A few weeks ago we went for our first ultrasound. Our appointment was at Sen Sok International University Hospital. We met Dr. Anna there and one of the other doctors in the hospital actually administered the ultrasound. The equipment looked modern and we got a first look at the new baby. It was a quick and painless experience. They informed us that everything looks good so far. The baby is just over 9 weeks (on 30.9.2014) and is the correct size for that age. We had a quick meeting with Dr. Anna and made another appointment for 21.10.14. That will be the next ultrasound when the baby is about 12 weeks. Our experience has been very pleasant so far... :)

This morning Meizel and I went to the lab to get some blood / urine tests. The lab we were sent to was Paramed Medical Analysis on St. 154 between Norodom and Pasteur.

We woke up around 8 to go to the lab because Meizel was not allowed to eat anything before the tests. It was raining when we woke up and Meizel suggested a Tuk Tuk, to which I agreed. We went outside and didn't see any tuk tuks and the rain had slowed down so I suggested the moto. (In retrospect it would have been much easier to ride in a tuk tuk.)

As started driving it started raining harder and harder. I wasn't too worried because I am used to driving in the rain. However when we got to the intersection where I had to turn to the lab, I saw that the street was completely flooded. I tried to go but in the deep water my moto shut off. I got it started again and tried a roundabout way. However when we got close to the intersection the road was too flooded to drive. I pulled in front of a shop for us to wait out the rain. I tried to walk and see if I could find the lab but the road was so flooded that I turned around and went back to the shop.

After waiting for awhile the flooding seemed to be going down a little (maybe knee high). However my moto could not drive through the deep water and I did not want Meizel walked through that water. We sat and waited, hoping that something would happen. Then Meizel say a cyclo and suggested that we take one of those. (A cyclo is a bike with a chair in the front that people sit in.) We called the driver and he picked us up. He brought us directly to the front door of the lab. It was only about 150m away but he got us there without having to trudge through the flooded streets. It was also both of our first time riding a cyclo. We have been wanting to do that for a long time.

We arrived at the lab and it was very nice. We were taken to a room for Meizel to get blood drawn right away. The lab staff were very friendly and professional. The entire process in the lab took about 10 min. I was very pleased.

Going back outside was a different story. I noticed a side street close to the lab that I could have taken and avoided much of the flood as we left the building. I wanted to kick myself for this because I had seen the street before but I didn't know it led so close to the lab, or that it was not nearly as flooded as the other street. Oh well, that is life.

When we got close to the moto we saw that the street was still flooded and decided to get some breakfast while the water cleared a little more. After we ordered the rain started to pour down  and flooded the street all over again. I went and got the moto and walked in out of the flooded street. Meizel then hopped on and we were on our way.... except I needed some gas. I stopped to get some gas and wouldn't you know it the moto wouldn't start. I went to the gas station and grabbed some coffee.

By the time I finished the coffee and tried the moto again it worked (yeah)... But as we pulled out of the gas station Meizel noticed that the back tire was almost flat. I decided to just drive home slowly on the tire and we made it fine. Right before our hotel was a tire shop so I got the tire and oil changed and replaced a broken piece on the bike.... It is driving much better now.

So... we encountered some challenges today but we made it through unscathed and in good spirits. The lab was definitely professional and very efficient. It looked clean and did not have to wait at all. It was just getting there and back that proved much more difficult than we anticipated.

It has been several months since my last post. I tend to do that.... Life has been similar to the previous months since I have been in Cambodia, except for one very big piece of news.... Meizel is pregnant.

We are still living in Cambodia and are deciding what to do and where to have the baby. There is not very much information on where to get good pregnancy care here in Cambodia so I will use this opportunity to share our experiences on this subject as they occur.

We learned that Meizel was pregnant about 2 weeks ago. I was initially shocked and scared along with a range of other emotions. Now I am excited and nervous but I am looking forward to this next stage in our life.

