tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16456924300582356802024-03-14T18:28:19.480+08:00a road less travelled....elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-41041901326165507742012-04-02T18:12:00.000+08:002012-04-02T18:12:54.217+08:00And That's a Wrap...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>657</o:Words> <o:Characters>3746</o:Characters> <o:Company>n/a</o:Company> <o:Lines>31</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>7</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>4600</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">At lunchtime today it hit me. My experience in Cambodia is almost over! The year sure has flown by, I still have a few adventures before my flight home but in reality it is all wrapping up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">What a year it has been… I’ve lived by myself in a foreign country, killed spiders the side of my hand, ridden a moto, climbed over temple ruins that are older than I can even imagine, traveled throughout much of the region, and met some amazing new friends.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Even though you try not to formulate an idea of what you may be faced with, what your living conditions may be like, you still do have these images of what it may be like. The image that I drew before I arrived in Cambodia was nothing like the reality. The reality was both better and worse… worse for the poorer and better for the rich. I never imagined the numerous cafes and restaurants that would serve quality, international cuisine… or the ‘Las Vegas’ strip which houses hotel after hotel… or the thousands of Lexus’ that roam the streets… I did however, expect the poverty, and whilst there is an emerging middle class in Cambodia, at the moment the difference between rich and poor is just so great. I hope that this middle class start to gain some more momentum, and fight for better health care, education, human rights and the like. These are the people that can make a difference and move their country into a brighter future. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The organization that I worked with – Anjali House – does amazing work and has some fabulous people associated with it. There are tireless employees and volunteers that only want what is best for the students and their families. All I can wish for is that the students at Anjali House follow their dreams and become doctors, mechanics, nurses, hotel managers, electricians, and the list goes on and on. Mostly though I want them to be outstanding members of their communities, helping others and making a difference where they can. I am sure they will achieve this, and take the opportunities that are presented to them! For the organization, I hope that a magical little fairy (Sponsor/Donor) comes along and makes all of our dreams a reality, keep up the hard work! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -36.0pt; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Join me on Wednesday, 30 May 2012 for a movie fundraiser at Hoyts, Garden City to raise funds for the organisation!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will leave Cambodia with more stamps in my passport (Laos, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia), some amazing new friends and a slightly different view on how I view the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But… I can not wait to get home, I am looking forward to so many things about returning to Australia; Bella & Cooper (and taking them to the beach), spending time with my family and friends, live AFL, a pillow that is right for my neck/back, BBQ, fish & chips, good coffee, Freo, cheese, a ‘structured’ workplace with temperature control, a comfy couch, good beer, trying this new phenomenon ‘Rekordling’… and so much more…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, of course I will miss Cambodia; amazing and cheap food & cocktails, the life style, manicures & pedicures, massages, easy & cheap travel options, the numerous public holidays, conversations at work about which young adult/s killed and cooked the chicken the night before (forever known as ‘ChickenGate’)… <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am looking forward to my next adventure, even I don’t know what and where it will be yet, but I start with three months at home, working with a friend at the WA Olympic Committee, then who knows…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt 36.0pt; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for my expectations;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><ul><li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was shocked by the lack of rain, but flooding sucks!</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The food was not awesome (although it was in Vietnam and Thailand), it was not a fusion and I don’t think I ate dog, but I did eat hairy spiders, crickets and snakes!</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Touch wood (because I still have a few weeks left in country) I only got really sick with tummy troubles once!</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Khmer’s are lovely, and I look forward to visiting my friends in the years to come!</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angkor Wat… Mmm… Yeah, whatever?! The architecture of it is amazing though (I learnt all about this whilst getting a foot massage at the foot massage/documentary place)… Bantaey Chhmar and Bayon take equal prize for being my favorite temples… However, and yes, I do know it is different, ‘the Great Wall shits all over the Angkorian temples’…</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Don’t take this the wrong way Mum and Dad, but I didn’t really get homesick…</span></span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">The markets are awful, everything is ‘same same NO different’, although Chiang Mai has wicked markets!!</span></span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">The language wasn’t very difficult to learn, but most people I know speak great English, so I got a little bit lazy</span></span></li>
<li style="line-height: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">I sent mail and got real mail, although some were lost in the Khmer postal system. I am still most upset about not receiving Pop’s letter!</span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that is all folks, see you in OZ!!!</span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-42230699674790456052012-03-25T13:34:00.000+08:002012-03-25T13:34:16.523+08:00What a difference a few months make!Yesterday I visited Kampong Pluk with some friends... Here is a comparison between my two visits to this village! They are a little bit out of order because the blog isn't playing nice with me today! I'm sure you will still get the picture though!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDN1Qp2bRU5MVEt5VEr2NHOBhPqM6ESIKMneacExUgKHqvBddjhOMUWfpiaUWnNtsartxC8MWcu-7BiOLRKPfl6fq5cGi69jSxmOlH2m-7SgdKyZfJqewj_mMik0iGVCOwFwRzmHfWzEV/s1600/IMG_9509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDN1Qp2bRU5MVEt5VEr2NHOBhPqM6ESIKMneacExUgKHqvBddjhOMUWfpiaUWnNtsartxC8MWcu-7BiOLRKPfl6fq5cGi69jSxmOlH2m-7SgdKyZfJqewj_mMik0iGVCOwFwRzmHfWzEV/s320/IMG_9509.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-3979929275618934022012-03-05T21:13:00.000+08:002012-03-05T21:13:07.401+08:00China: Facebook Status' I may have used if Facebook was permitted in China<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#1 To all of you lovers out there, a plane is NOT the place to show your love and affection. Singing and groping each other when you are 30cms from other people is NOT cool - I don't care if you are European!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#2 I got violated by the security guards at the KL Low Cost Terminal. I beeped... they patted down my 'private parts' then let me go on my way... I wonder if everyone beeps at this place...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#3 Only white people on the plane... I wonder how many tourists visit China in winter, my guess is not many!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#4 Feel left out that I can't compete with the Chinese with their creative uses of their nasal passages and mouth, spitting seems to be the national sport.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#5 China is lovely, so far very cold, very clean and the people are lovely. Quite the contrast to other peoples stories!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#6 Shanghai is AWESOME... LOVE this place :-)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#7 You look like Snow White (uh... no... I don't...), me Mickey Mouse (uh... no... I don't think so...). Very awkwardly avoiding his insistent hug (damn you Juz for giving in and hugging him, I'm the one that had to put up with the sloppy kiss on the cheek). Fake Mickey Mouse (a strange Malaysian man) ruined my Zara experience!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#8 A swish afternoon at the Peace Hotel = BLISS!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#9 Wants to curl up and hibernate, no central heating - who's idea was this boat ride anyway?!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#10 Love the view from the 47th floor of the Radisson but still nothing compares to the blue cheese stuffed olive martini in Bangkok</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#11 Wants the gorgeous puppy at the hostel - super hyperactive border collie!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#12 Loves being the doll that the shop assistant is playing dress ups with, takes all of the pressure off me when trying on clothes</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#13 Goodbye Shanghai, see you next time! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#14 Bullet Train, next stop Beijing!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#15 Upgrading hotels, soooo worth it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#16 Feels like a celebrity, all of these people wanting their photo taken with us!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#17 Atmosphere Bar smells of Chanel No. 5</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#18 China is turning my hair green!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#19 Hoping to spot a rabbit today :-)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#20 On the way to Jinshanling!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#21 China blocked mamamia.com.au after an article was posted by Jessica Rudd, comparing our rights to those of the Chinese, really does tell you a lot about freedom of speech!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#22 The wall was fabulous, we didn't see an rabbits so it must be doing its job!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"># 23 Headed back to the Reap</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#24 OMG, totally got ripped off at the airport, USD65 for the crappest meal ever (why didn't we stop for Maccas on the way in?!)! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#25 1.5hours waiting on the tarmac so far... grizzle grizzle grizzle</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#26 The airport support staff waved us goodbye! Lovely :-)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#27 Visit CHINA - it is great! :-D</span>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-24209588100833398132011-12-23T15:15:00.000+08:002011-12-23T15:15:26.025+08:00Christmas Day Lunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AK9XAt16ncs/TvQqANDv5pI/AAAAAAAAAIM/wSiBYK9p_2g/s1600/Christmas+at+FCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AK9XAt16ncs/TvQqANDv5pI/AAAAAAAAAIM/wSiBYK9p_2g/s400/Christmas+at+FCC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think bubbles, duck confit, turkey and ham, and pudding will be the order of the day! Did I mention that we are so lucky with regard to food options in Siem Reap!!</span>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-3758952400382670992011-10-09T21:22:00.000+08:002011-10-09T21:22:06.393+08:00Pchum Ben Holiday - A Trip Through Thailand and Laos<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>692</o:Words> <o:Characters>3946</o:Characters> <o:Company>n/a</o:Company> <o:Lines>32</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>7</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>4845</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">One of the things that I find difficult to justify, knowing that my contract in Cambodia is only for a year, is missing major cultural and religious events. During late September and early October I skipped the country and missed ‘the Festival of the Dead’. For more information on the festival please <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pchum_Ben">click here</a> (not that wiki is necessarily 'reputable'), as I am definitely not qualified to give an overview.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On the afternoon of Friday, 23 October 2011, we left the flooded town of Siem Reap behind, to travel to Chiang Mai, with a stopover in Bangkok. I travelled to Bangkok with Leish, my housemate, and Shaye, a teacher from Melbourne who has been teaching at an NGO in Siem Reap whilst on long service leave. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As soon, as I arrive in Bangkok there is a certain element of relief, I felt this way last time I flew into Bangkok as well. There are actual numbers to call for police and ambulance and a belief that they will actually show up if you are in trouble. There are travelators (we don’t even have those in Perth), the traffic is orderly (not that we left the airport this time) and there seems to be more forethought and planning (if only this is a perception).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I pigged out on Starbucks and McDonald’s (things I can’t get in Siem Reap – even though I don’t usually eat it – the distance makes me want it!) before boarding our flight to Chiang Mai, with two ‘extras’ in tow, Irena and Bek, who are from the same AYAD intake as myself. Driving on the ‘right’ side of the road to our hotel, with road rules that people follow, we found ourselves in a reasonably swanky hotel. We quickly shoved all of our stuff in our respective rooms before heading downstairs for a nightcap.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the morning we did some general exploring before finding a travel agent to book in some adventures for the next few days, this included a cooking class for Irena, Bek and myself and an adventure filled day for Shaye and Leish at Flight of the Gibbons. The following day we would all spend some time together playing with the elephants. After this, we went for a massage, the organisation allows ex-prisoners to gain training and work in meaningful employment. We were lucky enough to be visiting the city that Hannah, a fellow AYAD lives in, so she and her friend Trav (an American that lived in Perth as a child) took us to a local bar after some drinks on the rooftop of our hotel. The food was FABULOUS and the drinks were tasty, there was also a live band, which was followed by another as the night progressed. The only disappointing part of the night was that we missed out on seeing my friend Shan and her boyfriend Sobonn. The catch up was made difficult because I had no telephone in Thailand or Laos… It made me think – what did we do before mobiles? Were we just more organised?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The next day Irena, Bek and I were picked up in a ute (there are so many in Chiang Mai!!) to go to the local markets before our cooking class at the organic farm. I loved the markets, they were cleaner and much more hygienic than the options available in Siem Reap, there were some amazing things to eat and smells and sights to be experienced!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cooking instructor was so full on – she was also exhausting (as Bek put it!). She thought she was really funny, so she kept cracking jokes, some of which were HIGHLY inappropriate and then expectantly waited for us to laugh! The class was great though, I love Thai food and we got to cook and eat a lot of it during the day. We went shopping at the highly recommended Sunday Night Markets to finish off the day, and they didn’t disappoint. I bought a leather bag (followed by a wallet, purchased the next day), some cool shirts and tasted more culinary delights as we meandered through the streets. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The following day, our last full day in Chiang Mai, was a strange experience. We arrived believing that we had chosen one of the better elephant sanctuaries, it had been recommended to us by an Australian vet. Upon arrival and throughout the welcome speech my hopes dwindled. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but there was something about the place that didn’t quite sit right for me. Whilst I don’t think that it is the worst place for the elephants to be, I left believing that it probably wasn’t the best place for them to be either. The jury is out… I just hope that our money didn’t go to an organisation that is mistreating these majestic animals. Dinner that evening was at a Burmese restaurant, the first time that I had tried the cuisine, and I wasn’t disappointed! It was another fabulous recommendation by Hannah and Trav… I’m very glad that we had some ‘locals’ to show us around!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I loved Chiang Mai and would happily revisit this beautiful part of the world! I want to do Flight of the Gibbons, eat more amazing food and trek through the jungle to visit the Hill Tribes!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-77562622254409976792011-09-13T14:16:00.000+08:002011-09-13T14:16:48.017+08:00Sticky Rice Balls<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>144</o:Words> <o:Characters>822</o:Characters> <o:Company>n/a</o:Company> <o:Lines>6</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1009</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">(with palm sugar, served with grated, young, fresh coconut)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My Notes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The host of our cooking class, began this recipe with a story about how the name of this recipe in K’mai is something like ‘killing your husband accidentally’.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The story goes that a wife was cooking these, and the husband decided to eat one, without allowing it to cool. The ball got stuck in his throat, the sugar oozed out like lava, and he died. She seemed to think it was quite funny…. We all politely laughed, whilst looking around at each other and wondering if it was ‘a joke’ or for real.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIaIQhnA8jsJcBVxM6rMgwRKnvG7IyORk5EGCgPuvjRiFfPApApkeNGhj3Fq7g46bEDruzJj2O-e6Bu3Yy2-OjyB07TBBzWl7hQZmFBvcxCHfPZXaPwnXtri2I9CBhrlP24zWLAv-4yDk/s1600/IMGP0752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIaIQhnA8jsJcBVxM6rMgwRKnvG7IyORk5EGCgPuvjRiFfPApApkeNGhj3Fq7g46bEDruzJj2O-e6Bu3Yy2-OjyB07TBBzWl7hQZmFBvcxCHfPZXaPwnXtri2I9CBhrlP24zWLAv-4yDk/s320/IMGP0752.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">300g Sticky Rice Flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 T Palm Sugar, cut into approx 0.5cm cubes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">100g Young Coconut, grated<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1/3 Cup Water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Method<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">1. Boil a pot of water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">2. Mix the sticky rice flour with water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">3. Ball the sticky rice flour mixture and push the palm sugar into the middle. Ensuring it is completely covered</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">4. Place in the boiling water and wait for them to float.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip43C-2NPMTYIRXBN-cX7J2e_aBytZXEt_XEQ56EtwZYVi5Ge4ZBZ3oolzYmsRRG9xxG0nJkC8f8qPbvFx1H7s9RkkgCgWqAsCaYGT_guCc7GwoScjVZel7ge076k7JOPzy-vxVNeygA7/s1600/IMGP0740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip43C-2NPMTYIRXBN-cX7J2e_aBytZXEt_XEQ56EtwZYVi5Ge4ZBZ3oolzYmsRRG9xxG0nJkC8f8qPbvFx1H7s9RkkgCgWqAsCaYGT_guCc7GwoScjVZel7ge076k7JOPzy-vxVNeygA7/s320/IMGP0740.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"> 5. Once floating, scoop into the cold water</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"> 6.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Serve with grated, young coconut</span></div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-25717121103418236742011-09-13T13:54:00.000+08:002011-09-13T13:54:16.695+08:00Fish Amok<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>154</o:Words> <o:Characters>879</o:Characters> <o:Company>n/a</o:Company> <o:Lines>7</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1079</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">My Note</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpV2N_zhcl70mGFz6Z8lbFf0mroFOy_4F8jB5VZJxpgL2LRSdTwVGnbmeR9uAzeAqAnT8A4mlb2C00NZoyNtuRbwYfAz_ajq4lzS7QTUGgMgYnc6pqZxgfizLsVhRv-tP1scnZkGDX-8U/s1600/IMGP0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpV2N_zhcl70mGFz6Z8lbFf0mroFOy_4F8jB5VZJxpgL2LRSdTwVGnbmeR9uAzeAqAnT8A4mlb2C00NZoyNtuRbwYfAz_ajq4lzS7QTUGgMgYnc6pqZxgfizLsVhRv-tP1scnZkGDX-8U/s320/IMGP0749.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have tasted a few of these since I arrived, and the best so far was from Rendang, (the restaurant where I also ate tarantula) in Phnom Penh, one of the Friends restaurant group.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDL5UVAAw3zmpVLrUSww0_TfvR2Hx_mYtxvGdXTH3gdwcd0zsSNpvjl_cOpatiZCkub_NoHq2qrIG3fk1KNJ8mrciR37bNoNAysxcI00unli9eXUqm3ua_1iA3rC4-HxdueiVZAlv2ACz/s1600/IMGP0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDL5UVAAw3zmpVLrUSww0_TfvR2Hx_mYtxvGdXTH3gdwcd0zsSNpvjl_cOpatiZCkub_NoHq2qrIG3fk1KNJ8mrciR37bNoNAysxcI00unli9eXUqm3ua_1iA3rC4-HxdueiVZAlv2ACz/s320/IMGP0707.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">500g Fish, white and firm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">200g Fresh Spinach Leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">½ to 1 Cup Coconut Cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1T Dry Chilli Paste<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1t Turmeric<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1cm Galangal Stalk <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Lemongrass Sticks<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Kaffir Lime Leaf<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Garlic Cloves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1T Fish Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1t Salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1T Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 Egg<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Oil, to cook<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Method<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1. Slice and chop the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, garlic and shallots. Pound them until very fine, then add turmeric powder and dry chilli paste. Continue pounding until they are all mixed together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2. Roughly chop the spinach<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-56SZzGDFPmUX_ggC-YmHwbtY32qRk7o2AnqyZoSBjL4fEboN8u_7intIwZA5I3pTm2g1MJG_PsPF6AgwgaSpSEAmd02juLhjaMcJUSQt-090YdVYMrk0KO6fVLVpc5AXYUU6UsmDMdY/s1600/IMGP0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-56SZzGDFPmUX_ggC-YmHwbtY32qRk7o2AnqyZoSBjL4fEboN8u_7intIwZA5I3pTm2g1MJG_PsPF6AgwgaSpSEAmd02juLhjaMcJUSQt-090YdVYMrk0KO6fVLVpc5AXYUU6UsmDMdY/s320/IMGP0716.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3. Slice the fish into chunky pieces<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nTAT3F_UvME7A7JPJ3o1_Vgi_plqFKaRVQiAnnOac9AStW3VkAMQUIDqQXx1QqI08PpF7MVO0kN8VC9X3NVugITg1JbI7yvpOKm3zor3asN0WuwqLSN9kSqBnz5QZkuK7k_yla2M9bPz/s1600/IMGP0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nTAT3F_UvME7A7JPJ3o1_Vgi_plqFKaRVQiAnnOac9AStW3VkAMQUIDqQXx1QqI08PpF7MVO0kN8VC9X3NVugITg1JbI7yvpOKm3zor3asN0WuwqLSN9kSqBnz5QZkuK7k_yla2M9bPz/s320/IMGP0721.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4. Cook the paste in some oil, until fragrant<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5. Add the fish and cook thoroughly<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6. Cover with coconut cream and allow to simmer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">7. Add sugar, salt and fish sauce. Taste and adjust accordingly<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">8. Whisk egg, then add to the curry, stirring constantly<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">9. Add spinach leaves</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">10. Serve with rice, additional coconut milk, if required and julienned chilli (deseeded)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8fHUIOeBo0VVAMZkqg-tWFVRmuqiZQdwM18gw5arUtrLvuPaX_ybavQ2OIK79NtRvo4ntEDqcywDB1SmhSa2jc8UgxMpYrkeGuPYTKfbhcwzZFbQgRq4ApmRP4olFJWcJmV386aKErdq/s1600/IMGP0750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8fHUIOeBo0VVAMZkqg-tWFVRmuqiZQdwM18gw5arUtrLvuPaX_ybavQ2OIK79NtRvo4ntEDqcywDB1SmhSa2jc8UgxMpYrkeGuPYTKfbhcwzZFbQgRq4ApmRP4olFJWcJmV386aKErdq/s320/IMGP0750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-72214340360082603852011-09-13T13:26:00.000+08:002011-09-13T13:26:50.400+08:00K'mai Mango Salad<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>73</o:Words> <o:Characters>417</o:Characters> <o:Company>n/a</o:Company> <o:Lines>3</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>512</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">250g Chicken or Pork<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">400g Green Mango<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">100g Carrot<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">100g Basil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">150g Dried Shrimp<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">100g Peanuts, chopped and roasted<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2T Palm Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1T Salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2-3 Cloves Garlic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Shallots<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 T Lime Juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVlw5KCMagswg3UwfK0vpMfy8AKGYIjaIsvWsnUqI9kp9J6JjoNgBcKQJoHZ4NTLvGdsuBijaTN9bx0bELI8T3T72Fo400squI-8An2HlJfjezOZOrBV3oeb57bAiVy73NKPmIXuEU2fX/s1600/IMGP0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVlw5KCMagswg3UwfK0vpMfy8AKGYIjaIsvWsnUqI9kp9J6JjoNgBcKQJoHZ4NTLvGdsuBijaTN9bx0bELI8T3T72Fo400squI-8An2HlJfjezOZOrBV3oeb57bAiVy73NKPmIXuEU2fX/s320/IMGP0737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Method</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">1. Cook the meat thoroughly, set it aside, allow to cool, slice it</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPh_dENsi8cmn8J7-v4S3hDftnyWGp0HkPLrnyhWlBo-a6nG3PwLm5tQsFackCydisLj-pzdQlOgHp2sn90BLKi9HNcU7DuROU-mRz2ooYLZWN3qMD4wrXgWnVRE_d_Iskxa_4nY6ilsI/s1600/IMGP0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPh_dENsi8cmn8J7-v4S3hDftnyWGp0HkPLrnyhWlBo-a6nG3PwLm5tQsFackCydisLj-pzdQlOgHp2sn90BLKi9HNcU7DuROU-mRz2ooYLZWN3qMD4wrXgWnVRE_d_Iskxa_4nY6ilsI/s320/IMGP0739.