Like a hurricane (Siem Reap-Singapore-Sydney)

Uncharacteristically Jayne woke before the alarm and, as a consequence, woke me. Why, dear reader? Because she could. We deposited the suitcases outside the door prior to 6am, as requested and walked to breakfast one last time. There were more people in the dining room than I expected at this early time. If they were heading to Angkor Wat for the sunrise, they had missed that opportunity.

As we made our way back to our room to collect our hand luggage, it was obvious that our larger bags had not been collected. They were waiting patiently by our door. We would have to do the unthinkable and manage our own bags. That, is certainly a first world problem.

Unlike the bustling foyer of Hà Nôi, the lobby area at the Siem Reap Sofitel exudes a perpetual calm. This morning was no different. We checked out and before we could even sit down, our guide was next to us ready to shepherd us to the car. A guide? Unnecessary? Absolutely, but he was heading to the airport to pick up the next group of guests, this time for little brother company, Travel Marvel.

The drive was about 45 minutes and we chatted about the trip, Cambodia and the new airport provided, as a gift, by China. It is beneficial because it removes air and ground traffic from the Angkor temple precinct which will assist in the preservation of this amazing, historic site.

The airport was almost deserted when we arrived. It has been in use for just over a month, having just been officially opened by the prime minister, and is still shiny and new, from the marble floors to the giant golden statue of Buddha that greets you on the happy side of immigration and security. 

The face of Buddha.

This facility along with the new road system infrastructure, is a source of great pride and the embodiment of the promise of a brighter future for the next generation of Cambodians, after such a dark recent past. Our guide told us that the vast area surrounding the airport, currently undeveloped 'jungle' as he termed it, is earmarked to become an urban area in the coming years, providing housing, jobs and community facilities.

Plenty of space at the new airport.

Inside the complex, the airline lounges are not yet open, although there is a generic user-pays option for $35USD per person. An option we did not take. We sat down near our gate and watched the crowd slowly build. In the next two hours we only saw two planes, both small discount versions of larger airlines. A very different feel to other international airports.

A busy day ahead.

Our plane was late arriving and the ground crew moved to a pace and rhythm all their own. There is no need to rush. After all, we have a significant layover in Singapore. The champagne welcome on the plane made the wait worthwhile. Qantas could learn a thing or two about short-haul Business Class. The trip from Sydney to Perth is twice as long as this trip and the seats and service are half as good.

Piper Heidsieck in hand, ours, the head steward then came around to take our lunch order. And refill our champagne.  All went well. We watched movies we either won't remember or won't admit watching. By 3:15pm we were seated in the Silver Kris Lounge in Singapore, counting down the hours until the flight home. The layover was longer than I thought it would be, at least 5 hours until we bored. Sorry, board. I was getting ahead of myself.

The last leg of the trip will also be travelled in style. The top deck of the A380, my favourite aircraft. I'm ready for my champagne, my pre-ordered lobster thermidor and a lot of sleep. In the meantime, let's talk toilets. Generally when I've been on a stopover in Singapore, it's been for work and I was in the Qantas Lounge where everything is westernised to cater for the clientele. The Singapore Lounge is, well, different. When I opened the door to the cubicle, the toilet seat rose to greet me. Then I was surprised by a heated seat. Not needed in this climate, I would suggest. Of course it came equipped with a Japanese style bidet and even a 'bum gun' that is popular throughout Vietnam. Naturally the  toilet also flushes itself. After a slight misunderstanding with one of the staff (not the Alan Jones sort), I was somewhat dismayed to find that I had to wash and dry my own hands.

Jayne remarked on more than one occasion how much better the Singapore lounge was when compared to the Qantas lounge. The choice of food and drink was both quality and extensive. And then there's the toilets. Jayne came back laughing. It really is quite the experience. A pity I couldn't take a photo.

The plane was on time pushing back but slightly delayed at take off as we sat in a queue. Regardless we arrived in Sydney on time. Dinner on the last leg, courtesy of 'book the cook' was Lobster Thermidor accompanied by several glasses of Piper Heidsieck bubbles. Very civilised. I watched a movie, sorted out my bed and went to sleep to be woken 30 minutes out from Sydney. Business class is the only way to travel on a long haul flight.