On a recommendation from a co-worker I made an appointment to see Dr. Anna Roslyakova. This morning was our first appointment. We went to her clinic on St. 112, Anna Women-Baby Center.
She is also a doctor at Sok Sen International University Hospital. During our visit she asked many questions and gave Meizel her first "exam". She gave us some recommendations on what to eat, and what vitamins to take. She gave Meizel a PAP SMEAR and gave us a form to bring to a laboratory to get a bunch of different blood tests. She told us to come to Sen Sok Hospital on Tuesday to get the first ultrasound.

The first appointment left us with a great impression. Dr. Anna seems very knowledgeable and confident in what she does. She made both Meizel and I feel at ease. We are looking forward to continuing our pregnancy care with Dr. Anna.

Kampot/Kep (Second Visit)



The "Durian Roundabout" in Kampot

 

From May 14-16,  I had three days off of work for the King's Birthday. I was anxious to get out of Phnom Penh to get some fresh air. Meizel was not sure if she would be able to get off work, since she did not ask until the morning of. I was determined to leave so I told her I am driving the moto to Kampot and if you can come, take a bus and meet me there. I left around 9:30 am Tuesday morning, on my longest moto trip. Kampot is about 150 Km from Phnom Penh. The drive was exciting and I was pretty sure that I could figure out how to get there. I took a little detour but it didn't cost me much time. I stopped about an hour and a half into the journey to get some water in Takeo province. After that I was back on the road. I drove for a while until I heard a strange sound coming from my moto. Alone, about  80 Km from Phnom Penh I was a little concerned about the noise. I stopped at a stand selling gas out of glass jars. I bought some water pointed to the moto with a concerned face. That is really the only way for me to tell someone in Cambodia there is a problem with the moto since I don't know the language or anything about engines. He looked for a few seconds and said OK. I drove off and figured I would find someone else to look at the bike. As I was leaving he heard the noise that concerned me and motioned for me to turn around. Turns out there was something with the chain. He made the proper adjustment and it was running smooth once again. Price 1000 reil (25 cents). I made it the rest of the way to Kampot without any problems with the bike. I did however, have an oncoming bus speed past me way too close for comfort, but I made it. I received the message that Meizel was able to get off work and would meet me in Kampot that night.

The bus ride took longer than expected but I met her at the bus station at approximately 8:30 that night.

The view from the 4th floor of our hotel in Kampot. Kampot Riverside Hotel


We ate dinner that night at the Rusty Keyhole. If you are in Kampot and looking for good meat I would definitely recommend it. We decided to drive to Kep the next day to visit Rabbit Island. The ride from Kapot to Kep is only 20 Km and it is a beautiful drive.



The road from Kampot to Kep is one of the best road in Cambodia



A nice picture of some palm trees between Kampot and Kep






The beach in Kep


After a drive through Kep, unsuccessfully looking for a place to stay, we decided to go to the pier and just go Rabbit Island. We had been to Kampot and Kep but never to Rabbit Island. Booking a boat was easy enough although we had to wait for a while and I think we got ripped off a little. We just brushed it off because waiting and getting ripped of, are things that you need to get used to as foreigners traveling in Cambodia. We were late to get to the dock and after the wait we realized that we would have to stay on Rabbit Island overnight if we wanted to go. We were assured that there would be no problem renting a bungalow once we got there.





View of the water from Kep

The view from the pier

The boat from Kep to Rabbit Island

The hotel next to the pier in Kep (from the boat)

 





The boat trip from Kep to Rabbit Island was only about 20 minutes. It was however a little too bumpy for Meizel's liking. Rabbit Island is an undeveloped island with no electricity. There are a few generators on the island which are shut off around 10 pm. The island is home to around 25 local families and there are several bungalows to sleep in and outdoor restaurants to order food. When Meizel and I arrived we were beyond hungry. We stopped at the first restautant we saw and sat at a table on the beach under a tree. We had some great spicy shrimp soup, fried fish, mangos and mixed fruit pancakes.




The beach on Rabbit Island



Another picture of the Rabbit Island beach from our table at lunch

 

After our late lunch we rented a bunglow and unintentionally fell fast asleep. We were both awoken by a knock at the door by one member of the staff to put a lightbulb in. By then it was dark and we had missed our chance to go swimming. Both disappointed we took a short walk on the beach and then went back to the same beachfront restaurant to eat again. Our bungalow had one light that was on from 6:30 pm until 10:30 pm. After that it was dark. We had a Khmer style bathroom, (no hot water) and a large bed with a mosquito net. There was no A/C or fans in the bungalow and the bed smelled like sweat. There was an opening between the walls and the roof which allowed the sounds of the waves into the bungalow.