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">2. Grate the mango and carrot</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EC_H-EBYQIzW4S-vLcbGsIwCupSp4z3aWIVNAMCzgcbkeKhQJdQUM2IWu2aoQ4YQ0ZJft9IiyiRN7TeGtSiJTfNTDMEQQSSeX-DOgLFw6HGebBUBe6jvcDIBuEA3me_ubXzXangAF1CW/s1600/IMGP0736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EC_H-EBYQIzW4S-vLcbGsIwCupSp4z3aWIVNAMCzgcbkeKhQJdQUM2IWu2aoQ4YQ0ZJft9IiyiRN7TeGtSiJTfNTDMEQQSSeX-DOgLFw6HGebBUBe6jvcDIBuEA3me_ubXzXangAF1CW/s320/IMGP0736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">3. Slice the garlic and shallots</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">4. Gently toss the meat in the palm sugar, fish sauce, slat, garlic, shallots and dried shrimp</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">5. Add the green mango and carrot to the meat mixture</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">6. Top with basil and peanuts, once plated</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGOsgETDbNNUn5eXFnoK-rOHpc6-dP_cDPSUssXegXIpAJXQwajruhdM4zriAitkZY57b1LEiLvvLphVl281rUBI-CpubfqNhwrpm_rC8SrPXUQSJNvKEiZZ9oGjYk6NKx_DfRb-FkMC_/s1600/IMGP0743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGOsgETDbNNUn5eXFnoK-rOHpc6-dP_cDPSUssXegXIpAJXQwajruhdM4zriAitkZY57b1LEiLvvLphVl281rUBI-CpubfqNhwrpm_rC8SrPXUQSJNvKEiZZ9oGjYk6NKx_DfRb-FkMC_/s320/IMGP0743.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-69123030012910689862011-09-13T12:59:00.000+08:002011-09-13T12:59:11.185+08:00Nom Tong Noun<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>107</o:Words> <o:Characters>615</o:Characters> <o:Company>n/a</o:Company> <o:Lines>5</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>755</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Their Note<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">These are a delicious snack and perfect to serve with coffee or tea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My Note<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Perfect accompaniment to icecream!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">P.S. You need a flat ‘waffle iron’ to make these.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuHK5_xc1ZDs0PY4qqOWbk6C5A8v5bQz8oaSfl5pPZMoYVNkpBI1hR6QSGeCYbk37KZFcgypDmazyOEQocx-6ZM-w139SdxeyOPISEH4y06ecoVMSbrsSFtMoVEgAicwG72wO62TXRgKm/s1600/IMGP0775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuHK5_xc1ZDs0PY4qqOWbk6C5A8v5bQz8oaSfl5pPZMoYVNkpBI1hR6QSGeCYbk37KZFcgypDmazyOEQocx-6ZM-w139SdxeyOPISEH4y06ecoVMSbrsSFtMoVEgAicwG72wO62TXRgKm/s320/IMGP0775.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">½ Cup Rice Flour<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 Duck Eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 T Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">½ Cup Coconut Cream<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 T Black Sesame Seeds<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">¼ Cup Oil</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26C4zXkuTjqhNX0FlaeR_gklll4TD2X42dc-lbpAz1dWVdyn9MqweIQqDnY_MehuDwE94mg0faIsuTkCNlvzbJq8WX7vY6i-FqXW5YWEDGJeu_j-1EgR1Sy0dTRTjRZDjZUHqENyy3by8/s1600/IMGP0779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26C4zXkuTjqhNX0FlaeR_gklll4TD2X42dc-lbpAz1dWVdyn9MqweIQqDnY_MehuDwE94mg0faIsuTkCNlvzbJq8WX7vY6i-FqXW5YWEDGJeu_j-1EgR1Sy0dTRTjRZDjZUHqENyy3by8/s320/IMGP0779.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Method</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">1. Set aside one duck egg and the oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">2. Take the rest of the ingredients and combine to make a batter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpB8UxhErUmtcrR0pN8Mj2BqcFkEXJYpFkAzPwH0c_ekJ4icvgsn1V7scel8540hiDiRCAZ-RRJP2O4tfXazVUvPzM76SefCwsjXVjoxfMj02B-mu9a4KuqFv8Qv4l3X31-hHZZCf4B8l/s1600/IMGP0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpB8UxhErUmtcrR0pN8Mj2BqcFkEXJYpFkAzPwH0c_ekJ4icvgsn1V7scel8540hiDiRCAZ-RRJP2O4tfXazVUvPzM76SefCwsjXVjoxfMj02B-mu9a4KuqFv8Qv4l3X31-hHZZCf4B8l/s320/IMGP0776.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">3. Beat the remaining duck egg and mix with the oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">4. Heat your ‘waffle iron’ until it is hot on both sides</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">5. On one side brush some of the oil mix, until covered</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">6. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">Place your batter on the other side</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">7. Slowly bring the top of the iron onto the bottom</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EEI_H6-qXJOgSEwt_h3qgYwEw4rA78Yjk6q6_98mIjv_XOSwaLvH7Q4i8GAuZBHyTHWgt-W-kTlwRao0XuG2xZSm_iF3AwcGdHliHqj04FMwkDGVpQ2MDMBnnC5HHpJlP3odvYfcZjkv/s1600/IMGP0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EEI_H6-qXJOgSEwt_h3qgYwEw4rA78Yjk6q6_98mIjv_XOSwaLvH7Q4i8GAuZBHyTHWgt-W-kTlwRao0XuG2xZSm_iF3AwcGdHliHqj04FMwkDGVpQ2MDMBnnC5HHpJlP3odvYfcZjkv/s320/IMGP0777.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">8.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Allow to cook until lightly golden on both sides</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">9.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Roll to forms cones, if desired</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnO8Z7ZEnRodCqjtyzHSlrUtmqmwaZjOLgaA5IDZ-v7vCnxKTdxvr26fuPmtiwNpi_fnUuj2bwM535iei2SYLBMTo7Fy2dhtq7JI2NYxJBl3jgcgPOpKcgMwyoTPn_SkvP3bhQNK_3qLAO/s1600/IMGP0780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnO8Z7ZEnRodCqjtyzHSlrUtmqmwaZjOLgaA5IDZ-v7vCnxKTdxvr26fuPmtiwNpi_fnUuj2bwM535iei2SYLBMTo7Fy2dhtq7JI2NYxJBl3jgcgPOpKcgMwyoTPn_SkvP3bhQNK_3qLAO/s320/IMGP0780.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">10.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Allow to cool, to room temperature</span></div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-46381510401437901872011-07-01T16:52:00.002+08:002011-07-01T16:52:47.017+08:00A Life Lesson - Red Tape & Power Trips 101<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">Well, it all began in an office/classroom in the back blocks of Siem Reap about two weeks ago.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I was eavesdropping on a conversation my Director was having with a freight forwarding company, UPS whose office if based in Phnom Penh. Being the helpful person I am I mentioned that I would be in Phnom Penh in a week or so and would happily assist to retrieve the cameras that had been stopped by customs in Phnom Penh. After all, its not like you would need to be superwomen to get your hands on these items, you’d only need a few pieces of paper and a tuk tuk driver… Boy was I wrong!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">One of my lovely friends, Vijay in Phnom Penh offered to collect some documents for me. We needed them to be collected on a weekday because their offices are supposedly closed on the weekends. His ever-trusty moto broke down during the trip, whilst he was in the middle of a dodgems game with the police (this is not unusual, it’s actually the best course of action due to corruption!), therefore ruining his lunchbreak and rendering his trip to the other side of town futile. UPS kindly offered to deliver these documents to Vijay and they promptly arrived on his desk the next morning. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Step One – Achieved, tick!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ll fast-forward a few days to Saturday, a beautiful sparkly morning in the Penh. A relaxing start to the day with the gorgeous Irena and my favourite type of breakfast – Pork & Rice… A tuk tuk ride to Vijay’s house to collect the documents, a dusty ride to the airport, and a very competent tuk tuk driver who dropped me right out the front of the customs collection point… Well, well, well – this was turning out to be much easier than what I had anticipated. I thought to myself ‘I’ll be in and out of here, 3.64kg heavier in just a few moments!’ – WRONG!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Customs Officer explained that I was required to have a letter with a special stamp on it. He then mentioned that the man with the special stamp didn’t work Saturdays and he wasn’t based at the airport – I could find him the middle of Phnom Penh at the Ministry of Customs and Excise. Of course, I didn’t give up here, I did the very Australian thing of ‘Can I please speak to your boss?’. The Officer was petrified that I would bad mouth him to his boss because he started to exclaim ‘But I haven’t done anything wrong’. I tried to explain to him that I simply wanted to speak to his boss to see if we could get around this little dilemma as I live in Siem Reap, a good five hour drive from the airport. After he had been in to see his boss, who refused to speak to me, I left on my merry way, no cameras in hand and $16 lighter – it turns out that my lovely tuk tuk driver was a bit of a rip off merchant (He’d wanted $20 at the end of my trip!!)!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My Director was kind enough to give me permission to stay in Phnom Penh an extra night and see what happened on Monday. I was pretty happy about this, it meant dinner with friends at Friends, and it also meant that I got to pay a visit to Flicks, the local cinema!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On Monday, I woke early to go to Pork and Rice with Bek and Morgan. Feeling the need for coffee I made a quick pit stop at Java before making my way to the bus company, to swap my ticket and get two tickets for my breakfast partners, who are due to visit Siem Reap this weekend. This went very smoothly, as did my visit to the local printing store (they are everywhere, it appears that individuals and organisations alike don’t own printers/photocopiers). I left the printing shop with my letter, drafted from a template that the Customs Officer gave me on Saturday. This letter was my ticket to the cameras and a successful day – or so I thought!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I hopped in a tuk tuk, who literally drove me around the corner. I hadn’t realised how close I was, this day was just getting better and better! I wondered into the Ministry of Customs and Excise and there was an ‘office’ located on the balcony of the front building. Not quite sure where to go, I made my way to this ‘office’ and found out that it was exactly where I needed to be. The man grabbed my letter, stamped it, wrote some information in an official looking ledger and I was on my way… Off to the airport I go! I was definitely going to be done in time for my noon lunch appointment!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">WRONG! Just I was about to wander off I realised my letter looked different to the template, ooops… the lovely customs man had forgotten to put the special stamp on it – silly billy!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Me: ‘Ummm… Som to (sorry) but I think you forgot to put the other stamp on my letter?’<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Him: ‘No no, you go to other building, second floor, he stamp for you’<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Me: ‘Oh ok’<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The office was really easy to find, I stepped across the entrance way and realised that there was already some people in there. I stood in line and saw the man in the navy coloured uniform stamping and signing their forms with vigour!! I thought to myself ‘YES! This is my day! Everything is going so smoothly – I will be in and out of here in no time!’. When he was done with the girls, he turned to me and signalled for my forms. He then exclaimed, ‘How many cameras?’. I was unsure and told him so. I said, ‘All I know is that there are 3.64kgs of cameras’. He said ‘not good enough, you find out’. Now the problem with this, is that these cameras are a one off donation and the lady lives in the USA. If I were to call her, we would have woken her up from what I presume would be a peaceful slumber. Therefore, my Director and I took a wild punt and decided to guess that I would be collecting ten cameras. Now all I needed to do was change the form and take it back to the man in the navy coloured uniform! EASY!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I went back to another printing house, changed the form and made my way back to the Ministry of Customs and Excise. Went through the procedure of getting the original stamp and then made my way up to the man in the navy coloured uniform. He briefly looked over my forms and then asked who I was. I told him my name and he said, ‘So what are you doing here? Your name isn’t on the package nor is it on the Memorandum of Understanding – outlining that we can ‘import’ goods duty free because we are an NGO. I explained that I worked for the organisation and that I happened to be in Phnom Penh, therefore I was asked to collect the cameras. At this point, he decided that he needed the form to be signed by the Director of my organisation, to whom the goods had been sent and he also wanted an organisational chart to prove who I was. EASY!