Phnom Penh, Takeo - orphanage - and Health

Ok - its been a crazy week - Michelle has been very sick, but more on that in a bit...

Phnom Penh take 1:

We traveled with Gareth and Anya - some choice as kiwi fullas we met in Siem Reap - down to Phnom Penh where we stayed in our first proper Backpacker Ghetto. Now a lot of you will have been to Th Koh San in Bangkok, which was once a backpacker ghetto, but now is something else entirely, almost an attraction in itself. Boeung Kak is really a bit of a dive, with a slight positive that it overlooks a lake, is cheap and filled with other like minded travellers. Suitably chilled out we headed for PP's sombre sights - S21, the infamous Toul Seng prison used by the Khmer Rouge to torture its so called enemys. A horrific place, formerly a high school, the rooms were converted into many cells and torture rooms. In a number of the rooms they've taken photographs of the scenes found there, and often the floor was stained with victims blood. The place felt like suffering and fear. Lining the walls are haunting photographs of prisoners before they were taken down to the Killing Fields. The Killing fields themselves aren't particularly notable - just a few holes in the ground in a small field, apart from the monument filled with skulls which is quite something. Words can't express the suffering these poor people must have gone through, and the monument is a stark reminder of that.

Sorry - I left my camera at the Guest House so photos will come later...

Then it was down to Takeo to volunteer at the New Futures Orphanage. Great bunch of Kids (if slightly naughty) but very eagre to learn and after a few days even the shy ones were happily playing with us.

Unfortunately a couple of days was all we had - Michelle became quite sick with what seemed to be a regular tummy bug, but when it hadn't cleared up on the third morning we realised we would need some assistance. I e-mailed our travel doctor in NZ who suggested we get a specific antibiotic that wasn't available in Takeo (which is quite rural). The orphanage director who was going to Phnom Penh that day said that he could pick it up and return in the evening with it. Well - he didn't come back that night and meanwhile Michelle (who at this stage was getting weaker and weaker) needed something to happen fast. We took a taxi back up to PP.

Phnom Penh take 2:

We headed straight to a western hospital, where the doctors were quick to administer IV and once some testing had been done the appropriate Antibiotic. Thankfully Michelle started feeling better quite quickly. They kept her in IV overnight, and the next day moved her into a nice guest house. Thankfully she's doing much better, starting to get her appetite back after not eating for 6 days. Shes weakened, tired but recovering! I also have had a persistent case of the trots, so I've been treated for the same thing.

Its a bit of a low point of our trip as we're now both suspicious of all food (The dodgy food Michelle and I ate was prepared by the supposedly western trained staff at the orphanage) and are unsure how we're going to be able to get by on our budget if we aren't confident eating local food.

Anyway, internet time is up - I'll update again asap.