓覓尋

邂逅你炯瑩的星眸，顫動我翩翩入夢
恒古雋永美麗的神話，莫非已降臨此剎那
默望長空我深深祈禱，愿剎那化永恒典雅

彳亍: 不读为行【拼音chì chù】

形容小步慢走或时走时停。
在戴望舒的《雨巷》中写到：“像我一样，像我一样，默默的彳亍着……”。

~ http://www.baike.baidu.com/

好久的歌， 恰似能嗅出尘来

简单的曲，美丽的词

童年的时光历历在目

终是想回到那小时候

因为终是觉得往前是如此的彳亍着

我很喜欢这一个词。。。“彳亍”

行于彳亍。。。

一个不小心就容易弄错

行于彳亍却表达截然不同的意义

从彳亍到行

是一个跃不过的空间吗？

人生得于彳亍或于行是否是一个定数

先人好有幽默

彳亍间的距离微妙却又如此的永恒

消除了那渺小的空间会不会只是个错别字？

彳亍。。只因为默望長空深深祈禱着，愿剎那化永恒典雅
我想我的人生以彳亍而非行作为属性

那。。又是谁决定把它编进我人生的蓝图里？

Status: wistful

Cambodia 2007 - Day 7

Cambodia 2007

Day 7: - Kampot (Bokor Hill)

I awoke in pitch darkness. I felt around as cautiously as possible for my handphone or watch. I cringed at every little sound I made because they resonated so loudly in complete silence. The flash of light that the handphone gave out was so bright that I rushed to cover it with my hand.

I used the handphone as a torchlight and felt about for my toiletries. Because the generator is switched off after 9.30 a.m, I was freaking proud of being able to put my contact lens in without a mirror, in pitch darkness. I found the bicycle torchlight that Gan uses and trying to make as little sound as possible, I slipped out of bed and felt my way around. I didn't even dare to use the torchlight lest I wake the other occupants of the room.

However once I succeeded in getting out of the room, I had to return back for my towel which I had forgotten and had to somehow cover my stuff so that they weren't so exposed though I doubt anybody would bother to rummage them in complete darkness and stillness.

To keep the noise level down, I chose the toilet outside instead of the one inside the building because with the stillness of the surroundings, they definitely would be able to hear the water splashing, sloshing and the running of the pipes.

Bathing at 6 a.m. in an enclosed area with only a torchlight for solace was quite an experience. The toilet bowl was 90 degrees to the sink and mirror, opposite to the crude shower facilities. I placed the torchlight on the cistern and I was startled everytime I caught sight of myself in the cracked mirror. However gradually I got used to it. Initially, I was half-expecting a face to appear in the mirror beside me or something and I was actually looking out for it so I can grab my clothes and run out. I gradually got amused at the pathetic state of my mind and decided that it was a nice little toilet after all albeit with only a torchlight to throw eerie shadows around.

There was no hot water. (-_-")

Once again, I was glad for my rashes that allowed me to brave the cold water in the cold hilly air.

As I brushed my teeth, I kept my gaze on the mirror and scrutinised my surroundings, taking note of the dreary surroundings, while wondering if a face is yet to pop out.

However I finished my washing up without much fanfare and had to tip-toe back into the dormitory again. So I put my stuff down and tip-toed out with only a towel hanging around my neck. I walked around for a while and it got light enough to see.........the mists was coming....

And so I tried to tip-toe back in to rummage for my camera. Gan said that I woke everybody. I think it was all the coming in and going out of the dormitory. I couldn't help it. I tried to be quiet but the door squeaks and even the slightest shuffle of my flip-flops bounces off one wall to the next to explode beside their ears.

... and hey.. they should be glad that I woke them..the view was fantastic lor...

*not contrite at all !!

I took a few pictures outside of the ranger station and I was about to head off for the casino when I decided that I probably should let Gan know that I was going off. I mean if I get trapped by the ghouls there she will have to mount a search party because I don't think she will step foot in there to rescue me.

I thus tried my best to tip-toe back in but I think by then she was already awake. I whispered that the mist is outside and asked if she wanted to go. She wanted to wash up so I headed back out and took in the surroundings while glancing at where she was to appear....impatiently.

I mean...how long does it take to wash up?!!

I went some distance, not too far, so she could still see follow when she is out. And then.. we set off. Gan lumbered.....(-_-")

Her excuse reason was that she cannot walk very well in flip-flops on rocky terrain. And so I was mostly ahead of her. I think I can walk three times faster than her but she would lose track of me in the mist. And so I went..."walk faster...just pick up your feet and walk firmly..." I think I sounded like a drill sergeant.

And Gan whined....possibly because I was so impatient and mean.

We took lots of photos along the way and most of them were after the sky has already brightened. The skies brighten pretty fast after dawn and washing up plus walking (I think we took the long route too...) allowed for only pictures of daytime mist. That's sad because the scenery in shadows and mists were really something.. really special. Ah well.. not as if my camera was good enough to capture them anyway...BOO !!

