My time in Cambodia is coming to an end. The countdown clock shows me that I will be home in 3 days, 4 hours and 15 minutes. I can't wait, but I have to of course. I actually leave the country in less than 2 days' time, on Thursday's morning flight to Kuala Lumpur. The journey time includes a 10-hour stop in KL, and I haven't decided whether to go into the city or just pay a few dollars to slob about in the Premium lounge. I guess the former would be the ideal strategy where I can see at least a little bit of another new destination and take some snaps of the Petronas Towers or something.
The decisions have been made at high level that my services are no longer required by the Koreans here in Cambodia. I have fulfilled my role, given advice and done everything I can to help. The fighting is finished, as the PM told me, so I can pack my trusty red pen away and ride off into the sunset. Whether I've ultimately made any difference or if the fighting is actually finished is anyone's guess.
I'm feeling a lot of mixed emotions. None of this experience was as I expected, in both good and bad senses. I am sad to be leaving because I made some good friends and have had some great times. On the other hand, I don't think these good times could ever be sustained. I am incredibly tired and ready for a rest, especially so after the last weekend I had (It was almost epically messy, and there are one or two hazy parts that people struggle to remember, let's just leave it at that). I am also more than ready to remind family and friends of my physical existence.
The future is a little uncertain. I am being lined up to take a new assignment in Mongolia, of all places. I did not expect to be going there, and have a few doubts about actually going. My company are trying to allay my fears about security and medical facilities and have said I don't need to make a long-term commitment at this stage, which is really quite good of them. I could try before I buy, in a sense. I think they realise that this posting would be a completely different barrel of monkeys. The main thing is it's a job and I can get home every 9 weeks. What I will do to keep myself amused and entertained in my free time is another thing. I guess time will tell.
So the packing has started, with me fretting over how I'm going to get everything into my cases and bags. I can't rely on my wife's magical powers of folding and sorting to maximise space. I'm sure I'll manage. Tonight I am being taken for a meal at the Pyongyang North Korean restaurant, most probably followed by some K-TV. Tomorrow there will a few drinks with the boys upstairs, Dave, Ricky and Anthony and possibly Ken, the PM. I will try to enjoy in moderation, of course. I have a long journey ahead and hangovers are not the best thing to have when flying cattle class for so long...
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