Lobster thermidor.

That, as they say, is a wrap. Until February next year. The northern lights, Scandinavia and Europe. 

Oh, the title? Well, dear reader, we commenced this trip with a song because it is a favourite of mine, so it is only fitting that we conclude in the same fashion. Like a hurricane by Neil Young. The man is a musical genius. He's also produced some pretty average stuff. Don't believe me? Try playing his catalogue from the beginning through till today. I did. Once. Epic fail. No one is that strong. So yeah, don't do that. No one deserves that much punishment, except maybe Morrison, Abbott, Howard, Dutton. Not necessarily in that order. Anyway, have a listen. One of the best guitar solos ever.

Until next time, stay safe.

You look beautiful in white (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

For the sake of simplicity, dear reader, I have decided to combine the next three days. Also because nothing really happened. The attraction of Siem Reap is the temple district. As you would be aware, we had visited three of the temples and didn't feel the need to visit any others. It's a bit like cathedrals in Europe; one can only visit so many before peak cathedral is achieved. It became evident that after 3 temples, we were up to pussy's bow and Ta Promh would be our last.

Thursday

The trickle of departures continued until there was only one couple left, besides us. For whatever reason, we had not spoken with them, so I am unsure as to when they joined the tour. All that meant was, we were on our own. Excellent. No alarm clocks. No FOMO. No organised tours. We were at leisure. Decisions needed to be made.

We turned up for a leisurely breakfast around 9am. The discovery of the 'double espresso' a while back had proven to be a boon. A minimum of two is required to kick-start the day. Along with the obligatory French pastries and fresh fruit.

The lake at the hotel.

Over breakfast, we discussed visiting the Angkor National Museum, a short stroll from the hotel. However, we did not believe the museum would have much more to offer than the actual temple sites. Perhaps with 3D models being the exception. That was something we could see on the internet so the museum was ruled out.

The old markets sheltering from the sun.

Today's excursion would be to the old market. We organised a tuk tuk. He dropped us at the markets for $2USD and offered to wait. An offer we should have accepted. Instead, we negotiated a time for him to come back to meet us.

For that special room.

It is, reputedly, not as good as the night market, but we'll never know. Certainly, it didn't measure up to the market we visited in Phnom Penh. The layout was as challenging as a Sydney cycleway. One avenue looked promising and then abruptly ended at the rear of another stall or was simply blocked. An ordered, sequential attack proved to be impossible, so I went random, which seemed to reflect the markets themselves. There were the usual souvenir style things on offer, shirts, scarves, silk products, carvings, cigarettes - by the carton. Each stall appeared to sell the same goods.

Luckily this stall faced the open street. Very aromatic.

Then we wandered into the produce section. Not just fruit and veg but also meat and fish. In the open. Unrefrigerated. Butchered before your eyes. Well, the fish at least and larger cuts of meat were cut as ordered. Not since I visited the offal room at an abattoir, had I felt such a need to breathe through my mouth; being careful not to ingest the flies that were attracted by the smell.

Don't breathe too deeply.

Looks hygienic enough.

Out into the sun, fresh air and humidity. We wandered Pub Street and Cheers Street and soon realised we had exhausted the old market precinct and we still had a lot of time to kill. In this heat, there was only one option, dear reader. Beer. We found a comfortable seat in the shade at one of the bars and had a couple of draught beers to while away the time. Four beers, about middy size, $3USD

Real Ray Bans, not fake.

As we were watching the very limited passing parade, I was approached by a man selling "genuine" Ray Bans. They were retailing in shops for $45USD. Yeah right. But for me $35. My disinterest brought about an immediate discount. $25. How about $10 I enquired? Eventually he settled for $12, without the 'authentic' Ray Bans case.

I wonder what's in this street?

