Early morning flight, Japan and my ryokan.

I am in Tokyo - how exciting!! *g*

Left my Bangkok hotel at an obscenely early hour this morning, to get to the airport. Now, my flight was with NorthWest, and was continuing on to the US after Japan, so I encountered the over-the-top security measures. Both my bags were searched by a guy with gloves in a tented off section. Undies pulled out, tampon boxed examined... And then there was the twenty questions by the Thai girl at the mini desk before the actual check in counter. I don`t know what they are really looking for, and I think neither did she!

Despite sitting behind a guy who started snoring the moment he sat down, and continued to do so for the whole 5 and a half hour flight, the trip wasn`t too bad. Murderous thoughts aside (do you think those little pillows could have shut that noise up?), and yucky American `plane food, the flight was OK, and I managed to watch Ladder 49 (mmmm, Joaquin!) and play the cool games in my individual console. Cool! I think all planes should have those!

A long and ordered line up for Customs, and some interesting health questions (I lied - couldn`t risk being quarantined on the off change of a free medical check. The Japanese are really careful!), I found the train station, and off I was!

The Narita Express to Tokyo Station, and then a train line change, and then another, and then I was at my station for my accommodation reservation. Luggage nightmare all the way, carting all the stuff. People were so helpful whenever I didn`t know which train platform I should have been standing on, and most things are actually underwritten in English as well.

Tired and achy from the bag haul，I have checked into Ryokan Kangetsu － and it`s so cute! There are sensors all the way up the entrance, so you are greeted when you first step in, and then the path lights up all the way as you go. I was shown to my room by a woman who only speaks Japanese, so I have no idea what I am doing!! You need to leave you shoes at the door to the section of rooms you are in, and use the slippers provided. My futon is laid out ready, and the room is set up with green tea and other assorted, and unidentified goodies! My room actually looks very much like the bottom pic in this guy`s notes.

I have wandered across the road after settling in for dinner. Now, truth be told、I haven`t　actually had sashami before. But ducking into the restaurant that was listed as sushi in the ryokan`s guide, I went across and managed to order `Set Menu`! My Japanese is hopeless - I really paid absolutely no attention in high school! Will be studying up tonight. The restauranteurs were delighted to show the me proper way to eat the sushi and sashami spread, and it was so yummy!!

Whilst stumbling around in Japanese tradition blind, I decided to venture the Public Bath as well - why not!? I read up in the trusty Lonely Planet, and made sure that I put my yukata (robe) on the right way - left over right, with the opposite being for the dead!! - I wondered over to the Lady`s Bath. I don`t know if I managed to bathe correctly (!!), and there was actually just me in there, which was a relief. Don`t know if it would have been quite as lovely and relaxing if there had have been others bathing in there too!

Phew! Feeling clean and relaxed now, and will finish the evening in the massage chair in the room here, while I read up on where in the room here, while I read up on where to go tomorrow! Tokyo awaits!

Oh! And I need to learn some basic Japanese!!! Mrs...Knowles? (was it?)　should be ashamed at kicking me out of so many classes!

FCC, back to Bangas, and my Red Leather Jacket!!

After abandoning lunch with Evie and Sharee and Luke just after my last post, I managed to recover from my hangover poolside at the very lovely The Billabong. Perfect! Was just what I needed (seeing that I have been so flat out for the week? Yeah, right!).

So, of course, the only thing to do after that was to head to the FCC, for my farewell drinks during Happy Hour. The FCC has always been a favourite of mine, and many a happy hour has been spent watching the world speed past on the streets below, throughout my visits to Cambodia. (Another photo.)

Goodbyes to Luke (who I may just have to go to see in Toronto in the future!), and Sharee and Cal over a couple of Angkor beers. Has been so great to see them again.

Dinner with Evie and Magid, and a viewing of Amelie on DVD, before packing up all my bits and pieces followed. Was still worried about my baggage allowance, especially with my shopping tendencies and after having to pay excess the first time I left Cambodia - but again, worried for nothing!

A BIG thank you to the lovely Yvette for letting me stay with her, and hang out, and veg out while she had to work. Was lovely to see you, as always!

Taxi to the airport, and then the flight to Bangas. A cold sweat landing for me - you would think I would be over my dislike of flying by now!! - and a taxi return to my hotel on the Silom area of Bangkok.

Amid a slight gut upset, with the ever pressing thought of "where is the nearest bathroom??!!", I had set myself two tasks to do this afternoon while in Bangas - have have managed both!! I have sought out one of the two travel agents here in Bagkok who can supply you with a Japan Rail Pass, and made the purchase which will cover me for most of my train travel in Japan for the next 7 days - how cool is that! It has cost me as much as a return trip would to Kyoto, but will cover me for most of the Toyko travel, and also out further if I want to (which I am now intending too).

The other tasks was to pick up my tailor-made Red Leather Jacket! I am very excited about this! The place was called D3, and is probably more known to the tuk tuk drives as a jewellers. But let them also be known for my jacket! Very happy with this purchase - I will have to go back to my A/C room and wear it around a bit! Hee hee.

