[Faidenk]

The Next Few Days Pt 3

In the meantime, Mr Luot, the landlord, has acceded to most of our requests - a fan in the living room, TV, AC for the other room, and a wardrobe in each, and bedsheets, pillowcases etc. He also agreed to throw in a washing machine and fridge, and that about wrapped it up. We signed the lease for a year, added a clause which states no increment in rent should we extend it beyond. This was the 11th and we were to move in on the 13th. A day would be enough for him to fix the AC and move in the rest of the stuff agreed upon.

On our part, we will pay an extra $5 a month for the cable TV, the 80 or so channels include the all the major channels - HBO, Star Movies, CNN, Channelnewsasia, Bloomberg, Natgeo, Discovery and ESPN, football, the works. Electricity is $0.25 per kW – so far in 6 days, we used a total of 46kW, $11.50 so that should work out to be about $40 or so a month. Water is $4. Trash fee is borne by the landlord.

A word on Mr Luot, he runs a small coffee shop selling cheap local food. Apparently it’s lucrative enough to own 2 blocks of apartment. He’s 50, mild mannered and apparently quite easy going, judging by the speed in which he agreed to our lease requests.

A 20L container of drinking water (oreverse osmosis, ozone-treated and uV, sic) is $1 delivered with $4 security deposit, a 24x330ml carton of Anchor is $12 delivered. We will soon find out the price for the gas when the present tank goes dry.

I had lugged along a new set of DVD player / sound system won at a club snooker tourney from home. With that, we’re almost all set for a new home in the city of Phnom Penh, Kampuchea. Now we only need the usual crockery, pots and pans, and some occasional feminine presence to dispel any funny notions neighbors might have of the 2 men living in this apartment.

The day we moved in was spent on the taking over process and making a couple of trips to the nearby Orussey Market buying mops & pails, clothes pegs & hangers, detergents, blankets. The list seems endless. After 2 days, the only thing left is the ironing board and internet connection, which is still unresolved today, the 19th.

On our first day, we moved our luggage on a tuk-tuk. On reaching the apartment, the driver feigned he hasn’t change for the $2 fare. Just on the ground floor next to our apartment is a small Massage shop. On its signboard there was a $3 amongst the Khmer characters. I went into the shop and asked the 4 girls there to change my $5 bill. A cute Vietnamese girl gave me the change. After paying off the driver, she came out of the shop and spoke to me in Mandarin. I told her I will be her new neighbor and customer, and smiled at her, friend as well. She giggled and said she will be expecting me. It’s been a week since and I have yet to patronize her. I intend to rectify the situation asap.