Shocking Ending to a Relaxing Day

Today is our last official day on the PEPY tour as tomorrow will mostly be spent traveling back to Pnom Peng, a 7 hour bus ride I'm not totally looking forward to. I am almost done with a book about the Khmer Rouge called First they Killed My Father), want to read another I bought about Sex Slaves that has a lot of information about both Cambodia and Japan and am still looking forward to finishing the second book of the Dark Materials trilogy (Golden Compass), which I have put on hold. But beyond the worlds between the pages, the real world has definitely been providing its share of ups and downs... today is no exception.

I don't have time to write a real post and am still a little shaken by a big bike accident we witnessed tonight, so I am going to keep this in bullet points (might update later). Sorry for the format and bland lack of comments... no time today :-P

Later start (9am)

Breakfast of omelet, french bread and coffee with sweetened condensed milk


Not long before kids arrived, bought sugar cane juice (ground while you wait, served in a plastic bag with a straw - tastes like orange julius)

Went to CDPT -saw projects, inspiring female speaker who spoke Khmer but from US, kids really listening (takes a lot for middle school kids to find something interesting and take notes)

Talked a lot about fuel offsetting - carbon control, hopefully could offer more funding for projects but serious reality; need staff to prosper but not seen as efficient cost by these corporations taking this route


Went to lunch with assigned "buddies". My buddy, Sony, was quiet but learned how to count in Khmer and tried singing with him, lots of high fives and laughing without being able to understand each other

Took bus to dolphins, $5 to watch/$5 for boats (one price if you take the boat or not to keep locals out)

Took wooden boat to small island, couldn't jump in because of my toe, most kids did in clothing (improper to wear swimsuits in Cambodia)


Said gooybyes and kids left (wanted to see market and Budhist mt), rest of PEPY gang went on boat to large sandbar

I didnt bring suit b/c I'm not supposed to swim but gave in

Jumped in with tank and skirt, used the rocks to slither against the rapids and sat in the warm Mekong water, rapids massaging back


Watched the sunset and went back. Wandered around town alone. Bought Khmer music (drew a crowd but had fun talking with some people),


Dinner that night was good, had amok again (traditional Khmer dish with fish) with curry

Geckos looked like wall paper, so numerous

THE ACCIDENT

Doing "roses and thorns" with the group (each person sharing ups and downs from the day) and heard large crash like a bomb

Saw a motorbike go flying about 25 feet on the street where our table was and suddenly a man was lying, face down, in the middle of the road

We all stood up, entire table stunned

Daniella (PEPY staff) ran over, checked for basic CPR, but the man was alive. First one on the scene. Suddenly crowds formed

Peppi (PEPY staff) hopped on a bike and got the medical kit - man was alive, crowds moved him (our group was upset about it, but couldn't stop the large crowd)

The day before, Lucky (Cambodian guy traveling with the bikers) left bc his friend died in another bike accident, had a long talk about this is a sad reality in Cambodia - thought of him when I saw the man lying on the street

moved man to our table area, put seat cushions on floor. peppi back with the medical kit. daniella puts gloves on and locals think she is a doctor and let her help.

crowds now huge, tam pushing them back, kids peeking in

I'm trying to stay back and comfort others, or rather, we're comforting each other and watching

find out man was drunk, hit another bike, parents didnt want him to go to hopsital or with the police (yelling at us in Khmer) but red cross car was there within 10 min (medical center is 1k away) and he left,

Found the other man who's bike was hit, had bruised foot (drunk driver hit his foot), but he was OK

Everyone shocked. Sad down, told stories and sang but somber tone

SO impressed by fast reaction time and leadership skills, taking charge


That's it. I'm at the internet cafe to pick up my picture CDs right now, but we have a meeting tomorrow morning at 6am, so I need to get to bed. I seriously thought I had seen someone die tonight. I didn't see him fly, but when we heard the noise and I saw his red motorcycle flying through the air, I was scared. When I saw him lying on the ground, I was in shock. I have to give it to Daniella Papi (who also started PEPY, the organization, after going on the first ride) for her fast reaction time, really the most important thing. There was a moment where it felt like time stopped, everyone was to their feet, but surveying the situation from a distance, and when that moment broke (seconds later), Daniella was already THERE.