With an early, early flight tomorrow morning (whose idea was that??!), I will probably need to have a nanna night tonight. I will also need to finally open my second suitcase and try and convince myself that I WILL need those winter clothes now - and with the next couple of days in Toyko forecast for a top of 8C, I will have to get those thermals out! From 34C here today (feels like 41C according to Yahoo weather - no kidding!), will be an interesting change to say the least!

As Heart as it gets!

Am feeling quite dodgy this morning, after a late night at the Heart of Darkness last night. This crusty little nightclub hasn't changed since I was last here, and Curtis and I were amazed at how many people were there last night. They played all the same bad music, and Curtis kept saying "ohhh, this is as Heart as it gets!!".

I ran into Curtis early on in the day at Psar Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market), where I managed to add to my luggage excess situation, just a little. It's just too hard not to go shopping crazy there!

For lunch I meet Charmaine, Magid, and Curtis at Mith Samlanh/Friends, and also got to catch up with Borin. Borin is working and studying hard, but is still his loveable, smiling self. Although he doesn't have as much chance for sleeping on the job nowadays. (When he was our guard at my big house here, I think infected him with our lack of work ethic). Was great to see him, and catch up.

After picking up my beautiful Beautiful Shoes (very exciting!!), I popped in to see Nina again. Once she had finished work her husband, and my former day moto driver, Mr Thon, took me out to see Phanny, and her family, and her new house. Phanny is still working at Sok Sabay, but luckily is not as scared of Marie as most of the staff, and manages to stick up for herself. Good for her. She and her family are living in a much better and bigger place than the one room I visited last night, although it is still quite far out of the city.

On the way out there, the traffic was madness, and I saw a pretty bad accident. It looked like a driver on a moto had come off, and he was not in a good way. Always a troubling sight, especially when you see that noone does anything. The police were just standing around taking notes. That poor man's family.

After dinner at home thanks to Evie's cleaning girl, Ty (and Evie uses the word "cleaning" here loosely!! Hee hee!), we headed out to Ruby's for a couple of drinks with Charmaine. Curtis came along later, and while the working girls called it a night, Curtis and I headed off for his last night in town.

We went to the Ginger Monkey, which is a new bar around the corner from my old place, and met up with Heather, who is now doing Curtis' old job at the uni. Another Canadian. After a few more Ankgor's, we headed off for the Heart....

Anyway, still S.T.Ruggling here. I am meeting the girls for lunch now, and then I think I will recover for the rest of the day by the pool at The Billabong.

Sa-rah, motorides, and Nina!

I feel like I have had a productive day today! Unusual for me! I have finally booked my accommodation for the first couple of nights in Tokyo for next week, and if I manage to find the place, with all the complex train changes, it's going to be so cute! I also picked up my fake prescription glasses (so cheap, I got two this time!), and had a yummy lunch at Boat Noodle - another favourite place to eat. The Khmer Curry Chicken is one I dream about! Mmmmm!

I have caught up with my lovely night moto driver, or rather he has found me. As usual. Always nice to walk out of somewhere at night and see the ever smiling Sa-rah waiting for me. As well as Jim and Samnang. I was quite shocked to learn that he had 2 children though! 6 and a 3 year old, at that! I don't think I had ever asked about children before, just about being married or having girlfriend (just for converstion, you understand!). I guess I have always thought he was way to young for the babies question. He assures me he is not married though!

I always feel totally safe when using one of our moto posse to get home from anywhere. Each of them know where we live, or where we are staying, so there is never need to give directions after a few too many. And these lads also know our patterns, and thus, always manage to find us most nights. It's very reassuring. I always find that I rarely hang on with one of these boys, whereas normally I am still alert and have one hand keeping me on the bike at all times with any other moto driver. Of course, we pay these boys well, so they look out for us too!

It seems many of the roads here in PP have been done up, cos there are not as many potholes. Not as many instances when you feel yourself leaving the seat of the moto! I so love the moto ride home at night, when it's cool and there is not such much traffic. I guess the next best thing to this would be to learn to ride myself (although I will need to re-learn how to ride a normal bike first!!).

I have found Nina today, one of the women I worked with at Sok Sabay 2 years ago. (Still run by the evil French woman). She is now working at I & You Cafe, which the Khmer's call the Condom Cafe. It is an affiliate of Mith Samlanh/FRIENDS, and provides HIV/AIDS education and health care to the street children, and women from the factories.

They have a doctor upstairs for the women to see, and they also have English and cooking classes for the children. Nina was so very excited to see me! She tells me her boys are doing well at school, and that work is better for her now. Was so good to see her. Now that I know where she is, I will pop in a few more times before I go.

Beautiful Nina
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Beers and being an expat in PP

Am having so much fun catching up with everyone here in Phnom Penh, and eating and drinking at all the old haunts. And some of the new ones! There have been a few surprises actually, like Curtis being in town - had no idea he was popping in from Canada at the same time.

