Day 2
Travel Location: Phnom-Penh,Cambodia
Day 2 began with purchasing a new wallet – yes my lesson learnt – don’t leave your wallet even for a second. Most of our cash gone – in a second. Main issue being the inconvenience of cancelling cards etc. Hopefully it will be reimbursed via our travel insurance. Just hope the guy makes a new start and doesn’t have to resort to theft again – and yes it was that much $$$! Anyways it could have been worse – could have been the passports!
So moving on as one must…..! We started the day by going to the market. Zara is missing her all her friends especially Emily – most things she sees she comments that Emily would like that Mummy! (So Em – really think she is missing you too and she has had fun spending some of her money which you kindly gave her – I think you will like what she has bought for you!). Sienna – Zara had some cut sugar cane from a kid street vendor – she thought of you and how much you would love it! She has really taken to the street vendor food – just hope the acidophilis powder holds off any tummy bugs!!!!
The rest of the day was spent roaming around P.P. in a Tuk Tuk (Theo is hooked!). We went to the Boeng Kak Lake and then visited the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. This was originally a high school pre Pol Pot era. When the Khmer Rouge invaded it was used for detention, interrogation, inhuman toture and killings. Very graphic and emotional. The kids were left a bit gob smacked and like us all cannot understand why anyone would do such a thing! We felt it was too much in the same day to also go the Cheung Ek (the killing fields) so have left that for another day. The kids crashed early tonight – probably still tired from the travel and also emotionally exhausted by the visit to the museum. Whilst they slept Tim went to the local sports center for a gym workout and sauna and I had a foot massage. A great way to unwind after a very emotionally draining afternoon. Can’t wait til Day 3! Oh and by the way – I couldn’t download the movie so photos will have to do at this stage.
From Zara’s diary:
Day 2.
I woke up really late to the sound of noisy tuk tuks and motorbikes beeping. After breakfast we caught a tuk tuk to Boeung Kak lake, the Independant monument and Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.
From a child who was about my age, I bought a bag full of sugar cane pieces. The child seller spends her days pushing her trolley along the street, selling sugar cane. I paid 1000 riels, which equals about 30 cents in our money, for about 20 bite size pieces. I don’t think she goes to school because her family is too poor.
While we were having lunch a small child was leading his blind Dad who was playing a Cambodian instrument which sounded like a violin. They were begging for money, so we gave them some.
At the Museum, when we were walking in, there was a man that had a burnt face. It was a bit scary to look at him but he was a very nice man and asked me how old I was and what my name was and what country I came from. He was also asking for money so we gave him a little bit too.
The museum was a sad place because it showed all the people who died and the horrible ways that they died. The bad people – called Khmer Rouge – even killed the babies and children.
It was such a big day, Theo and I fell asleep really early and didn’t even have any dinner. We woke up the next morning really really hungry!
