I can fly!

Not really, but this week has been a good one and has left me feeling much more free. As time goes by we are needing to devote less and less time to things such as purchasing furniture or plates, and instead we are able to relax a bit more and just explore a little around our area, saying "hello" to many of the kids and adults around the neighborhood.

Earlier this week we were looking for a printing company so I could print a few of my photos to decorate the house (photo printing is MUCH cheaper here than in Australia), a trip which lead us to Opennet - one of the internet retailers in Phnom Penh. It's important to note that home phone and internet is not at all common here, and many houses are built without any phone lines (including ours). So, how do you get wired home internet when you don't have a phone line? 3 men, a tuk tuk, a ladder and a roll of cable.

Seriously. They were waiting outside the gate when I got home (Ruth was inside, but they didn't ring the bell). After a brief discussion about where the modem would go (i.e. where the cable needed to go) they left, saying that they would be "back with the internet" (I may be paraphrasing). So off they went to run a few hundred metres of cable to the house. I finally understand a bit about why the power poles are in such a mess - the lines aren't laid down initially, with houses being connected to pre-existing wires as they are built. Instead, EVERY single house that connects to the internet or power receives a new line, which just goes on top of every other line.

Long story short - we now have stable internet in the house and I can watch Youtube and access my online library of games!

We have also been social this week - on Wednesday we went out for dinner with some teachers from the school at a tiny Chinese restaurant with awesome noodle soup and fried dumplings, coming to about $3 each. Actually getting there on a tuk tuk cost about the same -_-

Which brings me on to the latest development - we have a moto! Well, not 100% yet. My friend who helped us out with the furniture and fridge has allowed us to use her family's moto for the week, and if we're OK with it, they'll let us buy it for a great price! So this evening we rode around a bit and to dinner with some more friends from school, with wonderful food and a game of fishbowl. Moving to this new place together has definitely given us more confidence to go out and socialise as a couple, instead of one-by-one like we had to do in Hedland. It was also exciting riding around on the near-empty road (due to Chinese New Year) at night with Ruth on the back.

To see more photos from the internet saga and just general life, including a small adventure today, check out the album below (click here to view all photos from Phnom Penh)