Back in the land of CaFe sua da and bungh mi

Woo hoo! We hit Viet Nam via boat on the Mekong yesterday, and we are enthralled by the vast differences visible in the three Asian Countries we have been to. One of the most intriguing things to experience here, is and probably always will be – the traffic!

In a country where the economic status is balanced on the back of motorcycles, we believe we have a real insight as to the health of this nation. Of course this is in the physical realm only... Spiritually is another story. We passed what would be known locally as a hospital last night on the way back from dinner, and the shock was tangible. Kalafong hospital is ~wonderful~, to state the obvious!

Teamwise we are doing rather well... boundaries are stretching, food
 tasting is becoming a hobby... so far we have done pretty well with keeping in our budget too... which is a big plus!

Cambodian Capers

Six hour bus trip from Siem Reap to the capitol of Phnom Penh not without its excitement elements....

1x tummy bug

1x fellow passenger with severe motion sickness upchucking on one of our team

1x broken seat

Oh yes... and diesel motor of bus broke down and while we prayed, (you got it)... it started again!

We are celebrating a few birthdays while we are here, but alas the choice of cakes has been rather suspect till now... we hope to do better tomorrow/today/any other time as long as we don't have to eat THIS!


Killing Fields Were explained to us, Section 21 seen and wondered at, Russian Market claimed among other things, some of our time.After seeing some of the history, it becomes easier, though only slightly to be able to pray for this nation. A nation that was destroyed in three years in levels that we cannot begin to understand.

Dinner here is an extravaganza of incomprehensible communication, fun, laughter and extraordinary dishes in many tiny bowls! This gets washed down with litres of water floating massive chunks of ice! Accompanied by irritating mosquitoes!

Ladies sleep in an 8 bed dorm with mattresses on the floor. Each has a rather large fan standing sentinel at the foot of the bed, seeing us through the warm mozzie filled nights. Another wonderful use of said sentinels is that they dry our laundry too!

Ees Feesheee

Exactly what it looks like!

Some feast while others fast!

What a scream! In more ways than one....

Another day another country

With huffing and puffing and swollen ankles, lotsa laughter and some tense moments... we made it to Cambodia. New friends for some and old hats for others, a family of four joined us for the rest of the trip. Deon and Corne' with their two sons are with us now and a new dynamic to the team has been formed.

Food is a constant delight and challenge not necessarily the same experience for all, toilet technology or the lack thereof often is our conversational topic of the moment.. argh! But hearts are being softened and skin thickened as each day goes past, we are feeling more for the people and not letting our feelings get in the way... hmmm now that could be taken in all sorts of ways-let's just take it the right way!

 

quick quick click click

Lunch time in the side streets of the city

part of a door made of teak from Myanmar

 Just another pretty lady in Bangkok

 Watch strap repair time

ganesh is here too

on arrival

Well the team has made it safe and sound! Or should that rather have been ' the team has made it safe and noise'?... needless to expand here. Mark and Paulien were the first to get here, they were met in the city by JP and Rita.

Next with wild whoops of joy from Paulien the next two made their way safely towards the hostel. Miemie and Estelle were glad to be here, with a story to tell about a planned flight, sleep and jet lag and lots more, ensconced in laughter the whole way.

Our team was completed with the evening arrival of Kobus , Hanneke and Christoph.  Christoph was really so at ease with the whole thing that he promptly fell asleep in the middle of the table!

We had a wild first day- just to get us familiar with what will be a frenetic pace of 'so much to do/see- with so little time'.

one night in Bangkok

Sometimes things transpire which leave us holding our breathe just waiting for what the next moment will bring.... well Bangkok with the first of the troops of the exposure trip have arrived... and with bated breathe we stand....

some pictures tell a  thousand words... lets face it , we don't have to understand the language!

Penang melange

in point form:

• Great Gastranomics
• Heather Weather
• Graphic Traffic
• Beach in Reach
• Muse Views
• Bland Diet Quiet....  these are just a few of them that I'll miss

the Primrose Path of Peneng

primrose path

PRONUNCIATION:

(PRIM-rohz path)

MEANING:

noun:
1. An easy life, especially devoted to sensual pleasure.
2. A path of least resistance, especially one that ends in disaster.

Certainly point two has its attractions but alas, we are wiser than that! Here the path is more like Bouganvillea Boulevarde!

Or one can see it as the place of Roses in Repose...

or then again, it could be a mini garden that thankfully has remained a Living Mini Garden in Rita's hands...

There are  things that happen here too... anyone seen the movie "The great Escape"? Well when a prisoner of war misbehaves they get sent to the "cooler". Here we have proof that if a camera misbehaves, we are quite capable of meting out severe punishment- in isolation in a Light Box... not quite a 'cooler' but done in hopes that the effect that the humidity might be causing technical blips, might get sorted out....

We do hope that this treatment will help said camera to have a Zoom Function once again.... and no, it is NOT the battery!

looking for a home?

 Where else in the world could one get really good food like this for a mere R8.00?

 This is fried rice with shrimps thrown in and a generous portion of delectable chicken WITH soup on the side!
 One starts to think of the amazing possibilities so...

While out walking, I found this really quaint looking place, deserted and needing some TLC... I wonder...?
(she thinks, hitching up her trousers and scrambling across the tall grass for a closer peek)

Nah, quaint it might be, but there seems to be some work involved, and ho in their right minds wants to do any physical labour in this climate???
Moving right along!