Watching the cricket on Friday at the Gym Bar (which was actually called something else when I lived here - a typical recycling) with Magid and Cal, and later Sharee, Evie and Curtis. The Gym Bar seems to be Aussie run, but is a typical male expat bar - sports on the big screen, beer and whiskey (or whatever), and taxi-girls a-plenty. Luckily the cricket is one too early for it's full glory.

After watching the Aussie's win, I had a cocktail with Sharee and a bit of a catch-up, Japanese for dinner, and then later that night we all went off to Elsewhere for a party they had on.

Elsewhere is also a new place to me - it is actually a beautiful white french style house on amazing gardens, set up as a bar/cafe/shop/pool place to be. Friday night there seemed to be every young expat in town wandering around the gardens, and tiny dancefloor - where are all those people everyday??!!

There never seemed to be that many people floating around town when I lived here!! Unfortunately, Evie was wondering that same... (More photos.)

Spent yesterday, after a reimenicent PP hangover, poolside at Le Royal- very nice! Slipping into the expat style of looking for the newest and most "you could be anywhere", "it doesn't even feel like you are in Phnom Penh" places is all a bit too easy - although not necessarily what I want to do as a visitor. Luckily as a lady of leisure during the work week, I can visit the usual Khmer-ish places!

Off now to watch the second innings of the cricket back at the Gym Bar....

'Nommers

I am back in Phnom Penh again. My third visit, and I am sure just one of many more after living here for 6 months in 2002/03. I love this city, it's people (of course, the corruption and poverty make me mad, don't get me wrong!). I feel at home here, and can navigate my way around so easily. And I love getting around on a moto!!

Upon arriving yesterday morning, I went along to Evie's work, and then she showed me her new place - very nice! She always has such luck with places, although she does say she is hoping to find better! Always! We organised to meet for lunch at Java (one of my favourite places), where Evie was also meeting Charmaine. So great to catch up with the girls! Both working very hard as usual.

An afternoon stop at the infamous Beautiful Shoes, for a measurement of my feet and leather selection for shoes to be made (more excess baggage!!).

Dinner with Evie, Luke and Cal at Your Thai Friend, and then off for cocktails at the 'gay-friendly' Salt Lounge - a very funky new bar.

Riding around the city, there are many familar places, and some very new ones too. It's still funny to walk into somewhere like Java where the main staff still recognise me!

Lunch today with Evie and Magid at Khmer Kitchen, for my much craved Fish Amok (mmmmmm!) - I think this will turn out to be an eating and drinking tour of PP!!

Magid has talked up Pakistan's chances for tomorrow's first ODI Final, and thus, he and I will be watching with much interest from a new (to me) sports bar he has talked about. Talk of a beer wager may see trouble, with Magid's elevated idea of the Paki's form....silly boy!

Marat, Flying, and Bangas

I have made it to Bangas, after goodbyes at the airport, and the 9 hour flight. After much panic about the weight on my luggage, I sailed through check-in, and enjoyed a quick beer with Mum, and Melissa and Katie, and Clinton, before heading off inside those silver doors of the airport.

Not long after moving along, it came to my attention that Marat Safin, fresh from his Australian Open Championship win, was also on the flight! Very distracting, know someone that hot is near by!! (How good was he this year!) Now surely a big lad like that needs to stretch his legs and walk a few laps of the plane, right? Apparently not. However, I saw a lot of Peter Lundgren (coach), as he popped back to chat to a group in front of me quite often.

Just a couple of musings about flying, which I still dislike immensely...why do they taxi you past random sights that you don't need to see just before taking off? The shells of aircraft in various states of disrepair were along the longest taxiing I have ever been on - ones without their noses, ones with wings missing. Can't they hide those!!?? And why, oh WHY, do you need to be woke up for a meal just moments after they settle you in for sleep after the last movie?? Who can be excited about veal lasagne at 1am?? Would have like to see them try that on the firey Russian in First Class!!

After the first flight of many in the coming weeks, the shock of the heat of Bangkok never ceases to shock! Wow! I always forget what it really feels like. Thailand is still a place where I feel completely out of my confort zone - on ever high rip off and danger alert - which it not usual for me. Just need more practice, I guess. And being flung outside of that zone is oh, so good for you! (really!) I love it, and yet and frightened of it, all at the same time. Hee hee.

Today I have been wondering around Bangas, with the weird and wonderful shopping malls, and out-of-the-blue markets everywhere. Am still walking around in awe. Have added to my luggage, I am afraid - but have stopped myself. There are so many great bags, shoes, jackets...I could go crazy here!

Over breakfast this morning there were snow pictures of Japan - now that's going to be an interesting adjustment in a week's time!!

Oh! I see Vanders has been named captain. Awesome! Since when have Hawthorn done things that I thought would be good. All signs are showing that Clarkson may just be the man!! Will have to keep that return flight handy for September now...just in case!! Good for you Richie, bring on the biff! - although he will always be cheezel-boy to me!!