Meet the Team

Here are the wonderful friends, and friends of friends who were part of the adventure:

Robin from Vancouver.  Formerly the expat expert, now the hammering honey.

Lys, originally from Peru, now retired in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Mike from Niagara-on-the-Lake

Carole from Niagara-on-the-Lake and her son Andrew from St. John's, Newfoundland.

Pat from Singapore and Terry Ann from Ottawa

Sunny from England

Michele from Niagara-on-the-Lake

The Kam Family - Dennis and Kathy from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Tracy and Riley from Ottawa

and me!

Thank you to everyone who supported us.   You have helped 18 families have homes that provide comfort from the elements, security, and a sense of self-worth.

A complete photo gallery of the trip is now online at http://fromtheedge.typepad.com/photos/2011_cambodi/

Mission Accomplished!

18 houses for 18 families.  What a sense of accomplishment.  The last 7 houses that we completed today went quickly.  We had a terrific breeze to keep us cool, and we knew what we were doing.  Michele and I nailed up the walls for one house on our own, with help from a couple of the village men.  Trying to hang on to the sheets of corrugated steel in the strong wind was a challenge, but we managed.  My hammering arm isn’t sore, but my legs are.  Climbing up and down a ladder countless times is as good as a step class, or better.  I expect to be stiff tomorrow, and actually am looking forward to sitting quietly on an airplane.

The handover ceremony is always a very moving experience.  The 18 families gathered in a semicircle, and one by one, each builder presented each family with a quilt – a housewarming gift.  They are so anxious to get into their new homes, I’m sure they couldn’t wait for us to leave. 

Staying at an eco lodge has been an experience in itself.  We are up on a mountainside, in the jungle, surrounded by all sorts of jungle noises.  The first very loud screeching we heard was not a man-eating creature, but a hornbill.  I haven’t had the thrill of seeing one, but we certainly know they are around.   What some of us have seen are jungle rats, large frogs, big geckos called tokays, and one friendly snake.  There are rat traps in some of the rooms.  Any rat caught becomes a barbequed snack.  Not much is wasted.  There is only cold water for showering, and electricity is solar generated.  Each room has a battery, so once you’ve used up your allocation of power, it’s lights out.  Not that that is a bad thing.  There is wifi in the vicinity of the front desk, but we are asked to use it sparingly.  Last night after working all day, most the team was in bed and happily dreaming of hammers and nails by 8 pm.

Today we have more energy, having finished building by lunchtime.  A few relaxed with a cool drink and feet dipped into the pool.  You can pay a lot of money to have fish clean your feet in a spa, but here it’s free.  It tickles at first and then you get used to it.  The fish are picky.  Some feet are more attractive than others, although we don’t know what their criteria is.  This evening we are going to the crab market in Kep for a group dinner with Tabitha staff to celebrate another great build. 

Hi Ho Hi Ho, It's off to work we go!

I am exhausted.  Our day started with breakfast at 6 am, pickup at 7, start hammering at 8:30 and the hammering continued until 3:00.  We completed 11 houses today.   The learning curve is fast.  The floor team was comprised of Sunny, Carole, Robin, Terry Ann and Pat.  They hammered down the floorboards in each of the houses.  Wall teams had the tougher work of hammering the exterior sheets of corrugated metal to the toughest, nastiest wood ever.  If there is one thing consistent about Tabitha house builds, it’s the wood.  Michele, Mike and I got a great system going so that we were able to complete three houses ourselves, taking about 2 hours to get the walls up on a house.  It’s a lovely, satisfying feeling to finish a house and put the sign up. 

Tomorrow we have 7 houses to complete and then we have the best part…the official handover ceremony.

Down to business

How do you blog about a day so up and down with emotions?  Tabitha orientation day is always a sobering reality check.  Janne Ritskes spends a great deal of time on Cambodia's history and the impact of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, so that volunteers have an in depth understanding of the trauma this country has experienced.

Follow this up with a visit to Tuol Sleng, the Genocide Museum, and the Killing Fields.  It's hard to fathom that people can be so evil and heartless, and yet we see it happening around us all the time.  In the case of Cambodia, it was genocide against it's own people.  Poor farmers taking revenge on city dwellers, under orders from a madman.

