http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/jeffdeanOttawa/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from jeffdeanOttawa en-us Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:38:57 +0000 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:38:57 +0000 Hiyes that fated day has arrived...Monday the first day back at work. Holiday is over just a memory was it real After looking through the over 900 photos I took while away it was real and it was an adventure But to catch everyone up with the detail....The flight to Hong Kong was uneventful as you normally wish for on a flight. We got our baggage sorted out more on the way home than we had http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-336463.html Hi allI tried to post this morning but the nternet' went down...in the airport now and honestly not ready to go home. I guess it is better to leave when you are not ready than cannot wait to leave at all...so many things to say about Cambodia and this adventure...of all the places in Asia I have been my heart has been taken...the people the country the kids the struggle those who are here t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-335398.html Hi thereThe trip to the country to visit with Sophea's 'parents was amazing even though I did not get to drive the tractor in the rice fields Maybe next time....All of the kids and Lysa made the afternoon a perfect day...the trip out was not too bad and we had weather entertainment on the way home We not had real rain since arriving in Cambodia but last night made up for it....the roads floode http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-334950.html Well day two is in Phnom Penn and to be honest it is much better than we could have imagined. Spending time with Sophea and Lysa and their friends has been wonderful to say the least We had dinner on Monday night at a friend's restaurant who also sponsors a school benefiting 28 kids who's parents are either not alive or cannot afford to send them to school. Proceeds from the restaurant and an ama http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-334427.html Well we survived the taxi trip from Siem Reap to Phnom Penn but honestly I am not sure how Tomorrow must be a day to visit the lucky buddah. That can be the only explaination...it was not just a white knuckle ride but an OMG duck so you did not actually see the 3 cars trying to pass whilst 2 more cars are blocking the road and cows dogs bicycles everywhere I will stick with the tuk tukSpeakin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-333893.html just another day in paradise really I am not sure I want to leave Siem Reap The folks at the Ivy said I could clean the rooms and get tourists to say and that would pay for my room So temptedThe tuk tuk ride today should have been a four wheeler ride It was funny we even had to dig the tuk tuk out of a sand pit on the road to the villageSo after we drove as far as we could the road basica http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-333465.html Hello Today was honestly a tuk tuk free day Relazed this morning and then headed to Le Tigre de Papier to try our hand at Khmer cooking. What a fun time Everyone 6 people in total a couple from Sydney an American doctor working at the children's hospital and a woman from Turkey got to choose a starter and then a main course. My two favorites are green mango salad and a traditional Khmer di http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-333195.html It seems funny how everything works. It has only been a week but it seems like so much longer that we've been away...today was amazing and the tuk tuk ride was completely worth the 'shower' at the end of the hike...still needed a shower to wash off the red dirt that caked on everything but that is a small price to pay...Today was a day of 'signs' and things to ponder. The signs can speak for thems http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-332892.html What a day I was not sure what to expect with the adventure today. The temples from yesterday were amazing and I was not sure how Angkor could be so much more....How wrong I was Before that though I have to say that Ta Prohm was straight out of Tomb Raider and was so amazing I kept thinking it was not real...it is amazing what the jungle had done and the power of a banyon tree...even one sever http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-332487.html I am not really sure what to say about today...first a clarification...a driver does not necessarily mean also a car...it could mean a tuk tuk...yes today was another tuk tuk day but this one was wonderful and actually much better than having a car...The weather has been perfect with some clouds 30 and a tuk tuk breeze to cool you off after exploring could not have been better planned....Seven t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-332167.html Siem Reap is certainly a different place than Bangkok Just finished dinner in the market I seem to be living on pad thai and fried noodles...not bad for 1 US...I am having trouble posting pictures and when I attempted earlier today the electricity went out in the town....not too many pics from Bangkok to share anyway.Staying a wonderful and quiet little place called Ivy 2 Thanks Craig. S http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-331848.html What a day...that turned into the early hours of the morning.....It started out in perfect form a short walk to the Grand Palace...just one road to cross that turned out to be uncrossable After 30 minutes of attempting we finally found a stop light and made a mad dash before the motorcycles and tuk tuks ran the light. Thinking we had found good luck we headed back towards the Palace. The 'good http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-331787.html Well after what seemed like days upon days....the last flight landed in Bangkok this morning Very happy to be on the ground after the four flights There was certainly a bright spot on the flight to San Fran...it was a wide screen TV with a remote and a massage chair Yes a fully reclining chair and a massage for almost 5 hours It was certainly a good pre treatment to the 14 hour flight to Hong http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-330995.html From years to months to days and finally down to hours.....today is the long travel day...Ottawa to San Francisco via lovely Chicago and then on to Hong Kong finally landing in Bangkok on the 5th....All I remember about trans pacific flights is that they are long very long....hopefully sleeping will be an option....bye for now.....J http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-330392.html Well here we are three more days until the long flights start....I hope those of you joining on the journey enjoy the ride. I'd like to thank Tim for the idea...I will write as often as I can and on days when I cannot make it to the cafe I will keep notes to make sure nothing is missed....Jeff http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-329508.html