Woke up in the morning with a nasty headache. My fault as I did not drink enough water the day before. Mum on the other hand was finding anything and everything to trip over.
To get into the restaurant for breakfast from the hotel you had to step up on to a concrete step, then step over the door frame onto another step before stepping down. Mum made a habit of not stepping over the door frame. After the second time (and also not being able to open the door) the doorman would always open the door for her and point to the door frame sticking out of the floor to remind her not to trip. We were going to get a photo of him doing this but time got away from us.
Breakfast was as yummy as always, fruit, yogurt, cappuchino, fresh fruit juice and an omelet. We had our debrief outside and organised ourselves into teams: building, hygiene, first aid, triage, nursing, Drs, Chiro, and crowd control. Not all teams would be working in this village so they came to help. I was on hygiene.
This day was our first clinic. I think we drove an hour to get to the Village (this time in vans rather than Tuk Tuks). It was the first time ICC had been here. As we arrived people were already lined up. The medical side of the team was situated in the front yard of the church under a Wedding tent. Hygiene went out the back.
Hygiene was for the kids. We played a few games with them and then told them the importance of washing their hands with soap, how often and how long they should clean their teeth, and then we treated their hair for lice with special shampoo. I did the washing and the younger guys in the team did the combing. Some of the girls had really long hair and our guys could not believe how many little bodies they were pulling from it.
By the way just remember as you look at these photos and future clinic ones that the people came to us in their BEST clothes.
Medical Team setting up under the the wedding tent
Kids waiting for hygiene to start.
This little cutie features in a few of my photos.
Two lines: girls and boys
Two tubs with water and a bar of soap
Races to see which line could finish first with the cleanest hands
(minimum time of 10 secs for washing)
Handing out the toothbrushes
Let the lice treatment begin. I had the boys and we held up the only toilet.
A rare photo of me taken for me by one of the girls on my team. She also took the next two photos.
lining up for treatment
Love this little cutie. The towels were put on once the shampoo treatment was put in. They had to wait 15 minutes (and longer in some cases) to get it combed out.
Lined up waiting to be combed.
Waiting in line for combing this little cutie decided to clean her teeth again.
Ladies at the back of the church getting our lunch ready.
Jen was our only Chiro and was kept very busy.
She did get some help on this day and is showing Kirsty how to help someone with constipation through massage.
Such a happy little girl
She wanted my Camera
Not so happy with that worming mixture in her mouth.
Another worming victim but with a tablet.
I just love the character on the faces of some of the older people.
This lady watched my every move as I went around taking photos. It was then I remembered that white and big are beautiful in Cambodia. I have both in abundance. She happily posed for me. I don't know if she is an old young looking woman or a young old looking woman. She could barely walk and had to be escorted everywhere. Her walking stick was a thin scrap of bamboo.
Lunch was fiery hot for me and I could barely eat it. With my stomach band it was hard to just eat plain rice. After lunch a few of us had time to go for a quick walk in the Village. A lot of the homes have water under them that is filled with rubbish. I am not sure if they fish in this water but I was shown the water they did fish out of and it was green.
Local shop
A house (and a slingshot lol).
This little boy saw us taking photos and ran inside to get his photo album to show us.
Back at the church the hygiene team were packed and ready to go back to the hotel. The medical team still had work to do. I was going to stay but my headache was still hanging on so I went in the van. On the way it was decided we would go to Bloom Cafe. I had heard a lot about this place and it's wonderful cakes and just hoped to God it was air-conditioned ... it was.
Best tasting cupcakes eva and I just loved the mars bar chocolate milk shake.
Feeling very refreshed I thought I would go back to the Russian Markets on my own. There were a couple of things I wanted to get and was not sure if I wold get another chance. I had to be back at the Hotel before 6pm in order to make if for dinner.
The markets were great as usual. The problem was finding a Tuk Tuk driver who knew where my hotel was. I knew the name but not the address. I finally ended up with a guy who thought it was on the water front. I knew it wasn't but I knew it was close so I thought that would be my best option. Long story short, I kept praying the whole trip. I was taken through areas I had been in 2009 but not on this trip so I knew we were in the wrong area. He was looking at the massive expensive hotels and I was trying to tell him it was a small one. Finally I told him to stop and tried to explain it was not right. His english was very little. He asked a young Tuk Tuk driver with good english but he had no idea either. I then remembered it was near Wat Phnom. I thought if he could get me there I might be able to remember which road to take.
We headed off. It was the right direction and after a minute or so I recognised the restaurant where we had eaten our first night here. I indicated for him to pull into it. The parking guy came up, good english, and knew where my hotel was. YES! My Tuk Tuk drivers shoulders literally melted with relief and then he went off on what sounded like a tirade. Once back at my hotel I gave him $10 rather than the $4 agreed to. He did after all take me on a tour. He was really grateful. I was glad to be back in time for dinner, no shower though (urgh).
Mum beat me back and didn't think that I might have left the key at the front desk. She had got house keeping to let her in. Dinner was at an Italian restaurant. It was done up really nice. I had the best gnocchi I have ever tasted. We were in a room separate from the main restaurant. I wish I had brought my bathers though. Another section of the restaurant (where food does not go) was a Roman Bath fitted with swinging chairs, pool tables etc.
1 comment:
Looks like a wonderful trip, Kerin.
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