Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh was amazing, but it also had a raw side that we found very challenging.  We had crossed into Cambodia around noon, by boat as the last river leg of our tour of the Mekong river delta, and transferred to a minibus that drove us to Phnom Penh, arriving at 3.  The heat of the day was fading a bit, and we explored the neighborhood around our hotel, which was a block away from the Royal Palace complex.

Postcard: Mandraka

Chameleon napping at Mandraka Reptile Park, Madagascar.

Frequently Asked Friday: Reaping the Whirlwind

Someone asked us how we adapted to the lack of structure and control on our trip.  We can definitely see how it would look like there was a lack of structure and control from the outside perspective, but the truth was that there was enough of it to go around.  Yes, we weren’t always in control of our luggage, or our schedule.  But we were in control of our choices, and of our world, no matter how large or small.  It mostly broke down into the following questions: Where are we sleeping tonight? What are we eating next? Where are we going tomorrow?  When you think about it, having things be that simple makes your life feel a lot easier. Once you answer those questions it’s fairly easy to deal with  everything else.

Big Picture Planning

Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, and Angkor Wat

Angkor Thom

We spent two full days and two half days in Siem Reap, and spent almost all of that time at the temples in the surrounding countryside.  Angkor Thom is the largest complex we visited, and it was our first stop.

Postcard: Tsingy de Bemaraha

Sunlight in the slot canyons of the Tsingy de Bemaraha, Madagascar.

Postcard: Avenue de Baobob

Cart and boy on the Avenue de Baobob, Magagascar.

Collection: Spiral Stairs

On the road, we started collecting pictures of recurring things that interested or amused us.  After a year, we had accumulated several image series that are specific to a subject rather than a location.  Some were sizeable (kids, plumeria, and spiders are the odd-fellow chart toppers), while others were sparse.  Some were completely new subjects, while a few are things David has been collecting as long as he’s had a camera.  We thought we’d kick off this new series of posts with a collection that falls in the latter category; David’s always been fascinated by spiral staircases.  Enjoy!

Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver

Postcard: Ankarafansika

Coquerel’s sifaka in Ankrafansika National Park, Madagascar.