update

Today was another pretty lazy day.   A visit to the Russian Market for some tat and spent the rest of the morning by the pool until it was time to go and get Thida for the party.  And what a vision awaited us!  Crimped, made-up and a sea of pink froth, she looked well…………..pretty grown up.   The first thing we discovered was that the new bike already had a puncture which is not a huge surprise given the state of the roads on the outskirts of PP – I think they are laid with a mixture of sand, bitumen and glass shards.  A quick trip to the garage fixed that and we were ready to go to PSE for the party.  Said party turned out to be a huge fundraiser.  It’s Khmer new year at the end of the week so it was a good excuse for a very large party to raise much-needed funds.  We arrived about 5.30pm and it hadn’t really got going.  After an hour or so things hotted up and we went round the various stalls (dart-throwing, hoopla etc…………you get the picture).  Then we watched what can only be described as Cambodia’s Got Talent.  Several groups of testosterone-fuelled Cambodian boys, complete with quiffs, hairgel, tight shirts and jeans and groovy sunglasses had a ”streetdance-off” presumably for a prize but we never actually got to find out who won.  How to describe a large-scale Cambodian party – ummm…………lots and lots of noise.  Huge speakers throwing out screeching voices and either Khmer pop (aaaaaaaagh) or the worst of western pop.  Unidentifiable pieces of meat on skewers where up for grabs but we passed on that.  Then it was time to watch two Cambodian comedians do a double-act that resembled the Chuckle Brothers on speed.  Lastly, an apparently very famous Cambodian Beyonce-lookalike who sang more Khmer pop which sounded, although beautifully sung, like cats fighting.  Bob and I were on the point of holding our lighters up and swaying.  Anyway, I spent the evening stalking Thida and her friend as they seemed to attract the attention of a few of the previously-mentioned quiffed lotharios.  Flora thought me a proper spoil-sport!  Mercifully, our taxi-driver (Spanky – I kid you not although I doubt very much if I have the spelling correct) soon came to rescue us.  Anyway, last day tomorrow and the last chance to see Thida on the way to the airport.  As I said previously, I wasn’t intending to publicize our private business and would hate to be seen as a loudhailing do-gooder but the fact is this.  Three days before coming out here, I had dinner with a couple of friends.  I told them what we were coming for and they insisted that it was a virtual duty to use this blog to spread the word.  Social sculpture apparently!  I remained unconvinced but when my paintings didn’t work out, it seemed like a sign!!  So here’s the link again (I hope) and if one person opens it and sends some money to this worthy cause then, as the saying goes, my work here is done:) – I promise I’ll shut up now.