Back in Phnom Penh, I am staying in the backpacker ghetto at Lake Boeng Kak.
I found a brilliant little guesthouse that has private rooms for $3 a night . When I arrived, I asked if there were rooms that included a shower and toilet and was told that those are 2000 Riel more...or 50 American cents. "I'll take it".... I decided to splurge. The place sits right over the lake and I think it's about to fall in and sink. The wood plank floor creaks and flexes terribly, the east corner is totally flooded, there is almost no proper lighting, and my "squat" toilet also serves as the shower drain. I liked the place immediately. This is the first time I've had to deal with squat toilets and I must say my first experience playing bomber pilot was not the best. In addition, I have learned that my toilet is an evil, soap eating monster. Yes, soap! The shower head is right above the toilet which is simply part of the floor. For the first two days here, I kept dropping my bar of soap right down the toilet...once in the morning, once at night. Now I know soap is the cleanest substance known to man, but there is no way I'm going in after it. So I would buy more soap. After purchasing my fourth bar of soap in two days, the girl at the convenience store was starting to look at me funny. I have named the evil toilet "Pol Potty".

I also found the coolest illegal business that downloads music to your Ipod or whatever for 75 cents an album. As I don't have such a gadget, I had them burn 40 albums to a DVD. You should see their music selection...their catalog is like the phone book. I'm sure the rich music executives who have sued 12 year olds for downloading music for free would hate to know about this...they aren't getting a penny from this place.

The photos are from around Phnom Penh, many from when I was on the back of a mototaxi. I'm off to Vietnam.