For five weeks I’ve sweated through the beginning of the rainy season in South East Asia. For five weeks I’ve been covered in a constant slime of sunscreen and DEET. I’ve slept in a treehouse and in little villages and budget hotels and a boutique hotel only accessible by boat. Only once did I stay somewhere for more than two subsequent nights. I’ve been ill from the front and rear, (thankfully?) on different occasions. There’s not been a moment of quiet – village wedding ceremony music blasts even through the Laotian jungle.
I’m tired physically, stimulated mentally.
South East Asia was never meant to be nice and it wasn’t. I was hot. I was uncomfortable. I wasn’t rested. But I feel bigger. South East Asia takes you and breaks you and puts you back together more expansive than before – open to more.
My flight to Singapore isn’t until the afternoon so I sneak in a small activity before I check out. The Good Canadian has booked a little street food/art tour and I join for the first hour.The little bird heads are a bit unnerving.But not as freaky as these feet boots..These poor fish flop around, spending their last hours of life observing their neighbouring skinned Harbingers.We ate black chicken in Thailand in hills of Do Mai Salong. They are prized for their medicinal qualities and are more expensive than normal chickens. I’m under the impression they are bred in small scale at home and are not in supermarkets. We only ordered it because we didn’t have a huge amount of choice at the time.Market Police ensure that rubbish is cleaned away and are a presence to dissuade pickpockets.A breakfast of noodles, spring rolls and marinated beef, accompanied with a coffee. The two stall holders for the noodles and the drink have been doing this here for more than 20 years. They get OG status.Yum.Final stop is this little sticky rice flour doughnut lady. She’s also been here more than 20 years. Inflation is a concern here in Cambodia. Just to cover her rent at the moment she needs to sell 600 pieces a day.Don’t think this needs a caption.Monks line up ready to receive donations and give blessings at the exit of the local market.The street art component actually starts at Starbucks with a commissioned artwork from a Cambodian Street artist. Street art is illegal (cannot graffiti public property) but Cambodians are proud of it given that during the Khmer Rouge reign all artists were sentenced to death. Sadly I don’t get to see any real street art as it’s time for me to go and check out of my hotel, ready to commence the long trip home.I’m not going to miss South East Asian roads. At this intersection cars just come up to within a ruler length of you, waiting for you to pass so they can continue straight through where you were.Phnom Penh airport seems like it was built for a much wealthier Cambodia, where its citizens can afford to travel overseas. It’s a huge empty space at present.A lot of distance covered in five weeks. Until next time SEA, I’ll remember you always. The End.One last thing before I finish my Kaya and Kopi set and hop on my plane from Singapore to Sydney. If you’ve enjoyed the blog, consider donating to Big Brother Mouse. Big Brother Mouse coordinated the English speaking drop in sessions in Luang Prabang for students looking to practice the language that they learnt at school. Nearly all the language teachers are not English at the schools so often revert to explaining things in Laotian. The drop in sessions help the students with real life conversation and allow them a safe space to ask questions about the language that their teachers cannot answer. I for example taught one of the boys I talked to what his sister does for extra household income in English – seamstress. He wrote it down in his little exercise book.
Sadly English is a key way of breaking the poverty cycle. The kids that can speak English have a much better chance of qualifying for scholarships and just generally are able to earn a higher income.
I don’t usually make substantial donations but I felt funny that I spent so much on the bear sanctuary tour – I probably spent a whole week of food/discretionary spending on that. So I decided to put an equal amount into Big Brother Mouse too. Laos is really sad, and the money will go a long way. I feel comfortable the money is in safe hands.
This blog had more farewells than dame Nellie Melba.
SE asia has broken me from my comfy lounge in Coffs. I admire your sense of spirit and adventure because it didn’t come from my side of the family .
How did you find out about the 600 donuts to pay her rent.
When I was a teenager mum and I would go to a cafe in a very small normal shopping centre and I still remember the owner saying that she had to work 4-5 days a week to pay her rent. That stayed with me because it felt unfair and oppressive.