As you can see, the day has considerably brightened. This picture was taken after we had set off.

Gan perched on the cliff and knowing that she will refuse to set foot in the old casino, I went in alone. As the cover of the mist was so heavy, I didn't know when I will be back and told her to head back herself if I do not return in half an hour at 7.30 a.m. She said that it would be impossible for me not to return in time as the casino was but a short distance away.

It was good that the rock space she chose to perch on was opposite this derelict structure beside the path so I could easily find her again. Leaving her behind, I set forth and within a few steps, it got impossible to spot her. I couldn't see anything except the path and visibility was down to 3 metres at most I think.

As I plodded along, I was acutely aware of how alone I was on the path. I couldn't see much except for the soft glow of the morning sun and a little of the path. I turned back to look and the path disappeared as if the mists were eager to hide all traces of has-been.

I wondered when I would reach the casino until its faint outline appeared from the depths of the mists. Having been around the whole area the day before, I knew that everything was within proximity of each other but the mists made everything appear individual. Logically, one could not get lost but in the mists, it was as though I had stepped into another dimension and everything near was made out of reach.

It sounds weird but I was relieved when I saw the casino.

I went in.

I know it sounds crazy but I went in there alone, mists and all.

I have no idea why and how I have the guts to do it. When the mists came, the only thought that occured was I should go to that place. Perhaps it was the notion of taking otherworldly pictures. perhaps it was just plain spite because maybe deep down the place gives the creeps. I don't quite know.

All I know is, when I went in, I felt quite all right in the place. I even sat on a ledge for a while. After that I possessed a one-track mind to take pictures from the roof and headed there. Of course I took pictures of the interior along the way but I did not know why I didn't take more if I was so obsessed with that place. Thinking back, I realised I should have because the pictures I've taken, I realise that the pictures I've taken are hardly enough to reveal the character of the place.

It must be because my mind focused so much on taking pictures from the roof that I didn't think to take other pictures.

While trying to capture good pictures of the sun (it was difficult because the mist would swirl around it relegating it to a mere pin-prick), I became aware of my surroundings. Much like how crickets in the forest suddenly get louder or like how when I am in half-slumber and I know that I was closer to being awake than asleep, something within me just awakened and I was suddenly very much aware of the silence, of the shifting glow of the sun, of the fact that I was alone right there and then.

I decided to head back down.

And then when I got disoriented in the maze of the corridors, a little panic arose. I laughed silently at my silliness when the thought that the house didn't want me to go pop up in my head and there and then, the way out became evident.

I suspect, as always, I have to do something to prove that I am the master of my fear and despite my uneasiness of being unable to walk out immediately, I took pictures and a short video of what is to be my last encounter with the casino.

However I think I was still startled at being disoriented in the casino and with the mist hiding almost everything, I mistakenly thought that Gan's perch was after the derelict house and walked past her. She must have been keeping an eye out for me though because she called out and lost in my one-track mind scouring for her, it gave me a little jolt.

She skipped from the rocks and cheerily said that I was going to walk past her. Yeah.. I didn't see her at all and it didn't help that she had on a black jacket.

We set for the ranger station. Gan plodded and took pictures and videos which she wasn't even concentrating on because she was trying too hard to make sure of her footing. Half-way, exasperated, I walked back to her and checked out the shaky footages. I shrieked at her when I thought she was taking such a long time because she was taking shaky footages that she wasn't even looking at. She shrieked at me when I said it looked like the 'Blair Witch Project'. We made a good pair. Haha !!

And it was good when we finally arrived back at the ranger station. V.Dad cooked breakfast. He also had this thing about putting food on my plate which is exasperating because I will finish it. Nobody does it except for my father or to a lesser extent my mother and my brother which I will just throw it back to them if I don't like it. However it is a bit harder to fling food back at people I am not very close with because passing food around is not a game. I have a feeling that he thinks that it is amusing that I will clean my plate and so after yesterday's dinner and after the second time omelette had been placed on my place after I've cleaned it. I've had it and food went back and forth.

Nobody ate it of course.

We then set off for Kampot. The pace was slow and it is scarier downhill than uphill though in a certain sense more exciting too.

We thought we had a lot of time because it was only 11+ a.m and the bus to Phnom Penh leaves at 1.30 p.m. And then halfway...his motorcycle ran out of petrol. V.Dad asked for the time and then suddenly said that we have to hurry. The bus leaves at 1 p.m, not 1.30 p.m.

All that came out of me was...."WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Somehow he retrieve a bottle of petrol from his friend's bike and nearing the base of the hill, suddenly everybody sped off. I lost my cap and it was lucky this time Gan and V.Dad's friend was behind us because I have grown quite affectionate of my wide-brim hat.