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I went to Blue Pumpkin, a café on the waterfront with wifi and received the letter from Sam with his signature. I also updated the organisational chart. I made my way to the printing shop (AGAIN) and printed off the copies of everything that I needed and made my way back to the Ministry of Customs and Excise. They weren’t going to beat me with their outlandish demands!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When I arrived, just after 11am it turns out that everyone had gone to lunch. Oh well, a good excuse for me to make my way to Vego’s for lunch with Bek and Morgan. If I was back just after 2pm, they should be back from lunch (Yes that’s right, this type of lunchtime is ‘normal’ especially with government departments). I left Bek and Morgan’s house at about 1.15pm and about 5 minutes into the trip it started pouring down with rain! I was carrying my bags from the weekend and everything started to get drenched. The lovely tuk tuk driver ran around to pull down the awnings to ensure that I didn’t get too wet. He did this before he even put on his own rain coat, I did try to tell him to put on his rain coat first in my broken Khmer. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It was bucketing down, which wouldn’t have mattered too much BUT the tuk tuk driver informed me that he wasn’t allowed to drive on Norodom (even though every other vehicle is allowed to!), the street that the Ministry is located on and so, he dropped me at the closest corner and left me there, with my bags, in the rain! I walked to the ministry when the rain eased slightly. The man in the navy coloured uniform wasn’t there. So I waited… and waited… and waited… By the time it got to 3pm there were at least 15 people like me, standing there, waiting to get that all important, special stamp. I had to leave at that point because otherwise I would have missed my bus home.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I LOST….<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Man in the Navy Coloured Uniform 1 def. Elysse 0<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Life Lesson – avoid eavesdropping on conversations that may lead to visiting the Ministry of Customs and Excise!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-29472461978351673392011-06-20T17:13:00.002+08:002011-06-20T17:13:28.945+08:00The First Few Weeks of Work!<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">This post is for my Grandpa, who thinks I have been spending too much time writing about fun things and not about what I am doing and achieving at work.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">I’ll start at the beginning, because I hear that this is a very good place to start.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">My job title here at Anjali House is Management Support Officer. I am working directly with Simon Ke, an amazing lady who is Deputy Director of the organisation and also mum of David (named after David Beckham and is two and a bit years old). Indirectly I will be working with every member of staff over the next year. There are currently about 13 people that volunteer or work here full time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">In this role, there are a number of objectives that my job description outlines must be achieved within the year. The most prudent of these tasks was the human resources objectives. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Human resources objectives? – you might ask… Well a lot of the documents I am currently creating in conjunction with Simon, include all of those ‘boring’ documents that most of you receive and never look at when you start a job. Things like ‘Grievance Procedures’, ‘Disciplinary Policies’, ‘Job Descriptions’, ‘Organisational Charts’ and the like. These documents will be great as the create guidelines and some direction for the staff that work here. We have also been working on position appraisals and after these are completed the next task will be training opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">There is a lot of work to be done, but everyone is very receptive to the ideas and small changes we have been looking at so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">My work hours are a little bit different to at home. I work Monday to Friday and start between 8 and 8.15 in the morning, we have lunch from 11am til 1.30pm and then we finish between 4 and 4.30pm. On most Saturday’s I attend a staff meeting at Anjali House, however Sam the Director of the organisation is pretty cruisy if I am going away or have plans for the weekend. In addition, as I seem to chase in all of my jobs, there is after hours work as well. Of course, I am used to this and these are the moments when you usually have the most fun in your work environment. For example, last night we hosted an event at the Peace Café. This included some readings by the students of their poetry and short stories. In addition the movie that was made last year was also played. This movie is very entertaining and had some of the audience rolling around on the ground with laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">The students here are amazing, I really love the organisation and what is trying to be achieved at Anjali House.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">The other day I got to visit the Young Adult House, a branch of the project that tries to complete the cycle, in regards to assisting the older students find meaningful employment or a pathway to higher education. This is probably my favourite part because it means that we don’t leave the kids high and dry when they finish school but ease them in to an independent and exciting future.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">I am looking forward to my extracurricular activity that will begin in the next week or so. A library has just been built on our premises and I am going to start lunchtime reading sessions during the lunch breaks, three times a week. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">So there is some information, to stop Grandpa worrying that my life is all just fun and games!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-69491289839736073742011-06-13T13:30:00.002+08:002011-06-13T13:35:09.051+08:00Cambodian Curry<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">My Note</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I am unsure how many people this dish would serve. Simply by looking at the ingredients, I would presume that it would serve four?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8INrwX9BFU62NTuXd6r2XRn96ZYOoYMGmaJsalnD-3hQ1idG8MFjR5fRb9gOR2kKWlls6-h7YTsBNs7wmLhAw-X6yYZDVmWuWGWth02BgNRs7ytdU9ocXpL8NNAw0lwIoftvp2j8prlD/s1600/IMGP0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8INrwX9BFU62NTuXd6r2XRn96ZYOoYMGmaJsalnD-3hQ1idG8MFjR5fRb9gOR2kKWlls6-h7YTsBNs7wmLhAw-X6yYZDVmWuWGWth02BgNRs7ytdU9ocXpL8NNAw0lwIoftvp2j8prlD/s320/IMGP0749.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzqtgtvik5J0XvxFolbFhgZSr6ExtRx9v5O7BGNN_8Mb5aLklcfh1zyjeY_dWhSPHEiM-mYf6dND9HakOkUFY0XdFEg77IGnT8MQuo9GxkIFAzgd6-eYYSKXP9IlFDLOqF-k8LHc2OiME/s1600/IMGP0750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzqtgtvik5J0XvxFolbFhgZSr6ExtRx9v5O7BGNN_8Mb5aLklcfh1zyjeY_dWhSPHEiM-mYf6dND9HakOkUFY0XdFEg77IGnT8MQuo9GxkIFAzgd6-eYYSKXP9IlFDLOqF-k8LHc2OiME/s320/IMGP0750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">500g Chicken Breast, cubed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 Medium Onion, sliced into ‘petals’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 Medium Eggplant<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 Sweet Potato<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">100g Cauliflower<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2 Lemongrass Sticks<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2-3 T Garlic<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3 T Shallots<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">50g Galangal<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 T Tumeric Powder<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3 Kaffir Limes, rind only<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 T Curry Powder<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 Chicken Stock Cube<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">450mL Coconut Cream<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 T Oil<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">½ - 1 Cup Water<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYksznHDH2ri-GG5mWpzcwW1kewmZayQPanoCTBpL-8jvYywY7iWLNhsFcbf4mgFHgz9Mw28tzJt_iI1rHhiMYebEWZhgCZ8CZTF-kRjo5zV14Q92ydxjc-poMZbNUWNKf3klEJdUd-NX_/s1600/IMGP0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYksznHDH2ri-GG5mWpzcwW1kewmZayQPanoCTBpL-8jvYywY7iWLNhsFcbf4mgFHgz9Mw28tzJt_iI1rHhiMYebEWZhgCZ8CZTF-kRjo5zV14Q92ydxjc-poMZbNUWNKf3klEJdUd-NX_/s320/IMGP0708.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Method<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1. Slice the rind, lemongrass, shallots, garlic and galangal finely</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2. Chop the vegetables into large irregular shapes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3. Add all the spices to the mortar, pound until a paste, set aside</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDxfEVVwoQnEDva4TB3av51BBYnNB1UpQuaYdsOaO3spgfryt_6WSvgzfh-Tc5obysBuKvbBiAChZySjVSM0dI8lgk1ctZOBLLl9X686VRmjU_8L4s62_9LE2HcvkIiiLe2fPuE6JbYcC/s1600/IMGP0712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDxfEVVwoQnEDva4TB3av51BBYnNB1UpQuaYdsOaO3spgfryt_6WSvgzfh-Tc5obysBuKvbBiAChZySjVSM0dI8lgk1ctZOBLLl9X686VRmjU_8L4s62_9LE2HcvkIiiLe2fPuE6JbYcC/s320/IMGP0712.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAakAC1k_ojs9SDiTwfF-lybm6e17vCNgJ99AOEXp5YgJx0LkIkZw3ia4BXwy4Mag7ouVpLl0ziuE0O2n72GluXjHz5HYTn2x845U6z6roA156-OsaUt8k0AhQkN04UynZz4B4R8IEJfvX/s1600/IMGP0714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAakAC1k_ojs9SDiTwfF-lybm6e17vCNgJ99AOEXp5YgJx0LkIkZw3ia4BXwy4Mag7ouVpLl0ziuE0O2n72GluXjHz5HYTn2x845U6z6roA156-OsaUt8k0AhQkN04UynZz4B4R8IEJfvX/s320/IMGP0714.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Heat a medium sized fry pan with oil – add the spice mix and cook until fragrant – medium heat, not hot</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Add fish</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">, cook thoroughly</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY92JrSkpVcqU8pcBsPEcP0uF__H8kFFBuOnllbyXUkio_to02HzTRd2hhdJO8QOgp1InU7Fk04rpPzMPsfjJSLsMC5jP0i5gY6k8WHxOrrLoZjrlugywIu2OnWeULuwDh8e67-Hc81Ykp/s1600/IMGP0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY92JrSkpVcqU8pcBsPEcP0uF__H8kFFBuOnllbyXUkio_to02HzTRd2hhdJO8QOgp1InU7Fk04rpPzMPsfjJSLsMC5jP0i5gY6k8WHxOrrLoZjrlugywIu2OnWeULuwDh8e67-Hc81Ykp/s320/IMGP0721.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Add a little coconut milk and water to the pan</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">7. Add the sweet potato, cook for 5 minutes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">8. Add the rest of the vegetables and cover with the remaining coconut milk and half a cup of wate</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">r – adjust accoding to the volume of vegetables</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, according to taste</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxAMEV3Nm6NDsZRPz9YwiK6X_-puuYJTEV1Bk72PyaWGL1SAiqU-eFEWcSPOhnA59IaEvZKZ-1_4geOwqGayNCM57tjQMyiFwzxtqXW5W4iLuswjE3GmaiK1BvgELiH52syAcmnZhnmiM/s1600/IMGP0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxAMEV3Nm6NDsZRPz9YwiK6X_-puuYJTEV1Bk72PyaWGL1SAiqU-eFEWcSPOhnA59IaEvZKZ-1_4geOwqGayNCM57tjQMyiFwzxtqXW5W4iLuswjE3GmaiK1BvgELiH52syAcmnZhnmiM/s320/IMGP0726.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">10. Co</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">ok until the vegetables are tender</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Serve with steamed rice and decorate with fresh basil leaves</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">---</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Curry Powder<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5g Star Anise<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">5 g Curry Seeds</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Method</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1. Cook the curry seeds in a dry frying pan for several minutes. Take care not to burn them</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2. Crush the star anise and curry seeds together in a mortar and pestle until they are a fine powder</span></span></div>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-34753336700495179172011-06-10T15:56:00.000+08:002011-06-10T15:56:34.973+08:00The Trip to Work<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many differences, and a few similarities, between life in Cambodia and life in Australia.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the differences is the trip to and from work. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I live on the outskirts of Siem Reap, in almost completely the opposite direction to work, which is also on the outskirts of town. However the trip, on by bicycle, only takes about 20 minutes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll give you a quick synopsis of both trips...