Back to Mr Narin, our tuk tuk driver, and back to the hotel. We had intended to dine at Mahob, a local Khmer restaurant recommended by our guide, but as we were about to leave to check out the restaurant, it started to rain lightly. We decided not to risk it and, back in our room, the light, unforecast rain turned into a tropical thunderstorm. Good decision to abort the exploration. We dined at the hotel instead.

A beer lost in translation. It has the great taste of ...

Australia was playing South Africa in the World Cup semi-final that night. Despite having about 10 sports channels, not one broadcast the game. We were forced to stay up to date online through an app.

Friday

There was no alarm to wake us and we were pleased to see Australia had won their World Cup semi-final. Breakfast was not only leisurely this morning, it was unnervingly quiet. There were very few people around. Excellent.

The Chef's Walk near the breakfast terrace.

Today would be a first for me. We have stayed at many 'resorts' over the years, but they have always been a base for exploring the local area. Consequently, we have never done the poolside thing. In fact, I have always found such behaviour questionable. Now we were joining the common people, gathering our things and heading for the pool.

It is a very large pool. It has 2 spa areas, a children's pool (sadly), a swim-up bar area and an island. The pool is surrounded by lounges and umbrellas and plenty of shade. Predictably, we chose the less populated side and enjoyed the relative quiet. For a while. A number of people arrived on the other side of the pool, some 25 or 30 metres away. As expected, they began talking to each other. I was tempted to join in the conversation because I could hear every word, as if they were next to me. Nationality? Oh come on, dear reader, you know the rule, choose the nationality of your prejudice.

Thankfully, they didn't stay the distance and we were once again left in peace. Time for a refreshing G&T, at the pool bar, in the water. Another first. We swam up to the bar and ordered. Such a refreshing drink.

We dried off quickly as the sun ate into our shade. Time to decamp and shower to rid ourselves of the chlorine smell.

Dinner was at the highly recommended Mahob, which means 'food' in Khmer. Although they do the hot stone cooking, we decided to stay with their traditional menu. Arriving around 5pm was a good idea because the mosquitos were still hiding in the shrubbery and the restaurant was devoid of diners. We had deep fried spring rolls, chicken satay skewers, morning glory in garlic and chilli, prawn fried rice and tamarind fish, accompanied by a French grenache/syrah. All for $57USD. The food was fresh and flavourful. If we were staying longer, we would have probably returned to try the stone cooking option.

A question, dear reader. How do you know when you've stayed too long in a restaurant? Answer: when you've heard the playlist more than once. Yes, we did. And a pretty average playlist it was, which inspired today's title. You look beautiful in white by Shane Filan from 2017. I'd never heard it before and would be happy never to hear it again. If I was a betting man, and I am, I would wager it has been played at wedding receptions the world over. Lionel Richie's Stuck on you was another featured favourite.

Saturday

And so dawned our last full day in Siem Reap. The established pattern was followed. As with yesterday, the change in weather meant slightly cooler temperatures and lower humidity, so we breakfasted on the terrace. Overnight there had been an influx of tourists and the restaurant and terrace were far more crowded. There was a table of four, near to us, who spoke so loudly that I now know the entire personal history of one woman. Her divorce, what it cost, how they found their new home, the fact that her granddaughter lived with her for 5 years and how her son needs to learn how to manage his money, after two years of her picking up the tab for his overspending. And no, I wasn't eavesdropping. She had no volume filter and just wouldn't shut up.

Huge lilies.

Finally they left. Yay. I finished my second coffee and we went to change and head back to the pool area. Once Jayne was settled, I grabbed my camera and went in search of local wildlife. The hotel is also a self-proclaimed bird sanctuary and there are photographs of birds sighted in the grounds. Probably I should have risen earlier if I wanted to photograph the birds. Still, I managed to capture a few.

Flower on a ginger plant.

Being more aware of the sun today, we selected chairs that would stay shaded longer. Happily they were also on the opposite side of the pool from the growing crowd. We followed the usual pattern, blogging, resting, swimming, drinking a G&T and finally, disappearing to our room to remove the chlorine from our skin.