We made it in time.

We also settled the rest of the payment. V.Dad forgot to factor in the day trip to Kep but being honest Singaporeans we did not cheat him out of his money. Being blur, Gan also quoted more. (-_-")

Then the tuk-tuk arrived to shuttle us to the bus deport for a 5 hour ride back to Phnom Penh. It was only when I was on the tuk-tuk when I realised that my guide still hadn't taught me how to ride a motorbike. ARGH !!!

Ah well....

The ride back was quite uneventful except for the part where I had an agitated Gan almost willing to strangle me for saying how alike the oil palms and the 'whatchamacallit' ornamental palms were, in a belittling sort of way.

Lesson learnt: Never tell Gan that two species look the same.

She scared me more than the house did.......ok.. that's not really true..none of them managed to put the fear in me. Bleah.

We arrived in Phnom Penh, haggled with drivers of every type of transport imaginable and managed to settle for 2USD for one of them to bring us to a guesthouse.

Forgetting to continue to be smart, we forgot to haggle with him when we book his tuk-tuk for the next day. I suppose he thought that we would drive a hard bargain and outrightly quoted 20USD which we agreed to. (>.<)

Sigh... ah well...

Our room was just 8 USD. Smaller than the one in Kampot, not comparable to the one in Siem Reap. The toilet light flickered and after showing us to our room and saying he will come back and fix the light, the guy never appeared.

Gan also plopped down in front of the television to watch some old movie, 'Waterworld'. Once again, her reason was that she doesn't watch television in Singapore. (-_-")

If anybody can see the logic in flying to another country to watch television... please enlightened me. I am still trying my best to grapse that. (-_-")

Since we only reached Phnom Penh at 6 + p.m and we only ate after her show, we did not explore Phnom Penh at all, which is fine because I don't think there is anything much to do there.

But we did cross the road to get toothpaste...*beams...

Most of the shops were closed plus she needed to bathe too....so we went back to our rooms however I suspect I was either slightly annoyed about her wanting to watch old movies abroad, or slightly cranky after being on the bus for 5 hours or perhaps I wasn't quite over my Bokor casino.....or maybe I was just bored (which I strongly suspect to be the reason).....

.......and so I started making wisecracks about flickering lights which made her extremely edgy....oopsie !!....=P

We finally got down to writing postcards in front of the television before sleeping. I remembered thinking....seven days with only each other for sanity....and we were still alive and the miraculous thing was I wouldn't mind going on holiday with her again....

I mean the fact is if you can spend seven whole days abroad vacationing, with only one person for company, any future trip is possible. *beams

Cambodia - Day 6

Cambodia 2007

Day 6:

- Kampot (Bokor Hill)....One of my favourite places in the world.

Gan was still ill but she felt good enough to make the trip up. We had breakfast at the guesthouse. I asked for omelette I think but a plate of fried noodles was delivered to me. Cambodian food is greasy. I didn't finish it.

They came and we left to do marketing.

The market was not very different from the wet markets here in Singapore except that they are dirtier. Vegetables would just be laid out on wet and dirty floors. I guess that is ok for marketers because they will wash their stuff before they cook it anyway.

There were live chickens and ducks all trussed up. Live fishes and a lot of other animals for culinary purposes. We just paid the money while V.Dad negotiated the purchasing. There was also one occasion where I saw a block of pig's blood. We don't have that in Singapore anymore. The last time I ate pig's blood in porridge was when I was in primary school.

I also saw a dog who had such a wide and deep gash on one of its teats that part of it was just hanging off and I saw the flesh it exposed beneath the fur gleaming like the meat that was hung up for sale. The dog probably had just been in a fight but strangely enough there was no blood and it seemed to be walking normally albeit slowly as though it had just finished a run.

Strange bustling noises and bright puddles of sunlight alternating with corners of wet dirt floor, meat strung up for sale, water dripping off corners, eyes that appear to not blink (probably because my mind captures them like a Polaroid camera and that dog was what I remembered most from the market trip.

They fit everything into the space under the seat, we stop again to buy packed lunch and water and then sped off for the hills.

It was hot. Scorching hot. I had a big cap and the breeze from being on the bike was deceiving because I could still tan horribly.

We stopped at the entrance to Bokor where Gan paid for the admission and I took the opportunity to hide from the sun while viewing the noticeboard on the conservation efforts in the park.

It was a rocky trip up. Scary on occasions. I keep envisioning the wheel slipping on a loose rock or stone which it did at times but we didn't fall because V.Dad's legs were super long and he landed on his feet before I could fall off. And so all I have to do is to make sure I sit tight on the bike and grab hold of him so I would never fall off.

We made a few stops because it was so hot. There was a look-out point after travelling up a little where settlements can be seen. And then.... V.Dad had a punctured tyre....

Our broken bike...