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PERTH</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say good bye to Mum, and Dad if he happened to be home.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mum's last words would always be 'drive safe'.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hop in the car, my little Suzie Swift, switch the channel to Nathan, Nat & Shaun (Nova is good in the morning, but I loved listening to Hamish & Andy in the afternoon, ahhhhh..... Hamish!).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drive along, giggling to the funny stories, and catching up with the light news of the day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spend 40 or so minutes in a bit of a mindless daze, stopping and starting with the flow of the traffic (AND of course the stop signs and traffic lights).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arrive in Fremantle, decide whether it is worth spending $8 on parking, meaning a shorter walk or $5 on parking. Usually it would depend on how late I was running.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grab a coffee (and a muffin if I had snoozed too long and missed breakfast).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, I arrive at my destination, ready to begin my work day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SIEM REAP</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drag my bike out of the house (my land lord doesn't want people trying to get into the property because I have left my vehicle on my verandah).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say sua si dai (hello) to the lovely girl that spends her mornings sweeping our driveway.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hop on my bike, get my balance and head towards the gate.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say sua si dai to my land lord and/or the kids, dependent on who is already out and about.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start peddling the rocky track, until I reach the bitumen.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dodge the street carts selling snails, pancakes and a variety of noodles.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Head to town and grab breakfast (If I haven't already eaten), Soup Dragon is the favourite for an Asian breakfast and maybe Jo-to-Go or Central Cafe for Western style.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start the second half of the trip to work, this part usually includes lots of dogs wandering around, sleeping after a night protecting their property, cows munching on grass, rubbish will be burning outside people's properties, people sawing wood or damming a river and a number of other activities, most of which always blow me away.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some days you'll hear the faint sound of music, and you'll know that someone had passed away or is getting married, depending on the tune.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I continue peddling.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bitumen stops and I hit the muddy slush, if it has been raining the night before.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I concentrate really hard on following the secure parts of the route and not slipping into the mud, or worse, the open sewer (I am not looking forward to the first flood - when the sewer meets my road...).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, I arrive at my destination, ready to begin my work day.</span><br />
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</span>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-50604205747266944492011-06-09T17:22:00.000+08:002011-06-09T17:22:58.881+08:00An Assembly on Steroids!<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the last few weeks I have been informed about an activities that will be occurring on International Children’s Day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cambodia celebrates many international observance days, including this day and it is formally a public holiday in the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The activity that I refer to is an concert/propaganda machine that I would rather refer to as an assembly on steroids. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day began with me having breakfast (obviously this isn’t actually where my day began but this is where I will begin my story) at Soup Dragon, a Vietnamese restaurant on Pub Street that does an awesome Asian breakfast! After devouring a pork and rice I approached the nearest tuk tuk driver for a ride to Sama Pheap II. I mentioned that it was near BBU (the landmark that I was given and he said ‘Ahhh yes the wedding venue’. This gave me some confidence and we started our journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We drove past BBU, it was on the left hand side of the rode, and we kept driving and driving…. and driving… I started thinking that perhaps I should ask the driver how much further, but he hadn’t hesitated at all, so I thought ‘I’ll let this go on for another minute or so’. We were well into the countryside by now (which only takes about five minutes, in any direction, from the middle of Siem Reap) and I asked the question ‘how much further do you think it will be’. With this, the driver turns around in a huff and says ‘you said to keep going straight’. Funny this, because I hadn’t spoken for the duration of the trip and nor did I know where I was going. He must have had little Elysse voices in his head – poor love. Anyway, he asks me again where we are going and I politely say ‘Sama Pheap II’ and he begins again with ‘you told me no, keep going straight last time we were there’. Eventually I end up outside the entrance to the function centre and make may way inside. I had left the driver, who was chucking a strop because he was upset that I had only paid 2USD for the trip, he expected me to pay more because he had made a mistake. I think he was trying to scam me by driving past the destination.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The event consisted on children singing, dancing, playing instruments and eating free ice cream. My personal favourite was 'if you are happy and you know it'. Simply because I knew the words.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZmVxDlmIcDrs9SCqm-F8YDLvNosy5DdJ8GcHeN91jgL6YPdBsmdSnsV-FiSCweNtLsuRXTi4MazNwF7qpdOYzVZ_la96OPBhMgEtoyJAtEGZLAG9r5gISsLouj4tdfZYvoYlH-qUxKtQ/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZmVxDlmIcDrs9SCqm-F8YDLvNosy5DdJ8GcHeN91jgL6YPdBsmdSnsV-FiSCweNtLsuRXTi4MazNwF7qpdOYzVZ_la96OPBhMgEtoyJAtEGZLAG9r5gISsLouj4tdfZYvoYlH-qUxKtQ/s320/IMG_0509.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is Voleak, our lovely book keeper, who wouldn't take no for an answer and dragged me to the front, where all the barang were sitting.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRE2VSZyxoF-QB644oeL80m_4yE42NZE6tD8UJOT-rtDeb5FKdVcN7Ga2y6x6OfspSdn-PH9G6dYs_2JvDMpwFMzq8aJX7xqZNbfNk07UwZHaU3IMJ_fPTQhqgPOo9DeuiHItTmQaROaB/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRE2VSZyxoF-QB644oeL80m_4yE42NZE6tD8UJOT-rtDeb5FKdVcN7Ga2y6x6OfspSdn-PH9G6dYs_2JvDMpwFMzq8aJX7xqZNbfNk07UwZHaU3IMJ_fPTQhqgPOo9DeuiHItTmQaROaB/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 'little drummer boy', who didn't look at all enthused about being involved in the event.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1lvXcDYndf3XTw_9g0q_BzZ55Y5QjNXzcx1D906VoMg0pZloD9KtX03oM1ShSPOa_MXWUy5mCD9VDM5d1NgdRfmSFYdZNa4kXpKjVhCpz6OtMW-Mbof0vX6QDRvv4flIWIslYpegeeh6/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1lvXcDYndf3XTw_9g0q_BzZ55Y5QjNXzcx1D906VoMg0pZloD9KtX03oM1ShSPOa_MXWUy5mCD9VDM5d1NgdRfmSFYdZNa4kXpKjVhCpz6OtMW-Mbof0vX6QDRvv4flIWIslYpegeeh6/s320/IMG_0512.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is Sovann, the Kindergarten Teacher, escaping for a while to hang out with Voleak and myself. They are cousins.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslAnZ6Qvp2eLCeGeUPX7Z-zCLyf7CmZJ-qToPspq-zx8RM8uNIgvZM5jqTs9TmMRhztbod_7a1Y-sNhWyUnaji-WBpNyHBV8oc9GN3x99xrcPvPxDkzDZe-R8ZVQHQhs73NUEFedwfNqg/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslAnZ6Qvp2eLCeGeUPX7Z-zCLyf7CmZJ-qToPspq-zx8RM8uNIgvZM5jqTs9TmMRhztbod_7a1Y-sNhWyUnaji-WBpNyHBV8oc9GN3x99xrcPvPxDkzDZe-R8ZVQHQhs73NUEFedwfNqg/s320/IMG_0513.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the MC, who is the news presenter on Angkor CTV. They organised the event, and appeared to have co-sponsored it with the government, or maybe they are a branch of the government?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4Qhbz891gS2-_vKQ5DdWUJs8jftfZjmxSlSYiGxa6q8Ksnli0gTHYhLbamxqq3kbMLzduVKa6jamt-gIG6OWGFuBbwR2zQUPRYcy15gi3bTqRtmo8jQftDOSvrNBXlNSlSrgZkU7Qn14/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4Qhbz891gS2-_vKQ5DdWUJs8jftfZjmxSlSYiGxa6q8Ksnli0gTHYhLbamxqq3kbMLzduVKa6jamt-gIG6OWGFuBbwR2zQUPRYcy15gi3bTqRtmo8jQftDOSvrNBXlNSlSrgZkU7Qn14/s320/IMG_0519.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The famous pop group from Phnom Penh, who visited Siem Reap for the event. I feel privileged to have seen them 'play' live?!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_uWGYM0TYdVdFDgY9uDWEP7ICEMsguNTd7Xhowr8KsDLvuA-2MP7cwPujNZY4dcXApi1mxFjg1X46dx7Lj7iErTd0L6aPejQOsDm52Jz6RZD3KSAKkw87DjYi7zkIKZblBW65_kXED80/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_uWGYM0TYdVdFDgY9uDWEP7ICEMsguNTd7Xhowr8KsDLvuA-2MP7cwPujNZY4dcXApi1mxFjg1X46dx7Lj7iErTd0L6aPejQOsDm52Jz6RZD3KSAKkw87DjYi7zkIKZblBW65_kXED80/s320/IMG_0520.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the tree that people were dancing around, in a circle, it is a compulsory item... to have a dancing tree... wherever dancing may occur!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36FU_3Pt4XBtIBce3CjAB9aPDm1fQdxDolx2YPDE3b65BKXOpmoV6j9AWE274x-7blyvqsPkNqiKPdLitJaahZs5KSMLj0HtmrtzliR5smdkP8K_yrOamajVMKZwB3cvztWXPOlwSx1Fe/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36FU_3Pt4XBtIBce3CjAB9aPDm1fQdxDolx2YPDE3b65BKXOpmoV6j9AWE274x-7blyvqsPkNqiKPdLitJaahZs5KSMLj0HtmrtzliR5smdkP8K_yrOamajVMKZwB3cvztWXPOlwSx1Fe/s320/IMG_0522.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-4490131417546576892011-05-29T19:16:00.002+08:002011-05-30T14:47:15.619+08:00Fresh Spring Rolls<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">Makes 6</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhSgpPvpp8A588KuN1LEERMUuNLoyeAdSA00fPm1IqG0KxuGk7Abm3B-XLI_NUwmRxKqxi1v0IOrtMNZcUCZjNxAdqPler6d7VyprgjvY2Wub2lWbi9w0tf22EJarb5ZHN8tLz_m9TMqx/s1600/IMGP0772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhSgpPvpp8A588KuN1LEERMUuNLoyeAdSA00fPm1IqG0KxuGk7Abm3B-XLI_NUwmRxKqxi1v0IOrtMNZcUCZjNxAdqPler6d7VyprgjvY2Wub2lWbi9w0tf22EJarb5ZHN8tLz_m9TMqx/s320/IMGP0772.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Their Note<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><i>These spring rolls are delicious and the possibilities are endless. Add fresh prawns and avocado or perhaps spice them up with some diced chilli.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My Note<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Yes! I have made these before and I know that they are very similar to every other recipe that I have used to make these. However, one thing that was different to every other time, and made the rolling much easier, was to soak the rice paper in cold water until it is just soft. Another difference was the sauce – it is amazing! Try it out some time.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">6 rice paper sheets<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Grated or finely sliced carrot<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Mint leaves – bruised<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">¼ small cucumber diced<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Vermicelli noodles<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Salt and Pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Sliced cooked chicken breast (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Coriander leaves – roughly chopped or bruised<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Small dish of water<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Vietnamese basil leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Basil leaves – bruised<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Egg (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">1 tbs of soy sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrTxjNX7j5wHs70GOWj8sYRQBClp88vSBRvG6C3HdpHiqhahZ6R7ymyyIYnomwhxMup902WN2vtXrM51IkYVImCAKNsTUeJLyz9TAQBQnhKXp222a1f-jXYRFw2Yx_0MDNALDnQhy-QYm/s1600/IMGP0770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrTxjNX7j5wHs70GOWj8sYRQBClp88vSBRvG6C3HdpHiqhahZ6R7ymyyIYnomwhxMup902WN2vtXrM51IkYVImCAKNsTUeJLyz9TAQBQnhKXp222a1f-jXYRFw2Yx_0MDNALDnQhy-QYm/s320/IMGP0770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Method</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">1. Prepare all your ingredients first so the rolls can be prepared quickly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">2. Remove any tough stems from leaves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">3. Place dry vermicelli noodles in a bowl of boiling water for several minutes until soft – strain and rinse with cold water.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">4. Mix the egg and soy sauce together – poor into a fry pan and cook as a pancake. Remove, slice and cool (optional).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">5. Pour a little water over a large plate to cover the surface (when we did this the water was room temperature).