Is a sweet Cambodian greeting, rather appropriate on departure day. I can’t help confessing I felt a lump in the throat packing up a tiny room that has been my home for the last three months, finding stuff I hadn’t even unpacked, things I had bought and forgotten about, and about 30kilos of extra stuff I have acquired en route.

A load of gear will stay hear awaiting my return next month as I head home for a Christmas reunion with the family. This still means a round of goodbyes if only low profile. My accommodation has been extraordinarily good, if a little small, I have been well looked after. My regret though is that I have fallen into ex pat land where I would rather be in Cambodia properly, and learning their ways. The language is in my opinion almost impossible, you would need detailed daily contact with a local, not only to learn the romanised form of language but the pronunciation, which is launched directly from the back of the throat.

Oddly the first translation course with attached CD’s I have found was at the airport departure lounge. Good thinking. I have now purchased and will try to get some basics before my return.

Onbound to Singapore this morning via Phnom Penh, but into Changi by 15.00 avoiding the taxi rank and choosing to take the very easy Metro service instead, leaving a short taxi ride from the nearest stop to my accomodation, driven by a delightful Chinese gentleman who charged me $4, thus saving me the cost of the language course I bought earlier.

It is strange to be back in the developed world again, I am not sure I like it. There will be nobody here travelling around the streets at 3am selling warm, pregnant duck eggs foetus inside, a local ‘speciality.’