The second half of orientation focused on house building rules and etiquette.  So much to absorb and so much to worry about.  Cambodian culture is very different from ours.  They are Bhuddist, which seems to come with a lot of superstition.  (Okay, most religions have their superstitious ways, so maybe I should say they have different superstitions).   Do not tell a mother is young child is pretty or handsome.  The gods may become jealous of the child and take revenge.  Do not pat kids on the head.  Men and women must not touch each other in public, even those that are married.  Don’t share food – western food will make them sick.  Don’t give out any treats or gifts.  You can’t single out and favour one child or person over another.  It could even lead to fighting and jealousy among the villagers.   When building, take regular water breaks, cool your body by dunking your head in water, and don’t whine.  Focus and get the job done.  Don’t mess it up so that Janne has to do damage control after we leave. Cambodian’s have a very poor image of westerners.  They don’t have much of a reputation for helping…especially during the years of Khmer Rouge rule.

Mentally exhausted, we still had more work to do when we returned to the hotel.  The food committee headed to the local grocery store for provisions.  Picture 6 women trying to find familiar foods.  Salt laden snacks like Pringles, Fritos, cashews and crackers, plus isotonic drinks, filled one trolley.  Cold cuts, cheese slices, peanut butter and jam for lunch. The staff will bring us fresh baguettes and water.  At the checkout the girl asked if we had a loyalty card. J

This evening we dined at Friends.  Both Romdeng, where we dined the night before, and Friends are restaurants that train street kids.  The charity is called Mithsamlanh (http://www.mithsamlanh.org).  The food is great and very reasonably priced.  You can get both western and khmer cuisine.  They also have a shop that sells creative gifts from recycled materials. 

Tuesday

Off to Kep in the south by the sea.  It’s 150-ish km south of Phnom Penh, through stunning countryside.  Rice crops are maturing at the end of the rainy season.  Cows graze along the roadside or in fields. Children are cycling to and from school.  Traffic gets lighter and lighter, the pace feels less frantic.   

We take a detour to visit a well which turns out is one funded by our team.  It’s exciting for everyone to meet the farmer and see his crop of sweet potatoes in the field.   This well is 25 m deep.  Further on we stop to see a pond.   Ponds are used for clean water and irrigation in areas where the ground isn’t suitable for drilling a well.

Then it’s onward to Kep and our hotel.  If we can find it.  There’s lots of new development along the waterfront.  The staff have never been to the Jasmine Valley Eco Lodge, and neither have I.  A wee bit of panic ensues.  Eventually the drivers find a motorcyclist in town who leads the way.  Out of town and towards the mountains…the road gets narrower and more bumpy.  But at least we see a sign.  Jasmine Valley 1.5 km.  It actually looked like 15 km, but in hindsight there must have been a decimal point missing much to my great relief.  We kept on driving.  I called the hotel again to make sure this trail was indeed the right one.  Owen, the owner, assured me that we were on the right track and almost there.   After what seemed like an eternity, we saw grass roofed huts and the parking area.    With huge relief, we spilled out of our vans and headed to the reception area.   I think there as a mixture of concern, excitement, trepidation, at least on my part.  I booked it based on a great rating by Trip Advisor. 

All is forgiven.  The rooms are fantastic.  Tree houses, thatched roof bungalows, a freshwater pool with fish to nibble on your toes.  A welcome drink of cool lime juice.  However, the decision is unanimous to stay here for dinner, and spare our drivers and the vans another run on the track. 

Signing off for now.  Jasmine Valley Eco Lodge uses solar power so they ask that we use the internet sparingly and the connection is rather slow.  I'll add photos some other time.  TTFN.

Sunday in the Park

I couldn't keep Carole off the elephant, no matter how exorbitant the price.  We thought we were going to see Wat Phnom, but no sooner had Carole spied the elephant ride, that was it.  I attributed it to her colonial British genes.  I must admit it was good fun.  Carole and her son Andrew had already walked their way through Hong Kong and Bangkok, so this morning I joined in on their Phnom Penh trek.  Starting with the Central Market, on to Wat Phnom and the elephant ride, then towards to the waterfront and all along it down to the Royal Palace.  Then back to the hotel for a refreshing swim and lunch.  They would have included a visit to the Royal Palace, but it was closed for lunch.

