A Touch of Bother Sleeping

I've not really shared with you the local cuisine that I have enjoyed out here in Cambodia these past few weeks. I've had the pleasure of trying some delicious traditional Khmer dishes such as fried pork shavings in a peanut sauce, complimented with crispy fried rice (the look of which suggested a taste of rice crackers but this was not to be true). Freshly caught and barbecued barracuda, by the sea, was a real highlight this week, too. However, to gain a better insight into the snacking habits of the locals, you ought to peer into the various food carts, wheeled down the arching roads. A very busily attended cart, had within it's glass display, teams of tasty fried crickets, juicy grubs, limp tongues of recently deceased livestock, chickens with their stomachs wrapped around their heads and my favourite; crispy fried tarantulas. You have to bow at the resourcefulness of the Cambodians. If they can catch it, they'll eat it.

I'll stick with just the mint aero, thanks

I am now at the Southern Coast of the country, in the lovely little seaside town of Sihanoukville. My first impression of this town, was that the emblem, a Lion and a Lioness, was somewhat questionable. Especially as this place advertises itself as being a family resort.

Lions, taking it slowly

I'm staying at Monkey Republic, a popular backpacker hangout. The cool blue bungalow huts are pretty sweet and the bar actually plays decent music, which is not that common in South East Asia. I have even taken time out in their two 'movie' and 'playstation' rooms, discreetly located upstairs above the restaurant.

However, my first real physical ordeal of this trip began yesterday, when I innocently popped a tablet of Malarone, the anti-malarial drug (other anti-malarial tablets are available). The side effects to this drug will haunt me for days to come. I was up all night and suffered the indignity of having to change my underwear three times during this slumbersome period. Three times is a lot of bad dreams in one session. The friendship with my room mate, a guy called Alex who travelled with me from Phnom Phen, will probably not last. He has seen and heard too much. As have probably you, even with this vague insight into the depths of my despair.

You'll be pleased to hear that I'm feeling a little better now, but have not been able to indulge wholly to what the resort has to offer. I had considered taking a kayak out to explore the coast but in my current capacity, this is probably not a wise move.

The beach here is amazing though, the Gulf of Thailand glistening in the midday sun, green and yellow tourist boats swaying idly by the shore. The only break in the sound of the crashing and collapsing of waves, is the dogged ladies patrolling the beach, enticing the sunbathers into getting a pedicure or a massage. One lady even manicured one of my little toes as a taster, trimmed the cuticles and finished with a squeeze of a lime. It looked magnificent, but like a little girl's toe, so I opted out and I've already shared enough foot stories to last a couple more weeks at least.

Sihanoukville Song of the Day: The Killers - Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
Can't believe they played this B-side at the bar at Monkey Republic. I love the way it shuffles along like a breezy country song (and not in a Billy Ray Cyrus way, either)

i-Pod Song of the Day: Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay

I know, a little clichéd, but it's the perfect song for kicking back and having a read by the sea.

P.S. To my old housemate, this is not the version you used to sing