We had to get out and walk while Gan and his friend went to the ranger station and come back with equipments to 'rescue' us. And so he pushed his bike while I plodded along with him until we were too tired to venture anymore. There would be cars coming down and he would asked them if they had saw his friend. The answer was always affirmative but I have no idea why his friend took so long to arrive.

We ate a few fruits on occasion. There was this weird looking fruit that he called, "milk". It looked like a Pong Pong fruit and had wet white flesh with dark black seeds much like a soursop. It was sweet and its juice was white and sticky. I didn't feel like having food and so all I had was a little bit to try.

Because we were bored, he also tried juggling with two stones with one hand and twirling a stick to and fro with only the back of his thumb. Speaking of which, I think his thumb curves backward so he could take advantage of the momentum because I have no idea how he did that. I tried juggling with two stones like what he did and my stones became a weapon. Not suprisingly, I got laughed at.

His friend finally arrived with crude materials. Rubber patches and superglue along with wrenches and screwdrivers. They tried to patch it thrice. And then I was thinking about the $2 tyre patches in Daiso with dismay. I think it would be a good idea to pack it along with travel essentials next time along with my Swiss Army knife. A lighter would be a good idea too because if they only had a lighter to melt the rubber patches so it would stick firmly to the tyre, perhaps we wouldn't have taken such a long time. I think we were held back by at least 2 hours.

By the time we reached the ranger station, it was about 3 plus. Gan was napping in the bed. After confirming Gan's presence in the ranger station, I allowed myself to take in the scenery. It was incredible. There was hardly anybody there. It was quiet. Even though the sun was shining brightly, it was cool.

We had lunch, rested for a while before we took off to trek to the buildings. They look really far from the guesthouse but we reached there faster than expected.

We reached the abandoned French casino in no time. V.Dad was telling us about some grisly story on how people would jump to their death at the cliff behind the casino after they had lost a lot of money. I forgot why he told us that but to me, his tale actually added character and life to the structure.

All photos are not photo-shopped. In fact with blogging and searching though thousands of pictures for uploading, blogging about the trip has been very slow indeed. However look at the next picture of the French casino, I mean it sounds silly but I think it really calls out to me. Tell me if it does the same for you, that is if the patterns on the wall connects like those abstract art pieces...

I like this picture of Gan. As most of you can probably tell by now, I like to take pictures with backlight especially if they have rays of sun strutting across them. Not exactly shadows but enough texture and minimal colours to retain the mysterious elements without appearing too flat.

Oh and V.Dad cracked some joke about me being stupid. The moment he said that, Gan and I turned to stare at him in disbelief. Then we stared at each other in disbelief. "That sounds freaking familiar..." I said. Gan went..."YAH !!! How come every guy says that to you?!!"

Ok it's not every guy but Gan has witnessed me being verbally jabbed at before. Both of us were equally incredulous that across countries, across borders, V.Dad could say something similar to what someone around me would say....

That's V.Dad and his friend. I realise that the picture is not very flattering. I think I laid on the grass and was just trigger happy when I snapped this one. I would have deleted it except that it was one of the few pictures I have of them. I forgot to even take a picture with him... and I think I only snap him twice..both which aren't good pictures... Hah !

Ok.. I think it's just me lah.. huh.. Gan....that makes guys feel that they have to say something degrading to me.

Gan took this picture of me hugging my knees and staring off into what is supposed to be the sea but its not possible to tell because of the light. I was pretty much this way in Cambodia. If I have a chance I would just hug my knees and stare at stuff.

And of course Gan didn't want to step foot into that place. I have no idea why. I mean I am not trying to jibe at her but seriously I cannot understand because that place just looked like a place out of a movie set to me, it wasn't scary at all. I mean look at the window, I guess some people would find it eerie. All I wondered was who broke it and when, under what circumstances?

Was it because of a storm? Fighting? Did the window finally shatter as lead character in a cast of silence at the top of the hill where no one heard it go?

I didn't take much pictures in the house. I wonder if V.Dad was nervous to be in the house too. I was ushered up to the roof where I could take in the scenery and so I realised that I hardly explored the house at all. I did not explore the house at leisure and that explained the few pictures I have from within the house.

There were cracked mosiac tiles and remmants of what should have been a finely decorated establishment. The place has obviously been left on its own for a long long time. There was nobody in the place except for a Caucasian couple reading on the roof.

The red stuff that either looked like paint if you are practical or blood if you are grisly were actually red-coloured lichens. I touched them and they were soft and dry, much like a furry coating on the house. They came off fairly easily too.

This is the view from the roof. I actually captured angel rays and once again the pictures did not do the place justice because the angel rays were clearer and the colours more vibrant.... looking at that was like looking at bliss itself.

V.Dad mentioned that the basement used to be a prison during the Khmer Rouge period. I wanted to have a look. He said that there was nothing there. We went after I suggested again.

