I'm a fan of rooftops

Angus and I spent the morning in the market actively seeking out fans. We tried to haggle, but we were not too sure if we could haggle as it was more of a shop than a stall, but we let it go when he didn’t budge on the price. It was also such a hot and sticky night the night before that we got absolutely no sleep – we even got up in the middle of the night just to have a cold shower - another reason for the shower was that Poipets water supply is really unreliable and had decided to turn itself off just when we had came in from a hot sticky day and we really needed a shower.

We spent the afternoon up on the roof of the questhouse. That is my favourite part of Poipet so far. It is a small rooftop terrace that is hidden away. It is an amazing place. On one side you look out on to the busy bustling streets of Poipet. The main road was filled with tuk-tuks, roasted banana karts, mopeds, old rickety trucks and a whole range of other modes of transport and stretches from left to right. The side roads off the main road very quickly turn to dust, but their sides are bustling with street side sellers and stalls such as restaraunts in tiny huts and buddhist shops, mechanics etc.

If you strole across to the other side of the roof you are met with a view that takes you back 100's of years. Just to the left there are a series of wooden shacks on stilts which stand over a shallow pond/marsh. We watched the people going about their daily life which is a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle on the other side of the building. We watched a family all sitting in their hut, which can barely fit four people inside. They were having dinner together whilst another women was washing her child in a bowl.

There was something very relaxing watching this side of the building. Everything had slowed down and was relaxed. Although the people were living in severe poverty they were happy. The sounds of the children playing together in the pond and the sound of someone using a hand pump in the distance was calming. I think we are going to spend alot of time there. One girl noticed us and called 'hello'. Before we knew it, several children were waving at us shouting hello and dancing. it was amazing to see how open and accepting they were. Before long the monsoon set in and we had to vacate the roof. Im sure we will be back there before long....

Jack