The lodge and future site of Camp 152 & Community Center is coming along, and now the rough floorplan has been finalized and wall building has begun.👷‍♀️ Forewoman @Sreypov Approves 👌     Even though I have some construction experience in my background, particularly stamped and stained concrete floors and walls, I simply don't have the time to help nor can I afford to stop working. These pictures are actually from 3-4 months ago, right before the rainy season began and construction had to be halted. Fast forward to present day and construction has resumed, but I wasn't able to work and save money during the downtime due to my wife's health issues, being the active parent, and doing a lot house-husbanding like cooking, cleaning, etc.

Watch on 3SpeakIn Cambodia it is not uncommon for men seeking "renewed libido" to eat "medicinal dog meat," and on this day a stranger came through the village looking to make a quick sale. 🚧 Lodge Construction Interrupted 🛵

Bricks are being laid, basic underground plumbing is done, and occasional family tuk-tuk trips keep building materials from running out.👷 Brick Walls Are Going Up 🧱     The hardest part of the construction process is over with our lodge, and now there is no more need to worry about rebar, pouring concrete, hauling rocks, and other labor intensive work. Now the bricklaying has begun, more fun for my in-law construction crew and a much more satisfying step of the construction process.

Our cabin, soon-to-be Airbnb cabin, recently just got a small upgrade from a woodworker and furniture builder that lives in our village.👷 Lodge Construction Update 🏗️     Bear in mind these shots are from May-June of this years due to my Hive blogging hiatus that I keep mentioning in my recent posts. I still plan to try and catch up to the present-day in chronological order, so you will be surprised when you see that the roof is already finished on the second floor and the interior and exterior walls of the ground floor are done. The three strongest months of the rainy season have passed, so soon my in-law construction crew will return in a few days and hopefully complete the second floor and begin work on plumbing, doors, windows, etc.

Even though our land isn't fully ready for business, that doesn't mean we can't prepare the cabin enough to market it on Airbnb. 🛠️ It's Almost Ready 🧹     Our mini homestay project is not finished yet because it was funded by HIVE, but we planned the costs several months back when HIVE was much more valuable. For this reason construction has come to a standstill and we're just struggling to make enough money for food and basic daily needs. I had originally planned to put the cabin on Airbnb when it was a little more finished, but necessity dictates a different plan.

There is nothing quite like a jungle trail ride involving a classic Honda and some poorly marked but very active Cambodian minefields.🌴 Into The Unknown ⚠️     Most of you reading this post probably already know I live in a remote part of the Cardamom Mountains here in Veal Veng, Cambodia, near the Thai border. Being close to the Thai border means landmines, but the remote mountainous area means that this place has never been a priority for CMAC or HALO to clear, so the unknown areas are marked with bright red skull and crossbones signs that read "Danger! Mines!"