FootLoose in Asia This journal is primarily for family and friends to follow our progress on our SouthEast Asia adventure through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and possibly Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma). Hopefully there will also be some useful information to others planning a trip to thease areas.

Phnom Penh 16 - 21 January, 2007 The bus trip from Battambang to Phnom Penh was uneventful except for what seemed to be one additional stop bus made. Normally the bus stops once during the five to six hour trip for a quick stretch and a pee, and it made this stop as normal. About an hour later, the bus pulled into another stop, but this one was slightly different. At this stop everyone got off the bus, and a team descended on the bus to wash the complete outside of the bus. There was a network of pumps and pressure washers hooked up, and busses from all companies were stopping for a clean. Unlike the normal stops, there were no restaurants or shops, only the “bus wash” and a couple of primitive latrines. After the outside of the bus was clean, everyone boarded again, tracking in all the mud collected while waiting. We were not sure when that would get cleaned out. We arrived in Phnom Penh slightly behind schedule and headed for the hotel recommended by a couple we met in Battambang. They were very busy, but fortunately they had one room left so we took it. It was late afternoon by the time we got settled in the hotel, so we decided to relax for a short period and then find a nearby restaurant that was also recommended to us. We found the restaurant just around the corner and after dinner J decided to go to an internet café on the corner to check on email, and D decided to go back to the hotel for a dip in the pool. When J returned to the room, it took D a while to get to the door, and she was in a lot of pain. It seems after her swim she had slipped in the room and fell on her hip and shoulder, and her shoulder was very painful. D refused to go for help that evening and we decided to wait to see what the morning would bring. Fortunately we had some pain killers from a previous event that we had brought with us for just such an emergency. These seemed to help, and the next day we decided to give it another day as there was no real swelling or bruising in the shoulder and it seemed to have more movement. We did venture out that day to the Laos Embassy to leave our passports to get a visa for our planned Laos trip, but that was about all D could handle for the day. The next day the shoulder was still very sore so an x-ray was in order. We called the British Embassy thinking they might recommend a doctor or clinic with a western orientation, but they were basically useless and only said to go to the local hospital. And this was only after we were transferred to someone who could actually speak English that could be understood. British taxpayer’s money at work! We instead looked in a couple of the local tourist books, and found an International SOS clinic which happened to be very close to the hotel. J was familiar with this service as it was used by his previous employer for employees who traveled internationally for the job as J often did. We called the clinic and they said to come in right away as they had x-ray facilities. We got a tuk-tuk and were at the clinic within a half hour, and after another half hour wait, D was taken in for a consultation and x-ray. The result of the analysis was a hairline fracture of the humeral head on her right arm. They fitted D for a sling, and the doctor advised her that immobilization for a few weeks may be all that is necessary, but suggested she see an orthopedic surgeon in Bangkok to be sure, as those facilities were not available in Cambodia. So much for our planned overland trip from Phnom Penh to Vietnam. That afternoon we visited the National Museum and continued to debate what course of action to take. Should we head home as both carrying a backpack and working with elephants was out of the question for at least four weeks, should we just go on, or should we return to Bangkok for further analysis. The next morning we went to the Java Café for a decent cup of coffee and free WiFi access to research options. In the end we decided on an Asian Air flight back to Bangkok on the 21st, and would plan from there depending on the results of the surgeons review. That gave us two days left to see Phnom Penh, and in this time we visited the Russian Market, the Royal Palace including the Silver Pagoda, the Killing Fields, and Toul Steng Prison (S-21). The visit to the Killing Fields and Toul Steng was a very sobering experience and makes you wonder what people can be thinking to participate in such brutality let alone order it. On the morning of the 21st we headed to the airport for our flight to Bangkok. We were somewhat sad to leave Cambodia as we really enjoyed our time there, but it was time to move on. Next stop – Return to Bangkok