Funniest new years ever.

So as I think ash has explained yesterday we met some kids over lunch who told us where apparently the best party in town was happening for NYE. It was a club called sparks. They suggested we meet them back at the cafe and head there that night.

After dinner and our staple jug of $2 beer we headed to our room to get partied up. Ash soon realised she couldn't keep her eyes open after our exhausting day so I was left with the dilemma of do I go out and party or take my sleepy head to bed?. After about 20 minutes of contemplation I of course decide that it would just be wrong to be in bed before midnight on NYE and head out.

I had a chat to the dudes in our hotel and they assure me I'd be safe at Spark but suggest that I get a driver to take me there and back. This cost $9 which is about 2 weeks wages here but I figure it's less than a cab ride at home. My driver was one of the dudes from the hotel who we've come to know quite well so I felt pretty safe. We drove across the city in a very swanky looking black merc. We arrived at spark and the driver dropped me out front and explained that he'll wait in parking lot for my return, feeling a little bit like Paris Hilton, I got out and joined a queue out the front.

As I get to the front of the queue the door person, who has a big looking gun strapped to his back, asks me for Five dollars. I hand over my Five bucks and am issued with a feathered masquerade mask, a pink fibre optic torch and two tickets. I'm then ushered to an area for a bag inspection and body search. This actually makes me feel better as I hope it means no one else inside is packing anything. I'm told I have to leave my camera behind at the desk, ohhhh this seems wrong but I can hear the party and just want to get inside, what the hell you only live once eh....

Inside is less like a club and more like a mini version of the entertainment center. There's a big stage decorated by neon lights with screens either side which are showing star wars with Khmer subtitles. There's a boy band on stage all dressed in white adorning an amazing array of bling singing a pumped up version of happy birthday that went for 10 minutes. It was one of the funniest and most surreal things I've ever seen, I was laughing out loud. Hundreds of Cambodian kids are at this thing and there really getting into it. Then 20 or so birthday cakes appear from somewhere in the crowd and are placed on tables on the edge of the dance floor. A table of lovely kids that I'm standing near gesture for me to blow out the candles. Sensing my confusion they explain that in Cambodia on New years everyone becomes a year older, so apparently it's my Birthday! (It's ok mum, you can shower me with gifts when I get back).

After chatting to the kids for a while I make my way to the bar. As I stand there trying to work out how and what to order one of the waiters comes up and asks for my tickets. I hand them over. he tries to explain something but unfortunately we can't understand each other. He then returns and hands me a can of Guinness and a straw! Again I find my self laughing out loud. I'm going to finish 2006 drinking Guinness out of a straw in a Cambodian night club dancing to happy birthday the mega mix! Brilliant!

I quickly find a new group of pals to hang with and we chat while Cambodian boy bands and beautiful pop diva's grace the stage and play us their hits. one of the highlights was when the guitarist from one of the bands brought his scooter on stage and played guitar whilst burning up and down the stage on his scooter....I did happen to notice his guitar wasn't plugged into the amp but I wasn't going shatter the illusion for my new pals as this really excited them!

As it neared midnight you could feel the antisipation building in the room. I decide to leave new pals and head to the front of the stage to be amongst all the excitement. Just before midnight the diva's and boy band sensations all come on stage together. The overwhelmingly excited crowd joined the stars in the count down and welcomed in the New Year. Hundreds of balloons fell from the roof as the stars performed a melody of pop songs in Khmer. I realise this when I hear the unmistakable melody of lovely lady lumps!

The stars then gesture to the crowd to join them on stage. I'm dragged to the stage by some very snappily dressed gals and guys and we dance up a storm together. With Streamers glitter and balloons still falling from the roof and snap's "I've got the power" playing I wonder how the night can get any better.

We eventually clamber off the stage and I head to the bar. I spend a good 10 minutes trying to order a vodka and tonic, I end up with some weird looking cocktail but what ever it is it's fantastic. Next on stage is a troop of break dancers. There ages range from about 8 - 20 and they are wearing matching doo rags (is that the right term gem?). They are amazing; this is the best break dancing show I've ever seen. A guy next to me tells me he thinks these kids should be in bed by now as they will not learn anything at school tomorrow.

Next up is the "fashion show". Not a lot of fashion was shown but lots of scantly clad women and more boys in doo rags. After the fashion show back to more dancing, several more versions of happy birthday and a jingle bells remix...hottt.

The snappy dressed crew invite me to dance with them. After a while I decide it's time to head back before ash starts to worry. As I bid the snappy dressers farewell what starts playing...oh yeah people you guessed it my main man JT!! Sensing my delight snappy dressers pull me back to the dance floor for more dancing. Oh what a night!

Eventually I break myself away from the dance floor and head back to find my driver..la de dah! One the way home I think about what a bizarre day it has been. I started the day at the killing fields looking a hundreds of skulls of Cambodian's brutally killed by the Khmer Rouge and ended the day watching hundreds of young Cambodians partying up a storm celebrating the New Year. Not that this makes everything ok, because it obviously isn't, but it gives me some hope.

Happy new year everyone! Lets get rid of our stupid government this year people. Here's to a great 2007!!

Lauz
xxxx