The best equipment for the harshest conditions...

Cambodia is a rainy country, by which I mean it rains here...in Cambodia. This is particularly true during the aptly-named "rainy season". It is currently the rainy season and as such, rain is common.

To combat these harsh conditions, Rebecca and I have spared no expense*. We have purchased state-of-the-art* ponchos that are made from the most advanced materials known to man*. This material, known as Tore-Gex*, is 100% waterproof*, breathable*, light weight, tear-proof* and extremely comfortable*. Each poncho comes equipped with a GPS transponder*, safety whistle* and self-inflating PFD* (personal flotation device). On top of all this, they also have polka dots.

*Not necessarily true.

Working man...

So, I work at iCAN British International School. It caters for students up to Year 8, so it's mostly a primary affair. I teach Year 7 and 8 maths and then I help out in various other classes as both an ESL and maths teacher.

The canteen by the pool

While I've been here since Monday, today marks the first day of students. The kids are really nice, the staff are really nice and the school is really nice. Apparently the design brief included the word "resort", as in a place to relax and holiday, not "you can resort to anything you like while building". So, yeah, it's nice. It even has an infinity pool (although it doesn't look over much).

My new film!

This is a preview of my new film, "Laurence of Cambodia: Journey into Phnom Penh".
It will be action packed and exciting. Enjoy.

Settling in...

I've now been in Phnom Penh for ten days, so this first entry is well overdue, at least according to my mum.

I was last here eight years ago. In that time lots has changed; there are now large buildings; Beoung Kok Lake, where the backpacker area was located, has sadly been filled in ready for development; there are scores of ATMs (there was one last time); the roads are now mostly paved; there is development everywhere (some apparently halted since the GFC); you can buy almost anything Western you want now (Vegemite, tampons, French cheese, Corn Flakes); and every second café and bar has wireless internet.

But, with all that said, Cambodia feels the same. When I walked off the plane onto the tarmac (yes, you still walk on the tarmac), I got an instant dose of nostalgia based purely on the smell; a smell that I had never known I had classified and one I only knew I knew once I arrived (just call me Jean-Baptiste Grenouille). The vibe is the same, the people smile like they did before, the traffic functions on the same organised chaos, the moto is still king on the roads (although there is now an abundance of Lexuses (Lexi?), many of which have a government-issued VIP badge on their dash), and the food is still cheap.