Women have needs, and this afternoon it was shopping.  Our intention was to spend time wandering through Tabitha's shop, but finding it closed, I had to come up with Plan B quickly.  Not wanting to spoil the mood, it was on to the Russian Market.  At one time the favourite haunt of Russians, it now caters to one and all, local and visitor.  The dark, close warren of kiosks is divided by product into food, clothing, footwear, silver, scarves, knock off handbags, housewares and more.  An hour of browsing is about all you can stand before the heat and crowd gets to you.  Plenty of time to find some great bargains!

By dinner time our whole team was assembled.  The last to arrive were Tracy and Riley, in amazingly good shape after 24 hours of airports and airplanes.  Joining us are the Orange Riders.  These three guys who work for Orange, along with two wives, are travelling through Cambodia on Harleys, and doing a house build in the process.  Too few to be a team on their own, we hope they will add considerable hammer-power to our build.

High time I get to bed.  We depart for orientation at 8 am, followed by a visit to the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields.  Stay tuned.  

Water Water Everywhere

Finally a chance to sit and catch up on my reporting.  I'll start with Saturday visiting families who have had field wells donated through the FAWCO Foundation's Target Water Program.  It would take to long to explain here, so I'll just link you through but suffice it to say, Tabitha's Well Program impressed FAWCO's membership and they voted to channel their fundraising for clean water through it.    Here was my chance report back first hand and show FAWCO's members and clubs just how great an impact they have made on families livelihoods and health.

Srei and Tharry from Tabitha took us south of Phnom Penh some 50 km to the district of S'ang in Kandal Province.  About half way there, we started seeing children lining the road, dressed in school uniforms, holding pictures of the King and Queen of Cambodia.  Apparently the royalty was going to be visiting the villagers today to see how they have survived the recent flooding.   Village after village was waiting to greet the procession.  How they managed to stand out there for hours in the morning sun one can only imagine.  I do hope that at some point they did get to see their king.

Bok Choy being harvested for market

That aside, we arrived at the first village.  Field wells were situated in the fields, of course, and the only way to get to them was via muddy paths.  Shoes off and ankle deep in mud we traipsed from one family to another, saw their crops and learned how much they could make.  They grew bok choy (chinese cabbage), spring onions, morning glory and raised piglets and chickens.  3/4's of a hectare of bok choy could bring a family $1200 per harvest, every 6 weeks.  The families respond to market demands to make sure what they are growing will provide an income.

Vegetable gardens demand more water than rice, so the field well is put to use morning and night.

Another woman dug a pond and is using the field well to grow fish.  In 7 months she will have raised 2000 fish, plus spring onions.  We saw success after success, smiling faces, healthy bodies, and children who go to school.  Water is indeed a source of life in so many ways.

To date 123 family wells and 101 field wells have been intalled with FAWCO funds, and there are more to come.  Family wells are shared by 3 to 5 families for their daily needs - cooking, cleaning, washing, drinking and a small plot of vegetables.  Field wells are shared by two farming families and can irrigate up to 10 hectares of land.  Tabitha has found that field wells really give families a huge boost in working their way out of poverty.

Back at our base in Phnom Penh, more team members for the house build are arriving.  While Pat, Terry Ann and I were out seeing the wells, Sunny from England, Dennis, Kathy and Lys  arrived after their 21 day adventure through Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.  Carole and Andrew made it in from Bangkok late in the day.  The excitement builds!

Village kids hamming it up as kids will do

Onward bound - LPQ-PNH via BKK

Yesterday was a travel day, so there's nothing exciting to write about, particularly if you're sequestered for hours in the miniature departure lounge of Luang Prabang's airport.  It's Gate 1 or Gate 1 and there's no possibility of comprehending anything that comes across the PA system.  If your plane is sitting on the tarmac, then you know you are about to board.  If your flight is two hours late, well, it's always 5 minutes to landing.

Flooding in Bangkok is no joke.  From the air you can see that the flood waters extend miles and miles beyond the banks of the rivers.  At 20,000 feet, it's water all the way to the horizon.  I cannot imagine how long it will take to recede, or where it can possibly go.

Phnom Penh continues to develop exponentially.  It's been 3 years since my last visit, and the changes are immediately noticeable.  Electronics store and car dealerships.  High end clothing stores and coffee house chains.  It's not the same city anymore.  A new middle class has emerged.  The streets are choked with cars and motorcycles.  Overpasses are being built at the busiest intersections to handle the volume.  It even smells clean.

