Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Bicycle! Bicycle!

Now I want you to go back and not just read the title, but rather sing it like Freddy Mercury did. Did you do that? Good, well thats how I felt when I purchased my bike the other day. For all of $25 I was able to purchase the green stalion from a second hand bike dealer. Yes, it is a little rusty, and I did get a flat tire my first day. However, it is a great way to get aroud Phnom Penh. Since the trafic can be a little nuts from time to time I stay on the side of the road and mind my own business. When there are huge intersections or the dreaded roundabouts, I find a group of people on bikes and charge forward with them. They may look at me funny and think im crazy, but at least im safe. Biking aroud is really great. When you are on a moto you dont get to take a step back, relax and enjoy the moment as much. Today was teh first day that I was able to do this. On my way back from teaching, looking around at the buildings, and the peopel as I went around central market onto kampuchea krom Blvd., I found myself saying to myself I really made it, I am doing this. Itw as a great feeling and a wonderful sense of accomlishment. I have finally settled in and assiilated to the everyday lifestyle. I am able to work, eat, and get around on my own. The only strange part is teh fact that everyone tends to look at westerners. I kind of stick out, but thats alright, they can look all they want.
On anothe note, I found a great bookshop in town. They buy sell an trade books. I have been reading a lot more than expected and was in urgent need of some new litterature. I brought my copy of perfum (which was great if you have the chance to read it), Nine Stories, and Vagabonding. With a little negotiating I was able to do a 1 for 1 trade. I picked up some classics: Catch 22, On the Road, and 1984. I just read Orwell's Abnimal Farm, so I decided to try On teh Road to start things out with a fresh new author. The store had a great essence to it and it was really cool to trade books and see what other travelers have read and left behind.
Well that is all for now. I see that a lot of my posts are a little messed up. This is because every, and I mean every, keyboard has some sort of malfunction. Hope everyone is doing well. Drop em a line fromt iem to time, its nice to see how everyone is doing back in teh States. Spence

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