Smile like you mean it

Watching somebody do something they have an absolute passion for is truly inspiring. We had the chance at the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand. Her name is Lek Chailert, her cause is great and her commitment even greater; Save the Elephants.

All around me are familiar faces

Surprise, surprise…my blogging has been less than steady over the past few weeks and I once again find myself behind. For this one I am going to take a piece of advice from Nicole and keep it short and sweet and share the rest with you when I am home in a couple weeks.

Let me start by saying that I love Cambodia, and here are five reasons why:

1. I am a Winnipegger, hence I am cheap. Thankfully Cambodia is one of the cheapest countries we’ve visited and anytime you can buy a pint of beer for 50 cents you know you are in a good place.

2. The natural beauty of Cambodia is sensational. The parts we visited were very prairie-like but instead of wheat fields there were rice fields which were incredible. I think I have actually gained a true appreciation for “flat” ever since I’ve left home.

3. I love food. Cambodian or Khmer food is some of the best we’ve eaten. Without a doubt the week in Cambodia was far and away our most well fed yet. The best part of it all is that the cheaper and grittier the place, the better the food! We got the chance to meet up with Robin and Sara again and we found a great little local hole that fed us like Kings for under 4 bucks each.

4. The Temples of Angkor are completely and utterly awe-inspiring. I knew little to nothing about them before visiting Cambodia but I now believe that they are one of the true wonders of the world and a pure spectacle of engineering and beauty.

5. I love an underdog, and to me Cambodia is as much an underdog country that is out there. After being absolutely decimated in the late 1970’s by a genocide suffered at the hands of the Khmer Rouge and the Pol Pot regime, the country although still struggling has bounced back in a big way. Two million people, nearly one third of Cambodia’s population suffered tragic deaths at the hands of the regime but yet thirty years post tragedy the country is in great spirits. Choosing to move on, instead of dwell on the past Cambodians are a very welcoming and high spirited group of people who seem genuinely excited to have you as a visitor in their country and it really is no wonder…it’s a fascinating place.

See you in Northern Thailand,

kc