I’ve spent my whole life eating animals but wet markets in Asia often make me feel like I should be a vegetarian.
Love the monk wearing a face mask. This photo is a great combination of ancient traditions and modern technology.
Love love the photo of the electrical meters and switches. If I was at tafe teaching the course for electricians that photo would be the only thing on their final exam. The question would be how many code violations can you locate in the photo and work out the most cost effective way of making it safe.
I don’t understand how anyone buys a brand new vehicle in Asia. Every day on the road could be the last for your vehicle and/or yourself.
Although I did read an article once where some town in Europe removed all the road safety signs and they concluded that people were driving more carefully because they had to concentrate more on their surroundings.
A county that has large scale financial hardship should never sink so many resources into one bloated piece of infrastructure. The world will run out of fossil fuel before that airport has recovered the cost of construction.
The picture of your travel map much more resembles that of a drug mule than a merchant banker.
I like the donation recommendation. This will be passed onto Treasury for next month’s board meeting.
Finally, if I’m honest I’ve lost a little bit of gusto responding to this blog knowing that as I type it you are asleep in Randwick.
Can’t wait to see where you end up for your next trip.
Love dad.
Those market photos were really something else. It must attack all of your senses!
I was going to be thoroughly predictable and pick the monk photo as my favourite again but instead I am going to pick the airport one. Even though it does not represent much good for the people as a picture I like the arches and reflections and the fact it means you are safely on your way home.
I really like the way you have put so much of yourself into the blog this time both in the writing and in the photos. I love that you are coming home “bigger” and “open to more”. This together with kindness is what the world needs and I am very proud to read that.
Fantastic blog. Thank you so much for the effort you and Declan have put into it. Cant wait to talk and we love you so much xx
Ahhhhhh
This blog had more farewells than dame Nellie Melba.
SE asia has broken me from my comfy lounge in Coffs. I admire your sense of spirit and adventure because it didn’t come from my side of the family .
How did you find out about the 600 donuts to pay her rent.
When I was a teenager mum and I would go to a cafe in a very small normal shopping centre and I still remember the owner saying that she had to work 4-5 days a week to pay her rent. That stayed with me because it felt unfair and oppressive.
I’ve spent my whole life eating animals but wet markets in Asia often make me feel like I should be a vegetarian.
Love the monk wearing a face mask. This photo is a great combination of ancient traditions and modern technology.
Love love the photo of the electrical meters and switches. If I was at tafe teaching the course for electricians that photo would be the only thing on their final exam. The question would be how many code violations can you locate in the photo and work out the most cost effective way of making it safe.
I don’t understand how anyone buys a brand new vehicle in Asia. Every day on the road could be the last for your vehicle and/or yourself.
Although I did read an article once where some town in Europe removed all the road safety signs and they concluded that people were driving more carefully because they had to concentrate more on their surroundings.
A county that has large scale financial hardship should never sink so many resources into one bloated piece of infrastructure. The world will run out of fossil fuel before that airport has recovered the cost of construction.
The picture of your travel map much more resembles that of a drug mule than a merchant banker.
I like the donation recommendation. This will be passed onto Treasury for next month’s board meeting.
Finally, if I’m honest I’ve lost a little bit of gusto responding to this blog knowing that as I type it you are asleep in Randwick.
Can’t wait to see where you end up for your next trip.
Love dad.
Those market photos were really something else. It must attack all of your senses!
I was going to be thoroughly predictable and pick the monk photo as my favourite again but instead I am going to pick the airport one. Even though it does not represent much good for the people as a picture I like the arches and reflections and the fact it means you are safely on your way home.
I really like the way you have put so much of yourself into the blog this time both in the writing and in the photos. I love that you are coming home “bigger” and “open to more”. This together with kindness is what the world needs and I am very proud to read that.
Fantastic blog. Thank you so much for the effort you and Declan have put into it. Cant wait to talk and we love you so much xx