Travel, Wine & Shoes

Do you know what I’ve done today? Not very much! Had one of those lazy days. This hostel is wonderful and for the most part I’ve just been hanging out on the balcony chatting with people.

I was told I look 32 by a young man. I’ll take it. He looked horrified when I said I was 49 next month and that he’s younger than my son.

I ventured out to get waxed and to get a Starbucks. They make them the way I like them here! I keep seeing my tuk tuk driver around and he waves at me as he’s going by.

What’s your travel routine? I’m getting better at mine and I’ve learned a lot of lessons the hard way. My South East Asia trip is so far my best experience at travelling solo.

Travelling light with carry on is the EASIEST way to travel!

Nobody queues like the British! Hands down, they are the best.

The bathrooms in the Asian airports are the cleanest I’ve ever seen.

Sydney is the most expensive airport I’ve ever been in.

I love the outfits the flight attendants are wearing here. I hope to find a nice outfit once I get to Vietnam that I can wear out for dinner and fancier events.

Body issues continue to plague me. The last few years, I’m consistently getting a bladder infection while travelling. It may be due to coloured toilet paper or washing my underwear in the sink with bar soap. A topic next time I see my doctor. She’s used to my neurotic questions and keeps me stocked with antibiotics for travelling.

It seems my stomach is too sensitive here. It’s missing Ketchup Doritos! Makeup removal wipes are handy in an emergency. I fear a Bridesmaids episode and I was too close. If it all keeps up I’m going to have to see a doctor somewhere and get more antibiotics.

Every day I look like a hot, sweaty mess. Curly, frizzy humidity hair stuffed under a hat. No makeup because it melts off my face and I shine with all the sunscreen and bug spray. But apparently I look 32! My friend Dawn said to me about 20 years ago that I should wear sunglasses to prevent wrinkles. I was squinting into the sun at the time and haven’t been without a pair of sunglasses since. The things you remember!

I’m missing my family and friends.

When Mom’s away, the offspring will stay at Mom’s place because there’s AC! Life is good at Mom’s place.

I’m an airport expert now. I arrive, clear immigration, go to the bathroom, exchange money if I have any bills left, go to the ATM, grab maps from the Visitor Info place and find the official taxi line. I’m all for public transportation once I get my bearings, but I like a taxi when I’m arriving in the dark. At some point I check out my new passport stamp 😊. As soon as I check in to my hostel, I update this site! I’m probably out of the airport before the checked luggage arrives!

When I depart, I clear security and immigration, get a water or Diet Coke or Starbucks and sometimes all three, update the time, temp and currency on my phone for the next place, find my gate and the nearest bathroom and text my family where I’m going. I delete my favourites on Google Maps and add the new hostel, Starbucks, Hard Rock and places I want to see.

Air Asia charges a $12 USD surcharge to use your credit card. It was painful.

It’s a tough reality that I can’t see everything and have to choose what I really want to see and do in a new place.

I am so proud to be a Canadian and love it when people ask me where I’m from and they have nothing but positive things to say about Canada 🇨🇦

Everywhere plays 80’s music.

My 10 year passport that I got in 2016 only has 3 blank pages left! 🌏

Gate Q in the Kuala Lumpur airport only has tap water. I couldn’t get bottled water or a pop anywhere. I had to go back out through security.

The security officials in Asian airports are friendly and answer questions. The rudeness and attitude that is in Canadian and US security lines seems to be just there.

I am covered in fly bites and I’ve scratched my legs to bits.

Regardless of how much sunscreen I put on, I’ve gotten a ridiculous tan. My legs (as far as my shorts go), arms and shoulders are tanned. The rest of me and my feet are pasty white. The girl who waxed my legs today laughed.

My backpack is under 10 kg, but I still have too much. I’m sending another package to Bryan shortly. I plan to shop in Vietnam. I’ll check my pack because I’ll be bringing my Dad back Vietnamese beer.

I’m only a few places away from hitting 100 with The Traveller’s Century Club. I’ll reach it this trip and it excites me.

The longer I’m away from home, my tolerance increases regarding cleanliness in general. I “already wore that once” becomes a smell test and wearing the same shirt for the 3rd or 4th time.

I ❤️ my Kindle 📚

Driving is organized chaos!

I’m taking a $15, six hour bus ride to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) tomorrow instead of a $200 flight. I couldn’t seem to book a one way flight and they all wanted to know my flight info out of Siem Reap. That is too much PRESSURE for me now. I don’t know yet!

A taxi driver in the Philippines told me men in his country wouldn’t “allow” their wives to travel alone like I was. I know a lot of people from there and think it was just him. I think Bryan may be the only person on earth who could influence me not to do something I really wanted to do.

I’m loving Cambodia and I’ll definitely be back here someday. There’s so many places I don’t have time to travel too.

I need a job. It really sucks when there hasn’t been a bank deposit in over a year. Any of my IT friends, let me know if you hear of any programme/project work! I wonder what Starbucks pays and if I’d get an employee discount?

I really need to win the lottery. Too many places I haven’t experienced yet.

Most places (hostels, waxing salon, etc) want you to take your shoes off before coming in and they all have shoe racks outside. I guess it keeps your place clean, but after accidentally leaving one pair of sneakers behind somewhere, I’m protective of the new ones.

I did a walking tour last night arranged by the hostel. Another girl from my room and myself went. It was very interesting to see places from a local’s perspective. There’s quite the happening bar scene by the slums. Initially a man from New Zealand opened up a place there and it took off! I had a cold beer. It was good.

July 28 is approaching fast. I can’t believe I have to go home soon. I’m looking forward to riding my bike and hanging with the girls. Mom and Dad are coming on August 20 and I can’t wait! Donna and I are doing the Edmonton Half Marathon and we have tickets to Fleetwood Mac. I saw them way back when I was 20 I think and I saw Stevie Nicks two years ago in Hyde Park with Tom Petty. A lot to look forward to! 💕

I’m still upset over S-21, The Killing Fields and Chum Mey. There’s too much horror in the world.

I went out to get something to eat and saw a rat. I don’t think I’ve seen one since I was in New Orleans a few years ago. It wasn’t all that close to me, but I still jumped up in the air and squealed like a girl. The tuk tuk drivers congregated on the corner laughed at me.

Aa always, the best part of travelling is the people you meet!

Happy Travels

Cambodia Travel