Travels & Tribulations

Su-sa-die Chnaam Thmei! Happy Khmer New Year! After three days of official holiday it is now year 2557 according to the Buddhist calendar. And like all great new year traditions, I was able to celebrate the close of a great year and the beginning of another in the best of ways: surrounded by friends and family - a group of people whom I knew nothing about exactly 9 months ago.

As my community began to wind down as the new year approached - school closing for the holiday, college kids back at home, businesses with irregular (even more so than usual) hours, etc. - I took off on a vacation to Thailand with my friends Sam, Miriam, and Pete. The trip was marked by a lot of great moments and altogether flew day. We crossed the border in Poipet smoothly despite warnings that it would be a royal pain in the butt and arrived in Bangkok to be visually accosted by the sights and sounds of a bustling city. So many multi-colored taxis, a subway, an air train, water taxis - the public transportation possibilities alone were new and exciting. We spent a few days riding as many of these different vehicles as possible exploring the city and the astounding temple complexes that it boasts - The Royal Palace with the emerald Buddha, Wat Pho with the 15x46m reclining Buddha, Wat Arun with its intricate stonework - while eating plenty of pad thai and thai milk tea at street vendors along the way. 

view of the Royal Palace from the outside

Other excursions included an all day bike tour of the city winding through a lush jungle-like conservation area and in and out of traffic. 

Miriam, me, Pete, and Sam

Taking the train to Chiang Mai (northern Thailand) I fought a little bit of a battle with my stomach, but that didn’t stop me from going to an elephant farm to play with elephants.

3 idiots on an elephant (named Tukea)

From Chiang Mai bused up to the sleepy city of Pai, made famous by the Thai film Pai in Love. A city snug in the mountains with a lot of day trip options like traveling by bamboo raft through the Lod Caves, splashing around in a waterfall, soaking in the natural Thai Pai hot springs, and watching the sunset from the Pai Canyon, all of which we crammed into one long day. 

the "resort" bungalows we stayed in

Then came the epic journey back to Cambodia…

Arrived back at site and spent a few relaxed days before traveling down to Takeo province (a total of a 8 hour trip south) to visit my host family from training for the new year. I spent a lot of my visit angkwelane-ing (hanging out), eating guo diyo (a noodle and beef soup) and nom baan chowk (noodles with curry and veggies) and ripe, ripe mango from the trees around the yard. I met and re-met neighbors and extended family and gave offerings at the local wat (Ta Phen) led by my yeay (grandmother). We laing bier-d (played cards) and a boci-like game with round stones that you hit on the losers’ knee or shoulder. 

a family meal

But what I really got out of Khmer New Year was the importance of family. It reminded me of the holidays back home - despite the sweltering heat. So as we move into year 2557 I celebrate the old friends and family whose love and support keep me going on the toughest of days and the new friends and family whose love and support make this journey even more worthwhile.