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">6. Dip the rice paper sheets into the water and place on a flat surface.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">7. Add a little of each of the fillings to the paper.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">8. Add a touch of salt and pepper.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">9. Fold in each of the two ends and then roll tightly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">10. Serve with chilli or the spring roll dipping sauce.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Fresh Spring Rolls – Sauce</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">3 Tbs fish sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">2 Tbs palm sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">2 Tbs peanuts crushed<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">2 Tbs lime juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">1 tsp garlic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">1 tsp shallot<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4aoGv79tge8ermMxgRL0kdE1oV5hbuM2UNOnrHjJ6LF7832_zop0C-uGe2qR8SvLOQqIzxrqEvTeB0oZvelEoqzR73wE8M8_A_FXAWUZspjVRhJcyf1CAqRM_2rwcuOkQCw8riru23RK/s1600/IMGP0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4aoGv79tge8ermMxgRL0kdE1oV5hbuM2UNOnrHjJ6LF7832_zop0C-uGe2qR8SvLOQqIzxrqEvTeB0oZvelEoqzR73wE8M8_A_FXAWUZspjVRhJcyf1CAqRM_2rwcuOkQCw8riru23RK/s320/IMGP0767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Method</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">1. Mix palm sugar and fish sauce and lime juice together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">2. Boil this mix, take it off the cooker and set aside to cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">3. Add garlic and shallots and stir well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">4. Some chilli can be added for hot sauce.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9eE_yr8P_N_UrC_9vDtbCyA-lsJ57HgEl6qg63MYJARy_J87EXJvEbYXxCvnBCI7gn_YKboPU4O02Bn73JLav-mR9dmxnFeD66VbeOu7bVtrGqz6iIVkXtPQtTARPMbpyTxK43xwGTch/s1600/IMGP0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9eE_yr8P_N_UrC_9vDtbCyA-lsJ57HgEl6qg63MYJARy_J87EXJvEbYXxCvnBCI7gn_YKboPU4O02Bn73JLav-mR9dmxnFeD66VbeOu7bVtrGqz6iIVkXtPQtTARPMbpyTxK43xwGTch/s320/IMGP0769.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><ol><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></li>
</ol>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-58849962495427611392011-05-29T19:11:00.003+08:002011-05-30T14:48:11.088+08:00Cooking ClassI decided to do something a bit different this Sunday so I booked myself into a cooking class.<br />
<br />
I have already found myself a trusty travel agent and have been there numerous times already - booking bus tickets, a taxi to Poipet and now a cooking class.<br />
<br />
The morning began with me arriving a little early to my pick up point, which I decided to make the travel agents as it is too hard to be picked up from home. I got chatting to the lovely K'mai lady who works for '<a href="http://www.beyonduniqueescapes.com/cambodia/about-us.html">Beyond. Unique Escapes</a>' and she gave me a history of herself and the organisations that she works for.<br />
<br />
We got on to the 'I'm not pretty because I don't have white skin, therefore no one will ever marry me' topic. I seem to be having this conversation ALOT! She was a lovely girl and really liked a chat which was good because we were sat there chatting for awhile (I think the driver was running a little late to pick me up).<br />
<br />
The cooking class was to be held about 10 minutes out of the town center in a little village. Siem Reap is funny like that, you can do this in any direction, just drive for between 10 to 15 minutes and you are in the middle of rice paddies and a rural setting.<br />
<br />
We arrived at <a href="http://www.sojournsiemreap.com/">Sojourn</a> where the class was to be held, and boy was it an oasis in the middle of poverty! As part of the class, we were invited to drop in on a local family to see what their kitchen looks like and how they go about cooking their meals. The family that were visited were a young couple (the wife was my age), and they have three children, the youngest being five and a half months old. From an outsiders perspective without doing any research into it, it appears that the families surrounding Sojourn get a reasonable amount of assistance from them. For example, for a five minute visit to this family, they received two kilograms of rice. They also had a water filtration system that had been set up by <a href="http://www.thetrailblazerfoundation.org/about_history.html">Trailblazer</a>. The tour guide told us that the families are not imposed upon, they are only visited by the cooking classes about once a week. The living conditions of this family were quite similar to one of the families that I visited from <a href="http://www.anjali-house.com/">Anjali House</a>, where I am working.<br />
<br />
We spent the day cooking six different dishes, all of which were very tasty. I will post some recipes for those of you that are interested. The dishes included;<br />
<br />
Fish Amok<br />
<a href="http://elyssetravels.blogspot.com/2011/05/fresh-spring-rolls.html">Fresh Spring Rolls</a><br />
Sticky Rice Flour Balls with Palm Sugar<br />
Mango Salad<br />
Nom Tong Noun<br />
Cambodian Curryelyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-12492027760507156442011-05-27T17:50:00.003+08:002011-05-30T10:34:16.654+08:00Welcome to Cambodia (& your first five day weekend!)…<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kampot, Kep & Rabbit Island<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The long weekend began with a four and a half to five hour bus trip down to Phnom Penh. I was really hoping to spend the weekend reading my book, but I was seated next to a lovely K’mai man who decided to give me a language lesson throughout the trip. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrived in Phnom Penh to a torrential downpour, so made my way to Street 240 and ‘The Shop’ for a relaxing lunch whilst I waited to hear back from Bek about directions to her house. I had a week’s worth of pent up frustrations (i.e. house hunting!!) that I needed to get off my chest, Meagan – Bek’s housemate let me go on my little rant whilst Bek was busy skyping her husband.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first order of the day was a mani/pedi, all three of us made our way to tips and toes and we chatted as our nails had some life brought back into them! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were running a little late to get to Vijay’s place, but quickly realised that we weren’t the only ones, when Jacqui hopped out of her tuk tuk at the same time as us. A quick taste test of Angkor’s Stout was in order while we waited for Guy to arrive, he was the unlucky one that had to work on Friday. We piled into out taxi and spent the two and a half hour trip playing car games to entertain ourselves and take away some of the discomfort of being squished into the back seat of the car. For about two thirds of the trip I had been on the look out for a toilet, in the end we had to request that the driver pull over, in our broken k’mai. I felt so much better, until we drove on a further five minutes and I realised that we had arrived at our destination! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent the evening at the Bohdi Tree which we later discovered backs on to the river and then caught a tuk tuk back to Irena’s. A lovely wooden home, on stilts which is located in a semi built up area of town (although when we first arrived, because it was night time and there are no street lights we thought that we were in the middle of nowhere!!). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we went on an adventure. We thought that we were only going to Bokor Hill to see the casino. It was a bit of a surprise when the tour guide started pointing at our thongs and saying “You’re hiking in those?!”. We thought we’d be ok, and we were, but it was a steep and slippery slope and there may or may not have been leeches that decided to attach themselves to us! We got to the top and were then directed to our mini van, it did have brakes but they decided that a plank of wood should be put behind the tyres to ensure its stability as 15 well-built westerners hopped in! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The casino was an amazing site to be seen, it is a ruin that we could wander through as we liked, this included getting lost as we made our way upstairs, through the rabbit warren. We had lunch in the old hospital and the tour guide proceeded to tell us of the plans that the developer has for the area. I’m afraid that next time we visit (not within the next year but ‘next time’) the whole entire hill side will be covered in hotels, houses and who knows what else! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By this time we had been informed of our second surprise of the day – a visit to the local waterfalls and they were beautiful. As we arrived it reminded me slightly of Bell Gorge in the Kimberley region of WA. The water was kind of murky and didn’t look appetizing to swim in but it also wasn’t very hot on the top of mountain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were exhausted by this stage, but the tour company had also organised for us to go on a sunset cruise down the river. We made our way on to the boat that was waiting for us, only to find that this was not the right boat, we had to jump on to that one that had just pulled into the mooring instead. We sat on top on the roof, drank beers, ate rambutans, made lack lustre conversation and watched the world go by. We were meant to be out on the water for two hours but reached a unanimous decision at the half an hour mark that we should head for home – we were ravenous! We had been told about this great little pizza place down the street from Irena’s house and we gorged ourselves on pizza. With very full tummy’s we made our way to Irena’s house for a well-earned sleep – or at least we tried to… but we got incredibly lost! We had people giving us various different directions, although we eventually found our way home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we went to Epic Arts Café for a yummy start to the day. The tuk tuk collected us for our trip into Kep, where we would meet the boat that would take us to Rabbit Island. In Kep there is a limit to the amount of people that can travel in a tuk tuk within the town. This meant that Jacqui, Irena and myself had to wait about half an hour for the driver to drop the others off to the boat and come back to collect us. There were many families out and about, everyone seemed to be on the sea shore enjoying picnics in the lovely, sunny weather.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The boat that collected us looked as though the propeller was made out of whipper snippers. On the way over two fish jumped into our boats – it was hilarious. We arrived on the island and the skipper took us to his friend’s restaurant where we could organise our accommodation for the night. We stayed in these wooden, thatched beach huts that were quite comfortable. They had squat toilets and the showers didn’t work, but we spent a lot of time at the beach but we didn’t have to worry about that. The food on the island was pretty average. The menus looked great but we everything that we asked for wasn’t available. We found these tyre tubes that were available for us to float on and we asked the policeman who was sitting near them if they were for us to use and he said yes. We had a great time floating around and then when we lazily removed ourselves from the water to find that the policeman wanted to charge us $7!! What extortion – he never told us before we used them, nor was there a sign! We walked away saying that we would come back with payment later, with no intention of doing so – we thought he was taking us for a ride and just joking with us! He came searching for payment whilst Vijay, Irena and I were peacefully reading our books and the others were having a massage. He was casually loitering around the massage tables, waiting for them to finish when he spotted us!! Poor Irena had to deal with him and grab some money whilst Vijay and I sat there pretending that we had never seen him before – sorry Irena! We walked in the other direction down the beach later and saw that there was a different place that also had the tyres for hire, they were also charging about $1 per tyre! Oops! The rest of the holiday consisted of Jacqui and I teaching the others to plays Kings and a relaxing morning at the beach before we headed back to Kep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we arrived in Kep we had to do the annoying ‘two trips into the town because I cannot carry six people in my tuk tuk’. I was in the second travelling group and by the time we got to the seafood restaurant there was a beautiful assortment of treats to enjoy! The crab and fish dishes were AMAZING!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then took the trip back to Kampot, had some afternoon tea and said our goodbyes to Irena. We became even more friendly on the way back from Kampot because the car ride was a little squishy!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t wait till our next trip together!!