Phil Palmer : July 2018

Monday 30 July 2018

Cambodia - Day 15 - Back home!

Cambodia - Day 14 - Bangkok

Sunday morning paid to go on a tour to Ayuthaya, which used to be the capital of Siam until, we were told, the Burmese invaded and destroyed the place in the 18th century at which point the capital was moved to Bangkok

After the coach tour we took a boat for a nice lunch and a cruise back to central Bangkok

Even better than that was the free tour that Charles organized for us in the evening - visiting temples after dark when there was no-one else there.....

Cambodia - Day 13 - Bangkok

Having bought a new pair of trousers, two new shirts and a new pair of shoes we went to Erewan Shrine to see what was up...…

Thursday 26 July 2018

Cambodia - Day 12

Settling in today. Here is the view from the main Southern balcony. The East balcony is for the washing machine and the West balcony is covered in a gigantic dust sheet that drapes the entire height of the block of flats because of the building work going on that side

Met with the Bridgeton School principal this morning and we agreed that I would start work next Tuesday. I need to wear formal clothes long sleeve shirt, long pants, polished shoes in accordance with the school policy boo

Election day coming up this weekend and there will be mucho disruption so we are trying to escape to Bangkok to do some shopping for formal clothes boo....

Cambodia - Day 11

Cambodia - Day 10

Saturday 21 July 2018

Cambodia - Day 6

Had a message from Mr Cheer this morning about a couple of new apartments so we went along to have a look at one. Absolutely fabulous but no washing machine which was a deal breaker

Mr Cheer offered us a peek at another one this afternoon up on the fifth floor in a brand new block of flats Koh Tral St (65) close to the corner of Streets 61 and 86. Services in and most fixtures and fittings and they say that they can put in washing machine, cooker, internet, cable TV and have the place cleaned in time for us to move in on Tuesday 24th.!!!! It might be a goer

Cambodia - Day 5

Final swim before leaving Sarina Boutique Hotel yesterday

Spent today looking round apartments in the Daun Penh area and this was the best of the bunch, There were two apartments in this block, one on the second floor and one on the fifth floor. They were both the same size but the fifth floor apartment seemed bigger and brighter because maybe of the better light coming in from higher up

The other three apartments we looked at were not so great so we went back to have another look at our favorite on the fifth floor

Sunday 15 July 2018

China2 - Day 24

China2 - Day 23

Very hot and clammy again today - massive thunderstorm in the afternoon - YingYing's uncle and auntie are staying in the apartment too at the moment so it's all a bit claustrophobic, Managed to get out to get 20 copies of my short CV done so I can hit the ground running when we get to Phnom Penh. Stayed up to watch the England - Belgium play-off for third place and wished I hadn't. It was like watching Saints play - high on enthusiasm and low on creativity and penetration

Friday 6 July 2018

China2 - Day 15

Spent time today and yesterday practicing giving lessons to 6 year old children in preparation for my evaluation lesson this evening. If I get through this I will be able to teach on-line in Cambodia while we are waiting for me to get a classroom teaching contract. I know that I need a secure connection so I have lined up two visits to rented co-working office space in Phnom Penh to see if I can find something suitable in the first few days

An evening stroll just before my evaluation class. Nerves a-jangle!

China2 - Day 14

Seems to be becoming a regular trip. GaoYang, YingYing's brother (cousin) brings his son round (3 years old yesterday and YingYing and I take him to the local KFC in PingFang, Harbin where there is a small play area and the chance of a chicken wing