It was darker than above. I didn't dare venture in too far into the rooms. I couldn't take any pictures either as I knew that they wouldn't turn out well. In some areas, the windows were boarded up, possibly to cut off the access of sunlight for the prisoners. There didn't seem to be anything that hinted of its last use as a prison. There was an opening near the ceiling and I wondered who had made that hole. Was it made during that time?

And so... the French casino again....sitting at the edge of the cliff where one can see the drop down until the land flattens out to the ocean...

Because the sun was setting, we left it behind...

That's us... =)We passed by an interestingly-shaped tree...

We were originally supposed to go to the temple but we didn't have enough time and so we chose the sunset. We had to pass by a church which I would have love to explore too but there simply wasn't enough time. And I realise that this picture sucks.

Sunset was incredible. We sat right at the edge of the cliff with the wind blowing. We could see an island in the distance. Supposedly it was part of Cambodia but Vietnam claimed it for their own. At least that was what V.Dad purported. I mean looking at the map it seems logical that the island should be part of Cambodia. V.Dad informs that it is only 30 mins to the island but they cannot step foot on it and have to go through Vietnam when one cannot even see the island from Vietnam.

I guess it is just a case of stronger country versus weaker country. V.Dad also says that Cambodia is too weak and so Vietnam and Thailand takes their land. I have no idea how true that is and would probably have to read up more on that area before I can comment.

V.Dad also asked if we don't get to see sunsets in Singapore. Gan and I looked at each other and then turned to him and shook our heads. It was only then I realise that sunrise and sunsets in Cambodia was a big thing for us. We hardly get to see sunsets in Singapore because of all the buildings. Another reason was because we are so busy over here. I hardly notice it. People say that they do..*shrugs.. probably.. when they are heading in the correct direction at the correct time and notices for once or twice in the entire year how beautiful the world is and gets lost in the moment. Yeah...I experienced that.

I was transfixed every moment over there. Sunrise and sunsets were precious to me. I did not merely notice the sky lightening or darkening...I was acutely aware of the passing of time and the massive significance in the start and ending of a beautiful day.

JY was saying that I could go to the beach or somewhere to watch the sunrises and sunsets but...that makes everything too deliberate. Not to mention I probably have to do a lot of planning and pencil in to my schedule, which seems funny when you consider how small Singapore is. Of course going to Cambodia to watch them is too deliberate also. However I didn't planned to go there and watch them. It just happened that I enjoyed many beautiful sunrises and sunsets over there and that's it I guess.

Why do we have to go to such trouble to enjoy the magnificence and beauty of nature? The effort put in to enjoy sunrise and sunsets in Singapore is more than what should be required. Most of the time, I am thinking or working or catching up on rest to just bask in beauty, which says a lot about life here and over there. Over there.....hardly anything distracts you..no movies, no theatres...no internet connection....no bustle.

The French must have had a wonderful time there. It was cool like springtime in France with glorious sunsets, a great view of the ocean and beautiful haunting mists...

We left before it got too dark and it was dinner with the guys cooking and we chopping a bit but we basically watched. It was awfully cold. It was weird that we had a cooked meal while the rest of the Caucasians had instant noodles and bread.

After dinner, I felt that I had to see more of Bokor hill and so V.Dad brought me near to the cliff again so I could see the lights from the Vietnamese island. It was quite an experience, navigating the rocky roads in the dark, in slippers. However we had a torchlight with us and being quite a sam-seng girl running around the neighbourhood when I was young as well as walking the past few days in rough terrains in slippers, walking on them in the dark wasn't that tough.

We came back and lights were out at 9.30 p.m. Everbody was in bed by then. I think there was only 12 people in the ranger station out of which our group made up 4 people.

It was so quiet that music crackled from my ear phones despite that my Mp3 was at 'volume 1'. And so I gave it up.

With thoughts on how much I loved the place.... I went to sleep.

Cambodia - Day 5

Cambodia 2007

Day 5:

- Kep

We woke up and....Gan informed me that she was ill. She felt giddy and probably will not survive a motorbike ride up a rocky mountain road.

I blinked...and got her to eat breakfast and get something within her first. She drank some coconut and ended up puking into the river. She got me really alarmed.

We were wondering whether to cancel the Bokor trip but I was hesitant because we had already paid the deposit of 30 USD and it wouldn't be nice to take it back. Gan suggested that I go alone on a day trip up but I had my misgivings about being far and away from her. Then I think she rushed to the room to the toilet.

She came back to inform that we have to change rooms because the toilet bowl was clogged up. At 8.30 a.m., V.Dad promptly arrived. I told him that we couldn't possibly go up because Gan was sick. He kinda looked stricken to me. However it was good that he was around because the people at the guesthouse can't really speak English. He has to help us explain that we need to change rooms because the toilet bowl was all clogged up. In the end he came back to tell us that they can un-clog it for us. I have no idea how bad it was but Gan said that it wasn't a pretty sight and I will definitely not want to see it. He suggested going to a doctor but Gan didn't want to. She insisted that she would just sleep it off. Even though we had the same food and all so far, I think probably her stomach just couldn't take the food. We were quite gung-ho...one down with a heat rash and the other down with God-knows-what and both not feeling like seeing a doctor.