I am met at the airport by a nice, young man who takes me directly to the hotel dodging cars and motorbikes like a pro.  Driving is not for the faint of heart.  I suspect that driver's ed is non-existent....it's a by the seat of your pants sort of thing...something that has not changed in all the times I have been here.

The team is starting to assemble.  Pat from Singapore arrived shortly before me and Terry Ann from Ottawa arrived later in the evening.  Michele and Mike came in today with tales of their cycling trip from Saigon to Siem Reap.  I took time this morning to meet with Tabitha staff to finalize details for our house building schedule next week.  Everyone is starting to get excited.  It's a very busy week for Tabitha...with 6 house building teams arriving for orientation on Monday.

Janne Ritskes, Founder and Director of Tabitha-Cambodia,  with Managers Srei (L) and Heng (R)

Friday is admin day for Tabitha managers and the shop was full of hustle and bustle.  It was great to see so many familiar faces.  Tabitha employs over 50 Cambodians to manage their programs.  To date, Janne was telling us over lunch, that since 1994 Tabitha has quietly but efficiently helped 2 million Cambodian poor work their way out of poverty.  Cambodia's population is 14 million, so Tabitha's impact has been significant.

Today started on a sad note when Mike emailed that his brother passed away on Tuesday.  We knew this might happen while I was away, which is making it even more difficult for Mike.  Rick will be very much missed by all of us.

The goal of our morning walk was the summit of Phousi Hill.  Up until now Robin didn't think it wise for me to tackle this.  Feeling better and doing it while it was cool, off we went.  It was a good workout, stair climbing up 100m.  Certainly worth it for the 360 degree views of the city and surrounding countryside.  We decided we'd come back for the sunset since it would probably be the best view around and a way to celebrate our last night here.

At the base of the hill is the National Museum, housed in the former Royal Palace. Laos was a monarchy until 1975, when the communist political movement, the Pathet Lao, overthrew the Royal Government and arrested many members of the Royal family. The King, The Queen, Crown Prince and the King's brothers were taken to a remote location to a re-education camp, where they died.  The remaining Lao Royals base themselves in France, where they work to achieve a change of government in Laos.

We toyed with the idea of renting bicycles for the afternoon, but opted for a siesta instead to save energy for climb #2.

We are sad to leave Luang Prabang in the morning.  This is a magical place.  I'll be heading to Phnom Penh and getting into work mode.  Robin heads to Bangkok to spend time with her Thai friend before meeting up with the house building team on Sunday.

There's no rat like a dead rat

The morning monk's round, called the Tak Bat,  is a living Buddhist tradition.  Our walk today took us away from the "tourist zone" and into everyday Luang Prabang in search of men in orange.  (We're not talking more than a couple of blocks here.)  Having found our monks, we carried on and eventually circled around and came upon the bustling morning market.  You name it, it was there.  Live piglets to raise, chicken and fish and the butcher department, colourful fruits and baked delicacies that we had no idea of.  Best to say that pictures were better than samples, at least first thing in the morning.  Oh, and the woman with the very fresh fish - still breathing - and the very dead rats.

Very much in chill mode we wandered and wondered.  It's quite cool in the mornings, usually around 17C, so ideal for our biggest trek of the day.  It's overcast, but once the fog lifts around mid-morning, and the sun comes out, it warms up to 30C.

There is plenty of adventure to be had here (see photo below).  You can spend a week learning to be a Mahout, although where that will be of use later is a big mystery.  Perhaps on a gap year CV.   These two middle-aged ladies opted for the more serene sunset cruise on the Mekong.  One beer included.

Our afternoon is spent quietly reading, by the pool if there was one, and contemplating where we would have dinner.  Robin suggested the Blue Lagoon, written up in the Bankgkok Airways inflight magazine.  Their Chilled Papaya Soup with a hint of curry was refreshing yet rich in flavour.  Robin really wants to get the recipe for her husband.

 

Spring rolls to die for

Two weeks ago in Charleston, South Carolina, I was mesmerized by the beautifully kept historical city centre.  I called it Niagara-on-the-Lake on steroids.  Now in Luang Prabang, I feel like I'm in Niagara-on-the-Lake Laotian style.  This tiny town has kept it's unique heritage intact and is listed by UNESCO on it's world heritage list.  According to their website, it "is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions."  I couldn't have said it better myself.  A photographer's dream location.

