Cambodia

I went not knowing what to expect. I made it back, barely in one piece. I think everyone should see Angkor Wat at least once in their life.

The poverty among the local people in Siem Reap is appalling. Children roam the streets without shoes and half naked. The sanitation levels are just inhuman and the air so polluted the PSI reading would have registered at least 300. The heat beating down is unbearable. The smell that circulates the air is pungently rancid and nasty. This is not what puzzles me.....I would expect that from years and years of civil war.

Everyday thousands of tourist arrive in bus loads from all over the world. Filling up hotels to full capacities. We paid SGD $140 for our hotel room a night. They charge us USD 20 a day just to enter the Angkor Heritage park. That place is crowded. You can't even take a picture without having a stranger in your frame. We had to hire a car to take us round the park. The fees USD 25 a day. Lunch was the most horrible tasting thing that I have tasted in my life.....fried snake head fish ( taste like a rotten fish ball...mushy, fishy, pasty) cost USD 5. Fried beef USD 5....worst tasting thing I have ever eaten. (it's meat from a buffalo!!!!). All these money pouring in from the thousands of tourist, where is it going? This is what puzzles me....hopefully one day in the near future all the riches and wealth from all the tourist dollar will filter down to the people of Siem Reap.

Although I fell really ill the last 2 days of my trip, I am really glad that I made this journey and have this opportunity to see one of the greatest archaeological finds of our time.

Goodbye heartland, hello ulu land

We will be moving in a couple of months. Away from the heartland and I am so going to miss the sights, sounds, smell and taste of it.

The "you tiao" or mee rebus for breakfast followed by a walk in the wet market where everything is pungent, slippery and crowded. I am going to miss the wet market's organised mess, its amazing how the chicken stall aunty seems to know everyone and gets everyone order right. And still give the right change!

The numerous coffeeshops just located a stones throw away from each other. Giving us endless choice of food from porridge to western food to noodles and fish head curry. The best part of all its only a 5 mins walk from our flat.

I am going to miss the convenience of having banks and ATMs just steps from my home, not to mention the provision shop that sells everything under the sun. This place is just amazing, we have MacDonald's, KFC, post office, OCBC, POSB, Gaurdian Pharmacy, NTUC, Watsons, 6 bakeries, about 6 coffeshops, Sheng siong supermarket, 7-11, ATMS for most banks, pawn shops, florist, book store, 4D shop, medicine hall, shops that sell party supplies. All these located just 5 minutes from my home.

I am so sad that we are leaving this place...mostly importantly its the first home we ever bought together and our child was born here. We have so many happy memories in this house. It's the only home my child has ever known.

As we get ready to move to our new home, I will always hold dear in my heart this special place that I have spent the last 4 years of my life. A very special place that will never be replaced, my first home in the best heartland suburb ever.

It's a beautiful day

The sun is out for the first time in about 2 weeks. I never knew that I would miss the sun so much. The last 2 weeks of cold, wet, rainy days are finally over. For today at least, it's bright and cheerful.

I sent a package to a dear friend who is living in Brisbane and she finally got the package today. It had been stuck at the Australian Customs for the last 3 days...errrmm... because I included Chicken Rice Mix in the package. hahahahaha......it's not like I sent her a package of chicken rice. It's pre-packed, vacuum sealed Chicken Rice mix in a box from the supermarket....anyhow...she finally got it today....I am so happy!

Tonight I am going out and I will be meeting 2 friends that I have not seen in 17 years. I hope the weather holds up and stays bright and sunny so as not to dampen my very high spirits.

If only everyday could be filled with so much happiness...but I'll take whenever it comes my way. La dee da deee...........to a great day. One of the best I have had in a long time....

Coughs and chicken wings

Letitia has been sick for the last 1 week. She has been spitting out my lunches and dinners. Will not eat anything that I cook for the last 7 days. So I have given up and stopped guessing what she will or will not eat. Hopefully when she gets better she will want to eat mummy's cooking again.

Her diet for the last one week consist mainly of junk that I would rather not feed her..... but at least she is willingly to eat junk. Eating junk is better than not eating at all. She'll eat chicken wings and sausages for lunch and waffles with blueberry jam for dinner. If I am lucky she will eat a ham and cheese sandwich for breakfast.

No rice, no poridge! If she even sees anything vaguely resembling grains of rice she will open her mouth really wide and cries till the cow comes home! Until off course mummy dearest me found a solution to this anti-rice protest. KETCHUP! Yes! ketcup! Just add ketchup to the meat, potato, fish fingers or whatever she is eating. Hahahahahah! Brilliant! Did you know that many donkey years ago when ketchup was first invented it was given as medication for coughs and colds! No kidding! Go google it.....and see for yourself.

I have also ran out of yellow looking things to feed her. Ask her what she wants to eat....she will tell you yellow noodles. Okay! Yellow noodles is her equivalent of pasta. Long skinny ones, curvy ones, shell like ones, spiral ones, pencil like ones.....we ate them all this week! We've had it with sauce, in soups, dry with pesto, errmmmmm.......how many ways can you cook pasta. we've ate them all in the last 7 days. I cannot even look at pasta now.

So as we enter the 2nd week of running noses and chesty coughs I HOPE that her taste buds will return to normal. I cannot eat anymore chicken wings or pasta.