 

 

Our bungalow on Rabbit Island (second building from right)

 

Before bed Meizel accidentally deleted all of the photos from the camera. She had taken a picture in the bungalow and saw a strange blur in the background. I told her it was an Ap. (An Ap is a Cambodian monster. The head and innards detach from its body and it floats around at night terrorizing people.) Terrified she quickly tried to delete the photo and ended up erasing them all. Deleting the photos was of course, my fault for saying that. She was very upset when this happened. However we were able to recover most of the photos when we got home using some software we found online.

 

When I was almost asleep I heard Meizel shout, "Hey, Hey" and then I heard the slurred response of the potential intruder asking what cabin number it was. Though she was frightened she soon realized it was only a druken guest who could not tell which cabin was his. Understandibly, because there were no lights or clear markings on the cabin.

 

After the scare, despite the fact that there was no A/C or fan we both slept great with the sounds of the waves echoing though our tiny bungalow. We woke up early the next morning to catch a 7 am boat back to Kep. We were unsure that the boat we boarded was the one we had already paid for but stayed on anyways. We shared the what appeared to be a large extended family and made the short journey back to the mainland.

When we arrived on the dock nobody asked us to pay so we assumed that we took on the correct boat. We left quickly though to avoid any potential complications. After arriving in Kep we went back to Kampot to get breakfast. I was unsure of how to go directly to Phnom Penh from Kep so through Kampot seemed to be the smart choice.



Meizel and I on the dock in Kep







We stopped by Naga Riverside House in Kampot so that Meizel could swim in the river. After a quick dip we were back on the road again. Our drive home took about four hours. It rained a little bit when we were just outside Phnom Penh but we kept on goin'. Meizel took a lot of pictures on the ride back. She takes most of the photos from the back of the moto while we are driving. I have posted a few below.

My favorite picture of the trip

Phnom Tamao Zoo and Mountain

 

 

 

The next weekend we decided to try again to go see the Phnom Tamao Zoo. I was not sure what to expect from the Zoo. I had heard many times that it is the "best zoo in Cambodia", however that phrase did not convince me that it was worth seeing.

 

The zoo was a pleasant surprise. While the animals enclosures were not the most impressive, they had enough food and a nice selection of animals. The zoo is a bear preserve to protect the local bears from being sold for their "bile." The bear bile is used in traditional medicine throughout Asia.

 

In the zoo they had several otters, five elephants, a lion, tiger and a ton of bears...among other animals. It was worth visiting the zoo, even though I am not a big fan of seeing animals in small cages.

 

While in the zoo Meizel built up enough courage to drive my moto. The animals in the zoo are on either side of a winding, and dusty road. She got on the moto and then drove off, quickly around a corner and out of sight. I realized quickly that this may have been bad place because we are not familiar with the area and I don't know if we will find each other. I ran up to the next curve only to see another curve and no Meizel. I decided just to sit down and hope that she returns. About five minutes later (but what seemed to me to be much longer) she returned full of adrenaline, and exhausted. I was happy she survived her first (brief) solo adventure on the moto.

 

The wat on Phnom Tamao Mountain





After the zoo Meizel convinced me to hike up Phnom Tamao Mountain to see the wat and view from the top. The hike was easy enough despite, as always, being hot as shit. On top of the mountain we saw some wats and met some young monks.

Meizel and some young monk on the mountain

 

Heading down the mountain

 

 



 



A faw away view of the little girl driving the boy and large jug on the moto

 

On the way down from the mountain we saw a girl, around seven years old driving a moto with a boy and a 20 litre jug on the back. Meizel and I were both amazed at how young the girl was. Meizel was instantly motivated to become a proficient moto driver. "If that little girl can do it, than so can I!" she declared confidently.

On second attempt and first successful visit to Phnom Tamao Zoo and Mountain was memorable and fun. We then got back on the moto and as always, enjoyed the crazy ride home.

