2/11 I still can't believe it

As I write this almost two months after the fact, I still can't believe my mom and aunt were really here.  We flew out of Siem Reap in the morning.  Why oh why do I torture myself with 12 hour bus rides? Why?  It was so seamless. So gentle.  Stayed at the airport for two hours waiting for their arrival ... this perhaps was just as painful as a 12 hour bus ride;). Then, they were just here.  All I could do was try and contain my excitement.  To remain calm so that I could navigate the crazy world of HCMC transportation.  We finally got to the house, unloaded a bit, gave a quick house tour and were off again.  I decided due to time that the motorbike was best. So I gave my mom a helmet, put her on the back of my bike an we were off.  I'm still surprised at how calm and collected she was.   When I first arrived, I was overwhelmed and honestly, totally freaked out on the back of a bike.  She, however, loved it. You rock, Mom.

2/10 Finally

Really cranky in the morning, couldn't be because of the wine I'm sure;).  Went to confirm our flights. To find out Sach had no reservation.  So I turned into the typical abusive irate westerner only to find out minutes later they had made her reservation under a different name.  We apologized profusely and left laughing and ever so grateful for the graciousness of the Cambodian people.  We then decided that it was time for Dr. Fish.  I thought no big deal a bunch of little fish nibbling away at the dead skin on my feet.  We had watched it the night before.  No harm no foul.  Except that these fish had teeth .. the soothing little gums I imagined.  I flipped out and could barely keep my feet in the water.  But Sacha's firm resolve made me persevere and after a half hour we removed our fee to find ... lots of chewed at dead skin.  Definitely try it for the experience but do not expect to be soothed or smoothed. My day ended with a beautiful walk on the river and through the quiet streets.  After a year and a half, I finally saw my first banquet of fried gooey insects.   They were beautifully laid out in a nondescript alley.  Crickets, ants, cockroaches and a few others I couldn't identify.  I hurried back to the hotel telling Sacha.  I'm hungry.  I'm ready to eat some ants.  But after searching, the banquet was gone.  Guess I have to come back to Siem Reap ... again;).

2/9 Birthday at Angkor

Staff at the hotel helped me to decorate a birthday breakfast table for Sacha including 40 messages from everyone that loves her.  We met our guide who at first I thought was a little dull and young but turned out to be hilarious and quite in tune with what we needed. It was wonderful to see everything with someone else.  To share what I had seen and what I was seeing now.  It's quite different on the second viewing.  Different but still totally amazing and now top two.  There's nothing like it.  Perhaps because it has really just opening to the public in the last few years.  I just can't imagine what it will be like in ten years.  I hope they protect it.  We waited with the masses on the top of the hill for sunset for over an hour.  And honestly, I was more interested in watching the two hundred people around me than the sun.  It was a fabulous show.  Bday cake and a lovely sparkling hamburger for dinner and it was an early night surprisingly.  Happy Birthday Sacha.  You deserve the best life has to offer. 

2/8 Wander

Had a nice little wander searching for birthday treats for Sacha.  It was a long list so took me all day. Small hole in the wall local flower shop for a bracelet made of jasmine. Cake shop negotiations in mime. And market bargaining for Cambodian kiitch. Went to bed early in preparation for my second visit to Angkor Wat ... and the birthday festivities of course;).

2/7 Salt Shaker

We laughed when the guy walked down the aisle with black plastic bags and stopped to mime vomit.  But after six hours in broken chairs at the back of the bus, I was almost in tears.  I just kept chanting I've been through worse.  Just months ago, I sat covered in people in a freezing bus on a road that was not a road in India.  I can do this!  But after 10 hours, I almost had them stop the bus.  After twelve, we arrived to a handmade sign saying AmiBlue and again I was almost in tears.  Our room was lovely, comforting and painted like a yellow sun.  We were invigorated and wandered our way to pub street.  What a different world.  A little more upscale.  Beautiful musicians on the street.  Fabulous restaurants everywhere. Kitchy boutiques.  Two mojitos later, all we could do was laugh at the black plastic bags and salt shaker seats.  I love Siem Reap.

2/6 Fried

We both let our sun guard down and got terribly sunburnt our last day on the beach.  The waters were still rough so no swimming or kayaking.  Just a lovely little dinner of barracuda and beer and an early nite in lieu of a long day of bumpy buses.

2/4 Monks and Umbrellas

Needed a break from the beach so went into town.  In just an hour, got to see such a different side of the city.  Watched two monks going from business to business with there begging bowls.  Bright orange robes and umbrellas. At night we decided to walk through the local or Khmer half of the beach.  Again such a different perspective.  Khmer: little chairs.  Fluorescent lights. Fireworks. Swimming with your clothes on. Kids playing.  Lots of bbq'd squid. Lots of beer and wine. Western side: soft yellow lights. Big chairs and tables.  Swimming with close to nothing on.  Kids selling. Lots of Lots of beer and wine.  Interesting to say the least.

2/3 Malcolm and Mojitos

Another phenomenal walk along the beach for an hour to our little secluded beach.  However, I did find out that the 2 hour kayake to the island was really 6 hours so again opted for Malcolm and later Mojitos.

2/2 Bikinis

After walking down a 10 mile beach of cool languid waters, I broke down and bought a bikini.  I lost all shame ... especially after walking past many large and much older Europeans in much less than I purchased and some in nothing at all;). I swam for hours and even contemplated kayaking to the islands in the distance, but decided to read Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers instead.  This would prove to be a wise decision over the next few days.