Where you going lady?

On my own in Phnom Penh these days. My visa to Vietnam - where I was supposed to travel to yesterday - isn't valid until saturday. I could buy a new one a day later, but it would have been kind of expensive. My travelmate was only prepared to stay behind with me if I covered all the extra costs. I decided Phnom Penh might be just as nice alone - and cheaper, too.

And it's been good these last days: having a fruit shake, watching the people go about their business, having massages... Everywhere I go, the tuktukdrivers ask me: Hey lady, where you going? My answer: 'i'm not sure'.

Had breakfast with a street kid this morning. We wanted to sell me a book, but I already had a book. I told him I could buy him some cookies for a dollar and he decided to have a Coke instead. He sat down across from me at the table like we were together and smiled. Picked up my book, looked through it and told me it was worth seven dollars if he sold it. He asked me how my country was and I told him about the cold and the great football players. When it comes down to it, that's probably all you need to know about Holland, I figured. Italy had great football players too, the boy knew. Yes, but ours are much better, remember that. He sipped his Coke and thought about it. Then he asked me again if I wanted to buy one of his books. I told him no. He didn't really seem to mind. My breakfast arrived and the boy never asked if he could have some of it. He was 10 years old. He looked healthy, but poor. Then he got up, got his box of books to sell, and said 'I go. Bye bye.' And he walked off.