bamboo railroad

In Battambang there is some railway track that was built decades ago but no longer has trains running on it... that doesn't stop Cambodians from using it though!  Some people who live near the track have made these bamboo trains that use a motor to cart you down the track and back.  People used to be able to travel across Cambodia using the bamboo railroad but China is now reworking the track to use for freight so this tourist attraction will only be around for a few more years!  Glad I got to experience it.

There is only one track so when you encounter another cart coming in the other direction, whoever has the lighter load has to get off and take their cart apart for the other to pass.

Alexa and I

more info: BBC News: Bamboo Railroad

cambodia!!

I have arrived in my new home (for the next 3 months)!  Phnom Penh is an overwhelming but interesting city.  The crazy traffic, ever changing smells and crowded markets are total sensory overload.  Traffic example:

tuk tuk ride from the airport to the hotel

I think I am really going to enjoy my time here a lot and partly because I am working with an awesome group of people:

Team Cambodia!



Tomorrow morning we are heading off for a few days to explore more of Cambodia and see some of the villages we will be working in this summer and part of the journey will be by boat from Battambang to Siem Riep so I will have plenty of pictures to share in a few days.  Until then here are a few more!

Me and Ashleigh on the tuk tuk

My first fish served the right way since leaving Pohnpei 1 year ago... yum!

Me with Yi, a fellow staffer (he's helping me learn Khmer!)

Ashleigh and Alexa playing with Sambo, a 51 year old elephant on display daily in Phnom Penh... he seemed sad, kind of like the Central Park horses in NYC

wait... what am i doing?

I just realized I never really said what I am doing here in Southeast Asia for the summer.  I have a job with Rustic Pathways, which is a company that runs teen service and adventure trips around the world.  I have been in staff training for the last week in Udohn Thani, Thailand and tomorrow I am heading off to Cambodia to begin setting up for the programs I will be working on.  I will be working on 2 different programs called From the Ground Up and the Cambodia Orphanage Project.  Check out Rustic Pathways Cambodia to read about them.  I am excited to get to Cambodia and explore the country, hopefully learn some Khmer and get ready for my first group to arrive at the end of June.  Will share some pictures as I take them!

busy day for pictures!

Buddhist Temple, Udohn Thani

For Marsha Zuniga

Market in Udohn Thani

beans covered in sugar and decorated... yummy!

Nightclub in Udohn Thani

Monday June 6th, 2011

egg toss!

Rustic Pathways Ricefields Base, Udohn Thani

Staff training games!  Bonding and learning to do with our kids when we have free time.

Sunday June 5th, 2011

first orphanage trip

Udohn Thani Home for Girls, Thailand

Saturday June 4th, 2011

night one

My team in night market in Udohn Thani, Thailand

On my first night at training Rustic Pathways sent us on a scavenger hunt through a night market to learn how to write our own receipts and identify dangers our teens could find in the markets.  One of the tasks was to get a picture with a tattoo artist... we cheated and figured they would believe this guy was a tattoo artist because he had so many.

Friday June 3rd