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-6786183296009197432011-05-20T14:36:00.000+08:002011-05-20T14:36:31.044+08:00A 'Home' in Siem Reap<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I finally have a house!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somewhere that I can call home, instead of a hostel room, with my clothes strewn in different piles across the floor (I know what you are thinking right now mum… “that’s just what you are like at home”!!).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not that there is anything wrong with the hostel that I am staying in, it’s lovely and I would highly recommend it to anyone that visits Siem Reap.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The house hunting process took a little longer than I thought it would – partly my fault and partly because of circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first place I looked at was only 150USD a month, I’d budgeted 250USD, so this house would have allowed me some extra cash but was the size of a shoe box! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found out about a different house, when my Director and I were at the bank depositing a cheque. We got chatting to an acquaintance of his that was leaving town and she mentioned that her house was available for rent. I went and checked it out after work and it would have been great, it had more space than the one I’d seen earlier and was the same price. The landlady was really sweet. I was very interested in the property and told the current tenant that I would take it. She explained that she did not want to rush me, and gave me the evening to think about it. After calling her and confirming the following morning, I was very disappointed to find that I was called two days later saying that the property was no longer mine. I had already made plans to go away for the King’s Birthday long weekend, so the house hunting would have to wait. There was fun to be had in Kampot, Kep and Rabbit Island – there was no way that I was going to be missing out!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried to find the real estate agents office yesterday at lunchtime, but I couldn’t communicate with the tuk tuk driver about where I wanted to go. I made an appointment to see the real estate agent today and with map in hand arrived in time to be shown four houses/apartments. Two were right next door to the real estate agents office, one was right beside the river – a perfect location and the other was very close to the two properties that I saw on Day 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The house that I chose looks a lot fancier than what I was expecting to be staying in but its light and bright, will be great for visitors, has a huge living area and dining room, nice kitchen and best of all – TWO BATH TUBS!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The landlords are lovely, a family that lives on the same property but in a different house. The wife is a stay at home mum, the husband a tour guide and they have four children, three girls and one boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The experience at the Real Estate agents was quite funny, as you enter, on the wall above the receptionists desk are about 100 cheesy photographs of people shaking hands and not only do you signs the documents but you must also give your thumb print.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will forward pictures of this over the weekend, I move in on Saturday!!</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-21729775623818955982011-05-18T12:42:00.002+08:002011-05-18T12:42:41.665+08:00A bus trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">I wasn’t feeling well, I had a cold and was acting like a boy with man flu. I dragged myself out of bed, finished packing and popped downstairs to the hotel lobby where I was to wait for the small bus that would take me to the big bus. I was quickly warned by the driver and the assistant at the front desk of the hotel that because I had so much luggage I would have to be very careful at the bus station, making sure that it all got aboard the bus. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I sat myself in 3A, very glad that it was a window seat, something to lean on while I had a nap. I made the effort to introduce myself to my neighbour, a Dermatologist from Germany and then promptly fell asleep. I left the hotel just before 7am, and we arrived at our lunch stop at about 11.30am. The poor Dermatologist thought that we had already reached Siem Reap, I was the one to inform him that I thought we still had about two hours to go. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Myself, the Dermatologist and an IT Banking Specialist from Hong Kong found ourselves sitting together at the table, actually I found myself falling asleep in my food, still grumbling about my cold. It was at this point that the IT Banking Specialist informed us that the bus had stopped for a while during our journey because of a flat tyre. I am really glad that I wasn’t the only one that hadn’t noticed this, the Dermatologist must have been having a nap too! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My napping was constantly interrupted by other things; the constant warning honk to cars, push bikes, pedestrians, cows etc., as we overtook them and the loud karaoke that was playing on the screen in the front of the bus! The window slowly became my enemy, not my friend. Each time I was woken up, as a reflect I would smack my head on the side of the bus, ouch! We finally reached our destination at about 2.30pm, we’ll see how a different bus goes this weekend when I do the return journey!</div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-12357798274562177022011-05-18T12:37:00.000+08:002011-05-18T12:37:48.135+08:00First Night on the Job<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received a phone call at about 5.30pm on Sunday night, informing me of a change of plans… That’s cool, a few drinks and maybe some nibbles at the FCC, meet a few people from around Siem Reap… What should I wear... Smart Casual… No problems, see you at 7pm!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glad I didn’t wear jeans!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turned out that we were meeting with some reasonably high flyers from Texas. I’m guessing that’s what “I own a few businesses in Texas, oil…’ means? They mustn’t just do drinks and nibbles because I got served a four course meal, I’m really glad that I knew which cutlery to use! I’m also glad that I didn’t have to pick up the bill. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whilst making witty conversation and trying my best to impress the high flyers (many thanks to Fremantle for the numerous opportunities to hone my skills), I also ‘sold’ a holiday to the trip organisers - the travel agents that were in charge of this particular trip, after all the Kimberly region of WA – especially Broome is “a much better option than Uluru”. Do I get any commission Tourism WA? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also met the author of Angkor: Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, Dawn Rooney. This was very exciting as I had purchased this book prior to my departure. I did have to guility admit to Dawn that I didn’t have the space to fit it in my luggage and was therefore waiting for my first visitor to bring it over with them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the night wrapped up and we went our separate ways I got a warning from my Director… “Don’t expect this type of evening to happen regularly whilst you are here, it’s a very unusual event”.</span><o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment-->elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-14525127915766377062011-05-02T22:50:00.001+08:002011-05-02T22:52:08.408+08:00Tuol Sleng - S.21<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Saturday we visited a place called Tuol Sleng, the former office of S.21. For this entry I am not going to pretend that I know anything about the history of Cambodia, what I will do though, is supply some photographs, websites that I have seen referenced in regards to this part of the nations history and also some of the literature that was handed to me as I entered this Genocide Museum.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Toul Sleng is a Genocide Museum and the former security office of S.21 in ‘Democratic Kumpuchea’. Pol Pot (a name that he created, as it had no meaning and less syllables, making him more ‘working class’ than his previous name – Sa lut Sor) created this office in 1975, it is located in the middle of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The office was designed for detention, interrogation, inhumane torture and killing after confession from detainees was received and documented.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prior to becoming S.21, the site hosted Tuol Sleng Primary School and Tuol Svay Prey High School.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Figures of prisoners that were held in S.21 are approximately as follows;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1975…..154<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1976…..2250<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1977…..2350<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1978…...5765<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">** These numbers do not include children killed by the Khmer Rouge. This number is approximately 20, 000.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, it is estimated that the Khmer Rouge regime killed between 2 and 3 million K’mai people, the majority of these being city dwelling, educated people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At Tuol Sleng we saw an image of an Australian man, David Scott, which intrigued me. I did some further research and found that not one, but two Australians were killed by an order from Comrade Duch. For more information on David Scott and Ron Dean, two men who went sailing and ended up in the worst place at a worst time, </span><a href="http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/7926526/the-crimes-of-comrade-duch"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the same article is some information about </span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney Schanberg , one of the only westerners to escape the regime. His story is featured in an autobiography called Beyond the Killing Fields and there is a movie called the Killing Fields which provides some details of his story. I saw this before arriving in Cambodia and it is well worth watching. For more information on Sydney's story, please </span><a href="http://www.beyondthekillingfields.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish to find out some more stories from the perspective of the K'mai people, however, these stories will have to be added to this blog as time goes on and I'm sure that eventually there will be many.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2001 the Cambodian National Assembly passed a law to create a court to try serious crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime 1975-1979. This court is called the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the Prosecution of Crimes Committed during the Period of Democratic Kampuchea (Extraordinary Chambers or ECCC).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The government of Cambodia insisted that, for the sake of the Cambodian people, the trial must be held in Cambodia using Cambodian staff and judges together with foreign personnel. Cambodia invited international participation due to the weakness of the Cambodian legal system and the international nature of the crimes, and to help in meeting international standards of justice. An agreement with the UN was ultimately reached in June 2003 detailing how the international community will assist and participate in the Extraordinary Chambers. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Case 001 was the first case before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. Kaing Guek Eav alias Duch, the former Chairman of the Khmer Rouge S-21 Security Center in Phnom Penh, is the defendant in Case 001. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This case is currently at appeal.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information on Comrade Duch, please </span><a href="http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/indicted-person/kaing-guek-eav"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are four defendants in Case 002: </span><br />
<div><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nuon Chea</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, aged 84, former Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, for more information, please </span><a href="http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/indicted-person/nuon-chea"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ieng Sary</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, aged 85, former Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs, for more information, please </span><a href="http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/indicted-person/ieng-sary"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Khieu Samphan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, aged 79, former Head of State, for more information, please </span><a href="http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/indicted-person/khieu-samphan"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">; and </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ieng Thirith</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, aged 78, former Minister of Social Affairs, for more information, please </span><a href="http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/indicted-person/ieng-thirith"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></li>
