Scouting mission

Soooooo, my safe world of lit reviews and e-mailing contacts abroad was...shall I say "enhanced". I have been advised to plan a scouting mission to Cambodia, namely Phnom Penh, for sometime this year. I had always anticipated going there of course, but reality starts to set in at one point. All of a sudden I became very anxious and nervous about traveling to such a 1) developing nation 2) a country where very few people speak english 3) sharing a bathroom down the hall (luxury to have one on each floor). "Ok" I think, I can do this. I am a seasoned traveler who has been to all sorts of places. For some reason I can not console my fears of traveling to such a foreign city. I figured that my anxiety stems from the thought of going alone. I am trying to persuade Todd to take a week and go with me, but that really depends on his working situation. Of course, there is the added burden of finding someone to watch Cappy while we are both gone. God, why is this making me so nervous? Terrible.

I tried to look at places to stay and most are very decent (thanks to all the expats and UN workers) but I don't know the lay of the land and I want to stay in a safe area that is easy to get to. The nice part is that the middle range hotels only cost $5-$10USD a night. However; I want to steer clear of the "popular" places cause I don't want to deal with backpackers while I am trying to get sleep and work done. PLUS, I don't have a personal contact in the city yet who can help me with my questions. Ugh...this is going to require some leg work. My legs are tired already.

I am also trying to hunt down a Khmer tutor and get my French conversation skills up and running. Ideally I should have the basic Khmer phrases under my belt and fall back on my French to fill in the gaps. English is still not widely spoken. If it is, it is usually spoken by the tourist guides and hawkers; not government personnel who I will be working with.

So I propose this: If you are a seasoned traveler, adventurous, and can rough it, I invite you along to keep me company. Ok, I am desperate...I will pay. Just name your price! There must be a clause in my travel grant that allows for friends to travel in cases of critical emotional support.