Anyway V.Dad suggested that we go up the next day then. And so we were like.. we'll see how it goes..if Gan gets better then we will go up. He nodded.

We asked him for suggestions as to how I could spend the day. He said I could go on a day trip to Kep. I was worried about leaving Gan as she could faint or something and I wouldn't be around. Yet Gan was adamant on not wasting the day along with her because all she was going is to go to the toilet consistently and sleep everything off. And so after asking repeatedly if she was sure she didn't want me around and if she would be ok and all...I agreed to go on a day trip to Kep.

Well then I think the silence that followed was because I was finishing my breakfast, Gan was woozy and I think V.Dad didn't know what to say. He then left and came back with his Sony Mp4 and of all things, played some Chinese teeny-bopper song that I never heard of before. I think even Gan who was stoning off, turned to look at him. Apparently he got that in Phnom Penh for 40 USD. It was about palm-size like a palm top, sleeker and slimmer with a wide LCD screen. It has only a 1 GB space. I informed him that my Mp3 cost more than his and yeah its only a Mp3.

After the guesthouse people came to tell us that the room was once more habitable, I told V.Dad that I will set off at 9.30 a.m. and went back to the room with Gan first. I got water for her and made sure I had her call-card number. Sheesh...I kept repeatedly asking if she was fine, if she was sure she didn't need me around that I totally irritated myself also. And so after making sure she would call me and would be able to call me should she feel unwell, I left.

We sped off towards Kep and he was armed with a mask and sunglasses while I had.....nothing on. And so he stopped by little roadside stall in the middle of nowhere to allow me to purchase a mask. I don't know how much of a necessity it was but I figured that since everybody wears it and he seems to think that it was a big deal, I got one. It was just one of those masks of soft tissue paper where people in Taiwan and Japan wear when they are sick I think.

We stopped by a Muslim village and I obediently took some photos. I felt obliged to since he actually stopped to point it out and explain that they are all not around now because they have gone out to fish. Then it struck me that I haven't seen much Muslims around which is like a bit weird because given the close proximity of the countries of South-east Asia, I thought that people would move around and get more scattered and homogenous overall. However I think Muslim settlements are probably quite a rarity in Cambodia for V.Dad to point that out.

Ah well....

I found the scenery opposite more interesting though...

We reached a pier at the edge of Kep. While V.Dud went off to talk to his friends, I walked to the end, sat down and just stared at the sea, the scenery and the overcast skies. I took a few pictures and this one shows the route I traversed.

There were a few boats here and there and Rabbit Island was just a short distance away. V.Dud who joined me later said that it was a nice serene place with beautiful beaches. It is real quiet and he along with his friends were planning for a party to celebrate the New Year.

I also saw a little kid rowing a boat with a even smaller kid as passenger. Since they were just rowing around, I have no idea what they were doing....

There was a white statue of a naked woman right smack in the middle of Kep. I figured it has to be important. I asked V.Dad why did they erect a statue there. Apparently the story was about a woman who removed her clothes and committed suicide by jumping into the sea after she found out that her husband had died while out fishing in the sea. The place where the statue was erected was where she had committed suicide.

There wasn't much to see in Kep. I took a short walk by the beach and was vastly amused when V.Dad wrote our names in sand and urged me to take pictures to show Gan. He spelt my name wrongly but I didn't bother to correct him. Walking on the beach was charming and I would love to sit there and read except that I think it would be weird there and then and too deliberate to tell V.Dad to give me half an hour or an hour so I could sit and read.

There were huts dotting the area and I inquired about them. Apparently it was there for public use. I was quite surprised by that. I thought that since so much effort has gone into contructing them perhaps they were restricted in some ways and they did look pretty empty as though it wasn't as public as I thought. Blinking, I asked so... who goes there...he shrugged and said that couples or families go there during weekends.. Excited, I went, "So.. we can just go there?"
I was thinking that Gan and I could just sit and read in hammocks by the beach if she is still not well enough to make the trip up to Bokor.

And then V.Dad said...."Yeah...but if we go there, you have to be my girlfriend..." I couldn't help narrowing my eyes at him, momentarily forgetting that I shouldn't because it will cause wrinkles. And thus...he made suggestive remarks throughout my stay in Kampot and Kep. On one ocassion, while on the motorcycle, he pointed out a white and black bird and said that they were a couple....just like us. I think if I was drinking any water, I would have spat it out. And so I asked him...how did he know that it was a male and a female, they could be both females ...He went, "No..no..no.."

"It could be two males too, you know?..." I said.