A Sunda yellow-vented bulbul.

So, I wasn't going to document this, but, whatever. Today by the pool I sneezed. I know. Exciting right? And in doing so, put my back into spasm. Oh yeah. Not a major spasm, I've had significantly worse, but enough to cause inconvenience and restrict my ability to move freely. I now move like so many other of the geriatrics here. Jayne has a theory that I do this deliberately, immediately before we fly. She must keep a tally sheet. Apparently I did it before this trip, before the Perth-Broome-Darwin expedition and prior to flying to NZ in February. I don't keep track; no-one wants to remember pain.

A zebra dove, just like home.

Dinner will be a local affair. I have exhausted my US currency, have no more cash to convert and I don't really want to withdraw more because it is doubtful we will find a use for US currency in the near future. 

A lizard friend from the pool deck.

To mark our final night in Cambodia and over three weeks of eating delicious Asian food, we made the move back to the Western Menu. Pizza for me and a cheeseburger, fries and salad for Jayne. Salad, as a side with a cheeseburger. Weird. I continued my quest to eat a pizza in every country I have visited. This one was more than acceptable - parma ham and rocket on a thin base.

Tomorrow the alarm is set for 5:30am for the early trip  to the airport. There will be one final post, if for no other reason than I haven't published many pictures of flowers. Hopefully the Singapore Air experience on the way home will be as faultless as it was getting here.

Until next time.

Elevation (Ta Promh Temple, Cambodia)

Welcome back dear reader to part 2 of our big temple day. Today's title is a U2 song. Yes U2, the most overrated band in the world, but they did the soundtrack, Elevation, to Tomb Raider and that's where we headed, after resting up following our dawn visit to Angkor Wat.

Lets get it out of the way. Tomb raider.

Aside from Angelina Jolie's character, Lara Croft, running around the Ta Promh temple site, it has two major claims to fame. First, many sections have been restored, and second, the giant ficus trees that are, in parts, holding the walls together and in other areas, pulling them down. That really is a ying/yang situation.

Another face watching us enter.

This is the third temple we have visited and the first without a substantial moat, although there is a pond. The entrance is fairly typical, run the gauntlet through the souvenir stands with their hawkers and then enter the temple grounds through a gate in the sizeable stone wall.

The pond or lake. Whatever.

Unlike Angkor Wat, this temple does not have multiple levels, towers or spires reaching for the sky. It does have a more modest tower at the centre of the structure which has the centre point of significance. This area is said to have contained many pearls and gemstones, now gone. Lara Croft is almost certainly not to blame for this misappropriation; perhaps some were "acquired" by the British Museum? I was going to suggest that as the discussion ensued at the site, but being surrounded by colonisers, I kept mum.

The obligatory arty shot.

Some areas are still rubble although the restoration process must be lauded. It is like putting together a massive 3D jigsaw puzzle of moss-covered stone blocks. "Where would you start"? I enquired of Jayne. "Easy", was the reply. "Look for the corners and the edges and start there". Droll, very droll.

Before and after. Have a close look. Amazing.

The colossal trees that grow around the grounds, over the walls and buildings were identified by our guide as a variety of ficus. However, there is disagreement over the accurate naming of the tree. Regardless, they dominate the temple. The trees have an interesting relationship with the structure of the temple. Some sections, inseparable from the walls, are probably stopping it from further decay. In other areas, they have compromised the structure and once embedded, have fallen during storms, damaging the walls in the process.

Help or hindrance?

Excavations in one area uncovered over 400 statues of Buddha. Each one meticulously decapitated. A particularly Cromwellian manoeuvre. Who inspired whom? We'll never know.

Not thinking, jus sitting.

One of the reliefs that adorns a gateway on the major wall had what appeared to be, a carving of a stegosaurus. Pseudoscience and conspiracy theories abound. However, what appears to be the sails on the back of the stegosaurus, is actually the depiction of mountains and is common in this period. The beast itself is a rhinoceros. A great discussion point and one for the tin-foil hat wearing brigade. Or those that watch SkyNews After Dark. What's that dear reader? That Venn diagram would be be a circle. Yes, you are absolutely correct.

