I woke up early and spent the first hour flicking through the tv channels in my hotel room. I was scanning for news on the first Ashes test match against Australia. I'd heard nothing while being on the islands and I was keen as mustard to find out. CNN had one of those news tickers along the bottom of the screen and I waited for it to cycle through to Sport. "Cricket: Pietersen on 92 delays Australia win". Not the fifth day I was hoping for but at least there was still some play left.
I checked out of the hotel as it wasn't really what I was looking for and found another guesthouse listed in the Lonely Planet. Narin Guesthouse seemed ok and I was happy with the tiny tiny room since it was only $2. It really was small, about one quarter of my university halls room and I know I'm not exaggerating because I went back to my halls recently for a reunion there! The halls room had a bed, a cupboard, a desk, a chair and a sink. This room had just a bed and a little coffee table! But hey-ho I fancied having a cheap cheap one. Plus I was on my own again and that made for quick decision making. In groups when you look at guesthouses you have to think "do I like it? do they like it? etc. etc."
The guy who showed me round offered to take me out for the day on his motorbike. Initally I had agreed but cancelled fifteen minutes later when I realised I didn't want to rush getting showered for his 9.15am suggested departure time. Rushing showers in this heat leaves me just as soaking 20 minutes afterwards only with sweat not water. Plus I had heaps to do on my blog after being cut off in the islands so long, plus there was the cricket... oh yes, the cricket!
In England, "Walkabout" is an Aussie chain of bars and I remember watching the Ashes from last year in a "Walkabout" in Newquay. I headed down to Phnom Penh's "Walkabout" bar wondering if it could be the same. It wasn't but a friendly chap inside pointed down the road to another bar which would have the cricket on. The new bar was perfect and even had a special "Ashes Breakfast Menu". I looked at the score and Pietersen was already out and we only had a few wickets left. As I sat down I sensed the bloke behind me was an Aussie so decided not to start a conversation. As Matthew Hoggard was caught behind the bloke behind let out a clap and I knew I wasn't going to be speaking to him today. The Aussies mopped us up with ease and I headed to the internet cafe to catch up on emails and blogs. I had a little walk around the riverside where the Dutch couple said they would be but realised it was too big to be bumping into people in that way.
Back at the guesthouse I headed for the "lively terrace bar" as written in the Lonely Planet and waited for it to "get lively". It never did except for some Aussie girls who were getting ready to go to Vietnam the next day so I finished with my book and got some sleep.
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