"That's impossible.. it has to be one male and one female.. because that isn't natural. The white one is female and the black one is male."

I decided not to continue the pointless argument. (-_-")

I think he also pointed dogs having sex at least twice, to me.

He kept asking if I was hungry until I figured that he probably was. He then admitted that he was indeed hungry and thus we sped off to a hill-side guesthouse where he used to work. The view was quite impressive.

I really couldn't eat much and so only finished 2/3 of half of my plate of fried rice. Lunch was mostly in silence except for a few burst of conversation here and there.

Our guide was an ah beng..albeit a smart ah beng who speaks good English. He sports a crude snake tattoo on his right arm which he lifted to show me. I had inquired about his friend who I noticed sports a flashy earring. I was quite surprised as even in Singapore, guys who sport flashy earrings aren't exactly the cream of the crop so in conversative rural Cambodia, what was the culture actually like. I asked if the people think that his friend is 'bad' because of his earring. V.Dad admitted that some people do but it is just fashion. Then he went on to say that he has an earhole too but he doesn't normally wear it unless he goes to parties because his thinking changes as he grows older. That was when he showed me the tattoo which he got when he was 17 and said that he wanted to have it removed and how he preferred louder places when he was younger, now he prefers quieter places.

I raised an eyebrow and asked him how he is going to get the tattoo removed. His answer was that he has to get it done again. I think he means, 'laser-ing' it off....

And I asked if his parents were mad when he got it done (I was thinking to myself that I SO exhibit teacher characteristics...). He said, "yeah" and then shrugged...

He mentioned that was the youngest and has a sister and a brother who teaches English and his father used to be a policeman....he is definitely the deviant in the family.

And so.... I had an intelligent ah beng for a guide. Intelligent ah bengs are so amusing to talk to.

I didn't know if it was the protocol to pay for your guide's meal but I did because Nana mentioned it before. *shrugs...Anyway lunch and drinks for 2 at the guesthouse with the nice view was only 6 USD.

- The cave

Anyway after the early lunch, I asked what we could do next and he mentioned that we could visit the caves. So we went...

The minute he parked his bike, a little boy with bleached hair came running by with a torchlight. V.Dad said that the boy would show us the way. I started wondering how much he would ask for as I have had experiences with children requesting for money in Siem Reap. We were soon joined by 2 other men so there were 3 guys, 1 boy and me going off into the cave. But I felt I could trust V.Dad so *shrugs....though I did tell myself I should keep a Swiss army knife close the next time I went somewhere abroad alone.

The area outside of the caves seemed to be undergoing constructions and at some points we had to scramble over piles of gravel.

Inside the cave, the boy led the way and he kept the torchlight trained behind him so he could see. That meant that he was walking in near darkness. The ground was a rocky terrain and we had to be firm with our footing if not we could easily slip on loose stones. All of us were in slippers but the boy was the only one walking, making his way in darkness most of the time.

He was quite a precious one. He pointed out the characteristics that the cave had to offer, limited though they may be. He pointed out Buddhist murals and a little shrine and a boulder that was scarely held in place and seemed to be on the verge of falling as I stood below it and took pictures.

It is a flower but my macro function just isn't good enough plus I was in a rush since all eyes were on me while I took the picture. The boy bended down to smell it and told me to do the same. Since he had a grin on his face, I guessed it was probably foul-smelling and told him cheekily, "It smells bad right..."

He also pointed out stones in eccentric shapes
like 'tiger head', 'elephant-head'
though the second picture may not be too clear.

We had to really squeeze through narrow crevices to enter some caverns and it was so narrow, even I had to twist my body in some awkward shape to fit in spaces that was perhaps only as wide as my shoulders. It was quite an experience, being in a cave where it was not swarming with tourists nor too commercialised. It was also V.Dad first time there and.. he has been a guide for like.. what.. 5 years?!

The kid pointed out the crevices in the caverns Muslims prayed in and also where they hid the gold and diamonds before Pol Pot took them away. Amazing, isn't it? That the place is so tourist-free.

They saw a snake in that cavern. I didn't get to see it because taken aback and not knowing where it actually was, I shifted back. V.Dad probably thought that I was scared or something and so tried to keep me behind him while I tried desperately hard to peep over his shoulder. Nobody answered me in the commotion when I asked if it was poisonous......

Then we headed back and I bumped my head against a low boulder.... (-_-") Everybody walked like super fast possibly because of the snake encounter...

The opening !!

Out of the cave, I asked V.Dad how much money I was supposed to give to the boy and he said that it was up to me. I asked the boy if he was still studying and he said that he goes to school in the morning. In the end, I gave him 3 USD. It was only after when we were speeding off on the motorcycle, V.Dad told me I was very kind to give him so much. Usually people would only give 1 USD.