Here it is. Controversial.

The excitement of using U2 in a blog momentarily distracted me... En route to the temple, we had stopped briefly at ODA, a school for disadvantaged local children, either orphans or from single parent families. It is a boarding school. The children sleep two to a double bed, cosy in this climate. The girls' dormitory is downstairs and the boys' up a very steep set of stairs.

The main concept is to teach the children English, but the owner/founder is an artist, so art plays an important role in the day-to-day operation. Particularly as the children's artwork is used as a fundraising opportunity and is sold to visiting tourists. In fact, ODA stands for Opportunities for Development through Art and, what originally began as a haven for 34 children, has now mushroomed elsewhere to foster over 1000 kids. This facility, still capped at 34 with a one-out one-in policy, is partially self-funded but is also maintained by donations from the public and businesses such as APT, who match passenger contributions, dollar for dollar.

The classroom.

After a performance of a Cambodian traditional dance by some of the students, the principal spoke about the school's history and work and then we were taken on a tour of the place by students. This exercise was partly a vehicle for the students to practise their English. We were with two girls, one of whom had been at the school for 4 years and could converse pretty well. The other student was younger and had only been at the school for one year. She had far less English, but together they showed us where they learn, sleep and cook, finishing off in the studio where they showcased their artwork.

Our visit to ODA complete, the remaining 11 brave souls from the 'green family' returned to the bus and made their way to the 'tomb raider' temple. There were actually 23 people in our group, but as the trip continued, the numbers participating in the activities varied and most recently, dropped off completely. 

I have a love-hate relationship with tours such as these. FOMO, the fear of missing out, generally forces me to participate in every activity which can lead to being over-tired. Further, it can be emotionally exhausting spending time with people you don't know and really don't care about. Especially if they are not very personable or likeable. As a result, everyone needs some downtime as the journey progresses. Happily, we were most fortunate on this tour to meet some absolutely lovely people. I even forgave them for being Victorians. You know who you are 😉.

There's a function on tonight.

As you know my dear reader, while I might comment on random people we come across in our travels, it is even unusual for me to nominate a nationality. I prefer to leave that to your own prejudice. Consequently, I rarely pass commentary on those with whom I'm travelling. Not this time. We were forced to share our time with some extremely rude, entitled travellers from the 'mother country'. Interestingly, most of them did not look happy and did very little to interact outside of their clique. Sour faces, pushing to be first in line or ignoring the guide and wandering off on their own, or standing in the middle of the photo that everyone was waiting to snap. They also brought the germs and coughed, spluttered and sneezed their way around Asia, infecting others on the tour. Aside from that, they were a delight to be with.

The pool area at night.

APT, alert to the fact that many of us would have expended our 'social capital' by this point, did not schedule a group dinner. We opted for room service: spring rolls, a very tasty baguette accompanied by a bottle of red and an early night.

Until next time.

Leader of the pack (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Here we are, dear reader. We have reached the end of our 17 day APT journey. There are but two remaining experiences for us to share before we part company.

This morning is a Freedom of Choice excursion. Unusually, I found the options rather limiting. A 2 hour ride in a horse cart? Not sure my back could withstand that. A shopping trip? We're in Siem Reap for another 3 days so that isn't necessary. A traditional Khmer massage? We had a spa treatment on the ship and could organise one here after everyone else has departed. A cooking class? Tempting but no. A cycle ride through the countryside? Possibly, but that's a me-thing, Jayne wasn't interested. That left ... wait for it ... drum roll ... the quad biking experience. Why not. We signed up. As did many others. It was the largest of the groups. I want to be the Leader of the pack. Goodness, all the way back to 1964 with the Shangri-Las.

And away we go.

With so many activities, there was staggered start to the day. We were leaving at 8:30am. Quite civilised compared to yesterday morning. The quad bike centre was about 20 minutes out of town and the time passed quickly because our guide was practising to be a stand-up comedian. He was quite amusing. At one point he remarked that we all spoke very good English. "First time in Cambodia"? he enquired and was met with many loud statements in the affirmative. "Me too," he quipped. "I born here and never leave. So my first time too." And so it went.

