There’s nothing like the first night back in one’s own bed after 4 weeks away! I filed away familiar sounds – dropped and moved items above, fireworks, of trucks on late night runs – and the lovely scent of eucalyptus from my dried arrangement.
I really do love visiting Cambodia. I don’t feel drawn to live there, but I very much enjoy having a safe and comfortable place to visit. I was inspired during my recent trip to Phnom Penh so here are some Cambodia stories for you.
I love the mix of foreign and familiar I get here in Phnom Penh. The familiar is part the similarities of expat life, and part the sheer number of times I’ve been here. In 2013 I spent 6 weeks in Cambodia, as opposed to 3 weeks in Australia.
Part 2 of my Great Wall Adventures spans 2006-2013 and includes Mutianyu, Badaling, Laolongtou, Zhengbeilou, Huanghuacheng, and even Yumen Pass in Gansu province. But my favourite is probably Mutianyu covered with snow!
The Great Wall is not a single entity but a collection of segments built over 2,500 years. They range across more than 2,500km east-west and 2,000km north-south. Only small portions have been reconstructed; most of the Great Wall is in ruins.
August is rainy season in Cambodia. There was rain most days, some thunderstorms and flooding. I love it here. It is, the perfect blend of familiar and foreign. I speak survival Khmer – enough to get around, not enough to converse.
In Perth with my sister I took a ferry to Fremantle – complete with dolphins, watched State of Origin, went shopping, visited a Beijing friend at a cidery in the hills, and saw a play. It was a great time, with clear air and cider. Then I went home.
Broome is a town of about 15,000 people on the northwest coast of Australia, in the Kimberley region. I enjoyed both expaneses of blue – sky and sea – plus Cable Beach, Gantheaume Point Beach, Courthouse markets, and stargazing.
I made the mistake of going to a shopping centre by myself. I was overwhelmed by everything! Strangers speaking English to me, English all around me, new products, familiar stuff repackaged, self-service checkouts – and SO many choices.
A fun thing about my trips to Cambodia is relationships with the TCKs there. A highlight of the trip was when two students made comments about “saying goodbye to Tanya is easy – I know she’ll be back”. In TCK world, that’s a big deal.
As my cab pulled up to the train station I suddenly realised I didn’t have my passport with me. Tianjin is so close to Beijing it didn’t feel like travel and it hadn’t occurred to me to bring it, but as I arrived I realised I would need it. Problem.
The travertinepools, waterfalls, and wide swaths of limestone bumps, stretch up to 70m across (230 ft) across the valley. The mix of greens – dark pines, bright deciduous – fascinated me. Equally stunning were pools of clear bright aqua water.
Stories From Tanya 