 

 

Tonle Bati Lake

 

On April 19, 2014 Meizel and I decided to take a day trip. Our plan was to go to Phnom Tamao Zoo. (about 40 Km south of Phnom Penh) We got a late start and didn't leave until around 1 pm. I looked up the directions online and headed south. We drove for about an hour and then passed a sign for Tonle Bati Lake. I knew we were headed in the right direction. Just passed the sign we decided to stop and get some food and water at a stand on the side of the road. (pictured below)

After a nice snack (frog stuffed with something unknown to me and my first taste of palm fruit) we were ready to head back on the road. However when I tried to start the moto it would not start. My new (to me) moto is not the most reliable machine and has some trouble turning over sometimes. However it is a very popular moto in Cambodia, (Daelim City 100cc) so virtually every moto repair shop (and most Cambodian citizens) can figure out what is wrong and fix the problem quickly and and cheaply. We walked the moto about 50 meters to the nearest moto repair shop. I demonstrated that the moto would not start and they quickly went to work. About 30 - 45 minutes later the moto was up and running as good as new. Price for the new part and labor, $5.

By the time the moto was operational again it was getting late and I was unsure of how much farther the zoo was. We decided to head back and check out the lake so we could be sure to make it home before dark.

After entering the park area we stopped at what looked like a Cambodian weekend festival near a wat. We walked around and drank some sugar can juice. We then headed to the lake to get some food. (The picture below is not the lake..)

We rented space in a lakeside bungalow to eat lunch. There were several kids with inner tubes swimming in the lake and many families eating in the bungalows around us.



The picture on the left is the view of the lake from our bungalow.

After lunch we made the trek north back to Phnom Penh. Although we did not end up where we had set out to go we had a great day. Flexibility is a virtue that will make your adventures in Cambodia much more enjoyable and easier to deal with. Meizel's ability to adapt and make the best of any situation is one of the qualities that I love the most about her....

Kampong Speu

Kampong Speu - Khmer New Year 2014

Meizel and I were invited by some Khmer friends to join them for a celebration in Kampong Speu for Khmer New Year. I had recently purchased a used moto but had only driven it around the city. For this journey I had to drive the moto about 50 Km outside of Phnom Penh to get to the celebration. I was very nervous about my first moto journey outside the city. Even scarier was that I didn't know how to get there so I had to drive fast enough to keep up with my friends.

The way to Kampong Speu required driving on a Cambodian Highway with many other motos, cars and large trucks driving much faster than I was used to. For about the first 40 Km I think every muscle in my body was clenched. After about an hour I started to relax and began to loved the feeling of driving the moto out in the country.

The celebration in Kampong Speu began with everyone (except for me, I was in charge of watching the bags) visiting a temple to be blessed by a monk.

After the blessing we went to a bungalow to eat food and relax in the shade. Exhausted from the drive I laid down for a while to get some energy. After that our Khmer friends played cards and Meizel and I decided to explore a little.

While exploring we saw this bridge and decided to cross and check out the other side. The bridge was not exactly an engineering feat rivaling Ankor Wat. We  timidly crossed the rickety bridge at the same time as hundreds of others going in either direction. Because of Khmer New Year, the bridge had a lot more traffic that it was used to. We made it safely across and looked around the other side of the river. It was filled with people eating and relaxing in the shade of the trees. (Did I mention Cambodia is fucking hot?)

After an hour or so we decided to head back to meet up with our friends. In line about 5 meters from the bridge we heard a loud "SNAP". The sound was the obviously one of the cables on the not so sturdy bridge breaking. Nobody fell but the floor of the bridge was now slanted downwards on one side and not safe to cross.

We needed to get to the other side to retrieve the moto so our only option now was to was across the waist deep river. Along with hundreds of Cambodians made the slow and slippery trek through the water to the other side of the river. We arrived, wet from the waist down, safely on the other side. We immediately saw our friends waiting for us and headed home.

The trip was fun, exhausting and exciting. What I really gained from the trip though was a love of driving my 100 cc moto outside to Phnom Penh to explore new parts of this beautiful and unique country.