The rice paddy of a wealthy family.

We arrived at the centre and had to sign indemnity forms. It actually indemnified the operators for negligence. Not sure it would stand up at home, but here ... Then it was time to get kitted up. Plastics bags were placed around your shoes. Mud, it was explained. No need for me, I was wearing my hiking boots. Then masks and helmets were allocated and we waited our turn to complete two test laps with a supervisor sitting behind us. No thumbs up, no solo ride. Jayne opted to have an instructor drive her around the course.

Constructing a house complete with elephants.

Everyone sat astride their steed for the morning and we were away. Predictably we hadn't gone 100 metres when one of my favourite problem people was flagged down to suffer the humiliation of being moved to a bike driven by an instructor. It was difficult not to enjoy the moment. Karma, I believe.

Cambodia mixes up its land use.

The ride/drive I know not which verb to use, continued without incident. Through many deep puddles, quagmires of mud, beside rice paddies, swamps, fields, housing construction sites, past waving children to the next village. There we stopped in line outside a temple. Well, they are everywhere. I got off my bike and walked over to Jayne to be told to leave my helmet with my bike. In the 2 minutes that had elapsed, the people on the quads behind me had taken the opportunity to usurp my noble steed and move themselves up the line one place. Really? FFS. Childish. Once a coloniser, always a coloniser. I walked to the end of the line and placed my helmet on the last bike. Whatever.

A temple at the village.

The local village, had, you'll never guess, a market. We were offered a fresh coconut to drink which we both declined. Not a fan. had one too many coconuts in Malaysia when I was still working. Then we were escorted across the road and walked the length of the market. As usual it was a mixture of fresh food, clothes and other necessities. Then it was time for the return journey.

The temple wall.

Back on the bikes, I tried to drop back to stay as far behind the incompetent usurpers as possible. Their lack of expertise and seeming fear to cross every puddle or pothole made that an impossible task. It was still good fun and I would certainly do it again. 

The market.

Back at the bike centre, the others had their plastic bags removed from their feet, we rehydrated (water only), and wiped as much dust from our clothes and belongings as possible. When it was time to board the bus, some people actually ran. One must assume to gain a seat they believed was superior in position to others. I thought I was on a Year 8 excursion.

The afternoon was free until the Apsara dance performance and farewell dinner this evening. Tonight was a "free pour" night. That always makes me laugh because there is generally one person responsible for serving the alcohol and there were around 70 of us. It would be difficult to drink too much.

The musicians.

The dance performance and accompanting traditional music was held in the ballroom. The dances were similar to those we'd seen on the ship and at the ODA school. Except this time it was not students but professionals. Watching the performance proved challenging, even from the third row. Why, you ask, dear reader? Mobile phones being used as video cameras being held up to capture the whole dance. Jayne was constantly shifting her chair to try to gain a clear view. Is it really that difficult to be aware of others?

Traditional Aspara dancers.

The boys are fishing for wives. Not very PC.

The Monkey King.

After the entertainment, Long provided his last not brief briefing, once again relating departure details. Repetitive? Definitely. Unnecessary? Not at all. There was at least one amongst us who responded to so many questions with, "I don't know". What time is your flight? IDK. What airline are flying with? IDK. What activity did you choose? IDK. Do you have a Cambodian visa? IDK. Frustrating. Amusing at first. Then not so much. Also, never happy, with any experience, dinner, accommodation. Good one Irena (if you know you know, dear reader).

Being next to the door, I almost made it out first, only to pipped at the post by one of those who always has to be first. It did not, however, stop us scoring a table for six and being able to sit with the people we chose.

I'm sure dinner was lovely but I really don't remember it. We chatted away and enjoyed the company and were one of the last groups to vacate the restaurant. It was for many the last night in Siem Reap, with the first people leaving at 5:30am the next day and then a slow trickle of departures after that.

Until next time.