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Such a perfect day ... The day in fact had kind of began the night before, as in the evening before, all the children with more than one skip in their steps showered dressed up in their special occasion outfits, combed their hair, poured bottles of perfume on themselves, packed their bags and were ready to go on the day outing; only we still had the night to go through. Not a problem they went to sleep just like it, their packed bags as pillows. And were all up at 3 am, the dormitory noisier than if it was playtime in the afternoon, 3 o’clock with not yet rays of dawn and the bus was not to leave until 6 am. Bus crammed with cooked rice enough to feed the whole party for the whole day, fried chicken legs delivered from Phnom Penh that morning, sodas and fresh fruits, first aid kits and AVR medicine, children brimming with excitement, Khmer carers all dressed up in their Sunday attires, glitzy barrettes in their hair, silver and gold mules with stripy socks, the one that fit like a glove! Off we went on the road to the sea side in the bus full, full of wide eyed little souls, their carer in their high heels mules, dear Wayne, and our picnic. Stopping for breakfast on the way, gingered meat and rice on the side of the road.
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Six boats away to Rabbit Island off the little town of Kep and its crab market. All 49 children and us carers dotted on a strip of warm sand on Rabbit Island under the coconut trees, the bluish sky and the near-noon sun. |
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And so the day went, swimming in the sea, eating fried plump chicken legs, a treat, swimming some more, laughing, floating, enjoying the moment, enjoying seeing those children having fun away from their home, those children being acutely aware that this might not happen again for a long while, swimming again, splashing, laughing, eating fruits, sipping sodas, ordinary beach doings, though a first time for most of the kids from Wat Opot…
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Mid-afternoon and time to pack and return to Kep by boats. To the crab market to buy cooked sea food, fresh king prawns and the like for supper; eat on the piazza, the warm evening sun on our shoulders as dusk fell…Time to ride back to Wat Opot. All little souls catching up with their sleep… Such a perfect day spent with you.
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