Processing

Today we were so busy that I have not had time to sit and write. We started at 6pm and it is now 9.30pm. We are busy, but that is not the problem, there is just so much to process. I run all my ideas past my Cambodian darling friend Colap. She helps me process what I am seeing. She is shoulder height with a little voice and a demure manner. But don't be deceived. She is a giant. She is faster than I am and believe it or not, way more asinine. Her gentle manner and small stature is a cover for a powerhouse of a human being. The last thing I did in Battambang was stand in her hotel room and listen to her rave and lecture about all sorts of things.

We are now in Siem Reap suffering from culture shock. One man in our group warned us, but it is far worse than I imagined. I feel very much like I did when we flew from Havana to Cancun. Yuk! Siem Reap is a tourist Mecca. There are hundreds of 5 star hotels lined up on the airport road, lights, shops, Irish pubs, Indian cafes, spruikers standing on the street showing you menus, and every tourist in the world is walking the streets, "Pub Street" to be specific. We are in sensory overload and cannot think for input.