Yet another travelling day. I woke up bright and early but didn't get up when the alarm went off. The day before I'd read I should create habits and stick to them. If I set the alarm for 6pm I should get up. My habit is to switch off the alarm and stay in bed for a little bit longer - that's my habit and the man said I had to stick to it.
Thornin and family had visited his brother and family in hospital as his sister in law had just delivered child number three - it's unusual nowadays, with city folk to have more than two. I always find the local hospitals depressing; they are supposed to be government places but fees are charged. I didn't go into the room but I watched the hundreds of people squatting in the courtyard. The family has to feed the patient and so people don't go home, if they come from far away. There's nothing bright and welcoming about these kinds of places. Private hospitals are much more hospitable but then you are paying for it. A friend had just paid $400 for her daughter to be in hospital. As usual, it was for a fever. I try to tell people to save their money and just take care of their child at home but they are fearful and always head for a hospital which usually means the inevitable drop bottle of some sort of serum.
It had been scorching hot walking to the hospital so I was glad to get into an AC car. We were now down to two children instead of four. They are lovely kids but, because they don't have to wear seat belts they are all over the place. Sometimes they both want to be on mother's lap and then one of them will decide to sit with dad for a while and help with the driving. Adults would be beside themselves in the West but here everyone is so laid back, except me, that it doesn't bother them at all.
Dad had bought Thornin a battery operated dinosaur so that thing was constantly growling. The children also had buckets and spades from their seaside visit so they were flung everywhere. We stopped for a bowl of soup and Serey and I visited a Japanese Recycle Shop to see what they had; thankfully, not much. I bought a toy train set for $2 for Lee An and within a few minutes he said that one of the carriages had gone underneath the seats somewhere. He had me on my hands and knees, as we drove along, trying to find the darn thing.
It took us about 7 hours to reach their home so it was supper time as soon as we arrived. I just wish people would put a meal in front of me instead of asking what I want. This time I could only think of French fries and fried egg. The children roamed around the restaurant, playing with their toys. At one point Morakot, the two year old, found the water spray bottle used for washing the tables. The first thing she did was spray her mother while she was eating. They are a laugh a minute.
I decided to fade away at 9pm. My room was super hot as it's got windows on the west and south. I closed the curtains and opened the windows and then I put on the two fans. I've got used to spreading myself out on the bed, without any covers, and just ignoring the heat - it helps. For some reason, the Cambodians love sleeping on hard surfaces - their mattresses are hard and the pillows (which might have been soft) are crammed into cases that make them as hard as a rock. It makes me feel grateful when I finally reach my Canadian bed.