</ul></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The four defendants were initially indicted and ordered to be sent for trial in a Closing Order issued by the Co-Investigating Judges on 15 September 2010. Following appeals from all four defendants, the Pre-Trial Chamber confirmed and partially amended the indictments and ordered the case to be sent for trial on 13 January 2011. </span><br />
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</span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The defendants are indicted on charges of crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, genocide; and homicide, torture, and religious persecution within the meaning of the Cambodian Penal Code from 1956.</span><br />
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</span> </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The trial is expected to commence in the first half of 2011.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At Tuol Sleng the had an art exhibition, some of the photos depicted in this are located below. They are painted by a Dutch man named </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter Klashorst, for more information on his works, please </span><a href="http://www.peter-klashorst.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that I have not done this story justice, but I wanted to give a brief overview of what I have learned thus far.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-45423968345302312762011-05-02T16:24:00.004+08:002011-05-02T16:27:58.800+08:00The Beers of Cambodia... Anchor v Angkor<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well it makes it a little confusing when the two main beers available in a country are Anchor and Angkor...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From what we've worked out so far....</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anchor is a little cheaper, in taste and cost, probably the equivilent to a VB (except I don't know if this is true in regards to the actual taste of VB, as I haven't drunk it before, more so just in regards to the quality of the beer when compared to Angkor). Anchor is pronounced Aan Chore, which is a little confusing because there is a picture of an anchor on the front of the bottle.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angkor, definately hits the spot after a hot and sweaty day, out and about on the streets of Phnom Penh.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"> <a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcmTmsnFnk7hFWoovs_6foPBbrhxtL-PzeG2tXdJcT9H3f5Y6ltA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="rg_hi" data-height="240" data-width="135" height="200" id="rg_hi" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcmTmsnFnk7hFWoovs_6foPBbrhxtL-PzeG2tXdJcT9H3f5Y6ltA" style="height: 240px; width: 135px;" width="112" /></a> </span><img height="200" id="il_fi" src="http://beer.sihanoukville-cambodia.com/pics/anchor-can.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="129" /><br />
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</span>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-10051177574594636922011-05-02T15:52:00.002+08:002011-05-02T15:59:45.116+08:00Big Fish, Little Fish<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a very reputable (as verified by a current AYAD) theory on Cambodian traffic rules.</span><a href="http://macmcrae.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/fishsmile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://macmcrae.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/fishsmile.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" /></span></a><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bigger you are, the greater your influence on the traffic within your vicinity.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you cling to a big fish, and are a little fish, this also makes your trip a safer experience.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By placing many little fish together, you can become a big fish, as long as you move as one.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The traffic moves like water, and flows, rather than having a specific order, and it moves at a slow and steady pace rather than a mad rush, with people speeding.</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This will now be known as 'Elysse's Theory on Traffic in Cambodia or Big Fish, Little Fish', please feel free to reference me in any transportation or traffic journals :-P</span>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-33402454622184507352011-04-29T15:39:00.002+08:002011-04-29T16:05:48.698+08:00A field day for Australian Authorities...Today as I wondered past a chalkboard out the front of the bar that we went to last night, I had to laugh! 'Buy two cocktails and get a shooter for free!' I immediately thought of the people at the Drug and Alcohol Office, in Perth, that I worked with while I was at Fremantle and how they would react to an offer such as this.<br />
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That same bar is awesome, it looks like a resort, is aptly named 'elsewhere' and there is a swimming pool, or three, located in the bar, yup that's right folks, have a few drinks and then go for a dip - anyone heard of 'don't drink and drown'.<br />
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Last night we went on a boat cruise, the railing on the top level of the boat came up to our knees. I wouldn't want it to get too rocky out there, that's for sure!<br />
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I thought all of this was hilarious, and everywhere I look there is stuff like this going on. I think it's going to be hard when I go back to Australia after the year and be told what to do instead of just using your common sense like you have to here.<br />
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I was chatting to some of the AYADs last night and they mentioned that there is a Cambodian Cobras Football Club. I think I might get involved in that a little bit, it would be great to travel to Vietnam, Thailand or somewhere to watch a game! At least I finally found some people that can point me in the direction of where I can watch the footy. The Australian Network is also really good for this, they show all of the games over the weekend. All of the AYADs and VIDAs that we met were lovely, it'll be great to get to know some of them better throughout the year. Check out their website, not much content yet?! http://cambodiancobras.com/<br />
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Bek and I were recommended a really good hairdresser, Jerome at The French Element, for those that visit Cambodia definately save your hair cuts until you arrive! He's great and very cheap compared to Australian prices.<br />
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I went shopping today - people lie if they say that you can't get awesome well made clothes here, I found a beautiful linen, cotton lined work dress and scarf for USD40 at Elsewhere, located just above the bar of the same name.<br />
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Anyway, trying to keep these shorter.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
Elysse<br />
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xoxoxelyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1645692430058235680.post-68289910991564243682011-04-27T18:36:00.002+08:002011-04-27T18:46:23.588+08:00Sua S'Dei from Phnom Penh<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love riding about in a tuk tuk, it just feels so exotic. Everything about Penh Penh is a little bit exotic, but tuk tuks are something that I hope I never take for granted! You get such a great feel for the city in this type of transportation. We got recommended a great driver whose name is Vut and he will probably be taking us to the killing fields on the weekend.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I"m typing I'm sitting in a cafe/restaurant called Jacob's Well. It is a place that is run by Frank Woods, who set it up to empower local people through employment, there are so many places like this all around PP. I've just been sitting here quietly with Jacqui and Vijay. Irena was here before me and Bek is supposed to drop by soon. We've all been catching up on news from home, Jacqui has been scouring the options for housing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of us are trying to sort out accommodation, although I'm not too stressed about this yet, because I can't do much until I get to Siem Reap. Today we met a VIDA who is working at Marie Stopes in PP and has lived in Cambodia previously. Her name is Emily and her sister, Sophie is based in SR as an AYAD. It was great to have a chat to her and get a 'real life' perspective from someone in our position. She mentioned that it is really easy to purchase western foods, which was reinforced when Bek and I visited the supermarket again today, to restock my mangosteen and water supply, and we had to pry ourselves away from the lindt chocolate and pringles!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the first night we ate a meal at Ban Ban restaurant, right next to our hotel. I had stir fried beef, vegetables and noodles which was lovely. Everything here comes with a chilli sauce on the side, which is kind of like ABC chilli sauce at home but not as hot. We were all so tired that we piled into bed pretty early that evening.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOci47F6KhEGS68x95ejP1xu_wQWEFc13Z7_zDSulRfjx5tvy5z4_I_9a6kGkdz340TqwMkztcR6qrE_J1qAMpSjKuvrsqTk4OnvTD0wVchn9ym2_vpM0mgYUg2XfGf2BM6SQtTf25yZuj/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOci47F6KhEGS68x95ejP1xu_wQWEFc13Z7_zDSulRfjx5tvy5z4_I_9a6kGkdz340TqwMkztcR6qrE_J1qAMpSjKuvrsqTk4OnvTD0wVchn9ym2_vpM0mgYUg2XfGf2BM6SQtTf25yZuj/s320/IMG_0441.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early Tuesday morning we visited the Australian Embassy, this is located right next to the National Assembly. It's a very fancy and modern building that looks out of place, but makes you feel at home, you could see the remnants of an ANZAC day celebration, with wreaths laid beside a memorial as we entered the building. We met with Penny, the Ambassador who has previously worked in China and Japan, she is such a knowledgeable lady. She has only been in the job for six months, but has such a great understanding of the relationship between Australia and Cambodia, as well as a great way of explaining the information that we may need to know about in regards to living in Cambodia. Jennifer and Thea (a khmer lady) were very friendly and explained about Ausaid's role in Cambodia, and the programs that it is involved in. We also met with Shelley, who gave us a security briefing and Brian, the embassy's doctor. Brian sent me an email earlier outlining who I should see in SR if I have any medical concerns.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rest of the day was spent with Bek, Vijay and Guy visiting their Host Organisations. They all had such positive experiences, which I think bodes well for the rest of us. Irena, Jacqui and myself went exploring the city and the main sights in PP which we followed up with a visit to Seeing Hands, a massage clinic where blind masseurs sorted out my aching feet and other other girls received full body massages. This only cost 7USD for feet and 6USD for whole body. By this stage we were running late to meet the others for dinner. We wanted to make it to FCC in time for sunset, as this is the time that the Elephant from Wat Phnom walks along the river to his humble abode. We made it in time for this and Happy Hour! It was Vijay's birthday so we decided to give him 50USD towards his motorbike, we were very disappointed that he wouldn't let us sing him Happy Birthday. I tried to start it up when his dessert arrived, but if looks could kill.... We had a great night chilling out on the roof top bar, eating dinner and playing 'dinner party' games.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent today with Hour and Sela talking about Khmer culture and expectations of us during our time in Cambodia. The sessions ended reasonably early and we were able to spend some down time doing as we pleased. Bek and I made a visit to Seeing Hands, I could get used to a daily massage!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we have a very similar day planned to today, expect we will be looking at land mines and the child protection policy. The day will end with a boat cruise and we will get to meet some of the other AYADs and VIDAs.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. Seems as though Bek gave me a plug on her blog, for a different perspective you may like to check out her blog at http://notgoinggently.wordpress.com at the moment we are in the same place doing the same thing, but in just over a week and a half she will be staying in PP while I head off to SR.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until next time,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elysse</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xoxox</span>elyssetravelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07427592216820653184noreply@blogger.com0