But he was so little....as in I asked V.Dad to place his age and he said that the little boy was probably 16 but he was shorter than me and thinner. He looked like 13 or 14 only. He was smart too. He could speak relatively good English and pointed out stalagmites and stalactites. I also wondered if the two men who had joined us in the caves would make him hand money over...

- Another beach

Ah well... and I asked V.Dad what we could do next. In the end we went to another beach opposite of Kep. It was quieter and I think they were building a resort. V.Dad complained about it over how it is a public beach and cordoning off an area meant that people couldn't go.

I walked on the beach and just plopped down and hugged my knees until I think V.Dad got bored and said that we should go drink some beer on him.

I raised my eyebrows and shrugged.

And so we ended up in the shade in one of the huts (but they didn't have hammocks) with a plate of prawns and 4 cans of beer. There was actually one stall that sold food and drinks and it was the only stall there. Suprisingly there weren't much people. In the entire afternoon that I was there, I only saw one Caucasian couple who came for a short while.

Cold beer on a hot day at the beach was wonderful but I rolled my eyes when V.Dad said that we were 'girlfriend and boyfriend' now. Initially I was a bit apprehensive about having beers.. I mean.. my guide was my only way back to Gan !! He assured me that his limit is 4 cans so 2 cans is fine. I raised my eyebrows...4 cans?!!! Gan.. you can do better than him !! But that wasn't the point, the point was his alcohol limit was damm low. Hah !

It was also a good day to get married. I kept seeing wedding cars and like decorated houses for weddings and when we were at the beach, we saw a couple taking wedding pictures too. Maybe they were all the same couple but the funniest thing was the bride and the bridemaids were in flip-flops ! Taking wedding pictures in flip-flops is so un-glam !!!

Anyway it was a slow, quiet and peaceful afternoon. We bantered a bit but silence was comfortable too..(ok at least it was quite comfortable for me..) There were a few amusing moments. He walked away (presumably for the bathroom) and said that he was going away and leaving me there. The funniest thing was, his handphone and Mp4 was right there at the hut. And so when he came back, I taunted him, "Weren't you going to drive back?" He gave some lame stuff about how he decided to come back after all... I told him that it was ok.. because I can just sell off his handphone and Mp4 and get someone to bring me back to the guesthouse. He said that nobody would buy it. I told him I just have to barter it for a ride back.

And so... I got the.."You are SO bad..." the entire afternoon.

About 5 p.m, just before the sun set, I was informed that we had to go because.....his bike has no lights. I went..."NOW you tell me?!!"

And so we rushed off.

I checked Gan the moment we arrived at the guesthouse. I asked how was she and she said she was still running a fever. I jumped into action and told her she has to see a doctor. She probably agrees heartily but she just appeared dazed like how when people just wake up from slumber. I rushed to make sure V.Dad was still around and told him that we have to see a doctor. Then I rushed back to pack for Gan. I didn't know what made me remember to ask her what medicine she has taken and to pack it in but I was glad I did. I supposed Gan's condition probably wasn't a serious one but we were in Kampot... where I am not even sure there is a hospital for her to be put on a drip if she needs it. I was actually in a frenzy while she lumbered out onto the bike.

V.Dad and friend brought us to two doctors before we got to a third one who wasn't making housecalls. I was glad for V.Dad because in the entire little clinic, nobody could speak English....

It was a good thing I packed the medicine that Gan took because the doctor asked for it and apparently Gan took the wrong medication. She took medication for cold, carbon tablets and Panadol. Ok, maybe carbon tablets and Panadol were relevant but the cold medicine was definitely off. She also had coconut and banana milkshake in the day. We looked at each other when the doctor said that she has to avoid coconut and milk, the very two things she had taken that day. (-_-")

In the end, Gan was given medicine and asked to come back the next day if it doesn't help. Seeing the doctor was cheap. I think it cost about 1.50 USD only. However the scary thing is I think she was given antibiotics (because one of the medicine was in a red and yellow capsule) and she was only given 3 capsules.

YAH...

Gan also took V.Dad's bike because I thought he was more stable, being older and how he actually could balance my backpack in front while riding the bike. However on the way back, it suddenly struck me that...he drank alcohol in the afternoon and his bike had no lights !!!

It was dusk by then and I kept turning back to see if they were ok. It was lucky that Kampot was a small town.

Anyway when we got back, the guesthostel was having some sort of celebration because the owner just got promoted through the ranks in the policeforce.

Just to note down the scheme of things, V.Dad actually works for a guesthouse further down but his friend is the nephew of the family who owns the place and the guesthouse just happens to be in the compound by the river, next to the family house.

There was much rowdiness and laughter till late at night. Gan and I were invited to partake in the buffet but we just didn't have any appetite too. I think V.Dad asked if I wanted to do anything but I decided I better not leave Gan alone. And so... while she slept, I lay on a hammock outside our room and looked at the stars while listening to my Mp3...until it was time for bed.