Last night we ate dinner at Tamnak Lao a restaurant, cooking school and book exchange, that touted itself as the best food in town.  I might disagree.  It's the best food in Asia!!!  Robin was transported back to Bangkok 30 years ago with memories of her maid's cucumber soup.  I have never tasted spring rolls to die for like these.  The chicken curry was a blend of delicate flavours.  We left happy and headed for the night market, where you can walk for blocks through endless displays of colourful scarves, handbags, quilts and everything else Lao.  We'll be back....(not to worry Mike, there's nothing too expensive or tacky).

36 hours of airplanes and airports later...

Robin and I found each other in the swanky and not-under-water International Airport in Bangkok and continued our journey to Luang Prabang in Laos.   Even Robin's visit to Hong Kong was not without a crisis.  Her booking on the Sunday morning flight to Bangkok was cancelled and after hours of panic and pandemonium, she was rebooked Saturday night only to land in a city where every available hotel room was being used by the locals evacuated from their flooded homes.  The best she could do was the Grand Inncome Hotel.  I say no more.

Luang Prabang is in the mountains of Laos, due north of Bangkok.  Out the window, the Mekong River meanders between the ranges like a giant, chocolate snake.  The landscape is lush and fascinating.  No wonder we're in a turbo prop.  I suspect the runway isn't going to be that long.

Visa issue and passport control are efficient and quick.  That my bag has made it gives me great joy and relief.  Our driver was waiting.  Suddenly the trip is starting to come together.  We deserve it after the rough start.

We are staying at the Villa Chitdara, a lovely little inn in beautiful downtown Luang Prabang, where the local roosters chat hourly throughout the night.  Everything is close to hand, including two rivers - The Mekong and it's tributary the Nam Kham.  Restaurants and guest houses abound.  It's reputation as the place to chill out in Asia is just what we need.

Our first foray on foot takes us to the bank of the Mekong, a block from our hotel.  The sun is setting and the scene is magical.  We raise a toast to the start of our holiday adventure with a Lao beer.  After an early dinner of delicious Lao cuisine, it was early to bed.  Mama Robin wants to make sure that I get my health back before we hit the "working" portion of the trip in Cambodia.

Go! This time for real I hope.

YYZ-FRA-BKK-LPQ

Thanks to Mike who has been nursing me back to good health.  He enjoyed having me home for another three days.  I am packed, (this time I remembered to include a bathing suit), and ready to go.  Fingers crossed all goes well and I find Robin in Bangkok Airport for the transfer to Luang Prabang in Laos of Sunday morning.

STOP!

So much for the best laid plans.  When I woke up early Wednesday morning I had an vague idea that I wasn't getting on a plane with one red, weepy eye, and a tummy in turmoil.  I showered, got dressed as if I were going to the airport, and proceeded to call Aeroplan to cancel my flight.  They aren't open at 05:30.  At 07:00 they were open but their computers were down.  At 07:40 their computers were still down but Therese kindly said she would make a note on my file that I had called.  At 09:00 Sandy advised that the computers were up, but because I had printed off a boarding pass the night before, I had to go into the system to cancel it.  Well, guess what?  At less than an hour to take off, the system didn't want to cooperate.  She said not to worry.  I would be counted as a no-show and to call back later the in the morning to sort our a new plan.  She too had been suffering with a cold and was very empathetic. 

The remainder of the morning was spent at the Walk-in Clinic in NOTL getting checked over.  No respiratory problems or pneumonia brewing.  Just a classic case of pink eye and lots of anxiety.    The Dr. assured me I'd be a-okay for travel by Friday.  Diane at Aeroplan and I came up with Plan B which will get me to Bangkok on Sunday morning in time to meet Robin at the airport for our connecting flight to Luang Prabang in Laos.   I have to commend the ladies at Aeroplan for their wonderful customer service.

I have since spent every remaining minute on the couch watching way too much HGTV and getting my strength back.  Tomorrow is a new day!

Go!

YYZ-HKG-BKK-LPQ-BKK-PNH-(hammer, hammer, hammer)-BKK-LHR-YYZ

Around the world in 18 days.  Build 18 houses. Yikes.  First stop, Hong Kong, to spend a few days reuniting with friends from Singapore days. 

Robin, my traveling buddy that I am going to meet up with in Hong Kong,  resurrected an article she had written 7 years ago.   And now she will get the experience first hand.

Gotta get some sleep.  We have an early morning drive to YYZ from NOTL.