One PhOtO a DaY DeCeMbEr 2025

 

DECEMBER 1st THE SKY: Now that the monsoon has finally bid us farewell we are back to cloudless, blue, blue skies and bright sunshine here in the Kingdom of Wonder 

DECEMBER 2nd SOMETHING JOYFUL: A tuk tuk full of smiling monks, after a day trip to the beach. It’s not everyday they get to play. An archive shot for me today 

DECEMBER 3rd LOVE: How much street art and graffiti revolves around love?

DECEMBER 4th PEACE: The Tied Gun Monument - symbol of Cambodia’s commitment to Peace and our walking destination today due to this prompt

DECEMBER 5th A CHRISTMAS TREE: A tiny version on the counter of a roadside stall we wandered past today. This is not a country that celebrates Xmas to any great extent so I was happy to spot it and the stall owner wished me “Merry Xmas” when she saw I was taking the photo

DECEMBER 6th GIVING: Though Xmas isn’t really my thing, ‘tis the season for giving and today is the first gifting of cakes and shortbread over celebratory lunch. Sometimes the prompts exactly match the activity for the day

DECEMBER 7th DECORATIONS: Almonds are always the decoration used on traditional Xmas cakes and we just finished baking our second batch for this year moments ago 

DECEMBER 8th FESTIVE FUN: Today I made my first attempt at an edible Xmas tree in the tropics. The wrapped baubles are homemade chocolate chip shortbread the only item that remains the same as the many I have made in Australia over the years - my idea of festive fun 

NOVEMBER 9th SPARKLE: When you accidentally move the camera taking nightlight shots you get a rainbow sparkle 

DECEMBER 10th SOMETHING SWEET: A street side vendor with honey still in the honeycomb. It doesn’t get fresher than that 

DECEMBER 11th TOGETHER: celebrating a dear friend’s birthday, with cocktails for the third year in a row 

DECEMBER 12th CELEBRATION: When you are having an extended birthday celebration with a chocolate fiend in Siem Reap, don’t overlook the Wat-Temple of Cacao. Today we indulged in chocolate ice cream and locally flavoured bonbons: lemongrass and ginger, peanut butter and pepper and espresso. This one is espresso and my choice 

DECEMBER 13th BUBBLES: This afternoon’s pick me up latte with love and bubbles 

DECEMBER 14th STOCKING: We travelled back home from Siem Reap today early to catch the one time only  Xmas Market at Sofitel and this is just about the only stocking I’ve seen this year. I didn’t buy it but I did appreciate it. Xmas is pretty low key in Cambodia and this year more so than ever 

DECEMBER 15th FAVOURITE ORNAMENT: The Endless or Eternal Knot a symbol denoting the interconnectedness of the universe. Appropriately enough it is a significant symbol in Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism 

DECEMBER 16th SANTA: Siem Reap style saxophone playing Santa 

DECEMBER 17th A GIFT: of nuts and snacks that arrived with our dear friend from America and the gifts of homemade traditional Xmas cakes that will return with him on Xmas Eve

DECEMBER 18th LIGHTS: No lights compete with the way nature lights the skies at sunset. This was our view  across the rice fields from tonight’s special dinner spot in Kep  

DECEMBER 19th A TRADITION: Since moving from Kep to live in Phnom Penh every return visit requires a selfie with the crab. A newly minted tradition 

DECEMBER 20TH FESTIVE COLOURS: There really is just one combination for this season 

DECEMBER 21st FESTIVE FOOD: A veggie platter for three and samosas for lunch ticking all the boxes to get those taste buds tingling on an eat a rainbow diet 

 

DECEMBER 22nd WRAPPING: When you consistently say “no plastic” in the market, the vendors quickly learn to use lotus leaves as the wrapping for our fresh veggies

DECEMBER 23rd HOLIDAY MODE: This is the season to be merry and well we five were certainly enjoying that holiday tipple 

DECEMBER 24th MAGIC: The magic of snail mail in a world addicted to digital efficiency and instant gratification, this arrived today 

DECEMBER 25th FESTIVE OUTFIT: The prize goes to this three year old who was thoroughly enjoying today’s Xmas Party thrown by the Sisters Missionaries of Charity in Phnom Penh.  It’s my favourite volunteering gig 

DECEMBER 26th GRATEFUL: for the opportunity to live where we do and contribute in any small way possible for a better future for Khmer people

DECEMBER 27th FAMILY: each person represents a vulnerable family in need carefully vetted by the Sisters Missionaries of Charity. They all received a complete set of emergency supplies today - oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, 5 cans of sardines, sausages, sugar, salt, instant noodles packed in a plastic trash can, a blanket, a bar of soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, washing powder, a mosquito net, 10kg of rice and a lunch pack with fried rice, an orange, and a bottle of water. 500 families will be happier tonight than this morning and still there was not enough to go around. Thank you to the Sisters and Singaporean donors

DECEMBER 28th SUNSHINE: Blue skies and sunshine as Cambodia wakes to a fragile peace and the ceasefire holding. May this be the new beginning the whole region desperately needs. “All we are saying is give peace a chance…”

DECEMBER 29th A MEMORY: of WOMADelaide 2025, when I first heard and saw Elisapie perform. She has been a permanent fixture on my playlist ever since and no doubt will continue to be long into the future

DECEMBER 30th GOODBYE 2025: A year of challenges, triumphs, disappointments, adventures, aggression and achievements but also a year of enduring friendships, a sense of belonging and a deep gratitude for the lives we are able to live. Bring on 2026 with new beginnings, the prospect of peace and hopes for harmony 

DECEMBER 31st A NEW YEAR WISH: I take better care of my own physical and mental health in the coming year. A final selfie taken on timer while playing TT this morning 

PROMPTS 

 

oNe PhOtO a DaY DeCeMbEr 2020

 

THE PROMPTS

 

TUESDAY 1st WHITE: The gorgeous orchids still flowering in our garden and displayed on the little Buddhist altar in the living room

 

WEDNESDAY 2nd YELLOW: deliciousness in the form of my favourite fruit today.  Local mango bought in the market and consumed as an afternoon snack

 

THURSDAY 3rd BLUE: A retro shopfront sign hanging inside one of our favourite cafés in Kampot. I’m pretty sure it’s announcing a motorcycle cleaning business. Although the hoardings have changed somewhat, they are still very popular start up business to this day

 

FRIDAY 4th AQUA: Today I have been packing and preparing products for the Xmas Market on Sunday in Kep. Fingers crossed these and other upcycled trash bags sell for IWA. We will be volunteering and selling our own eco-wraps. Two products that tackle the pollution problem and offer alternatives at affordable prices. I’m also excited at the prospect of doing something other than sitting around at home focusing on my knee

 

SATURDAY5th BLACK: Yesterday we finally started making traditional Xmas cakes from a Scottish recipe that calls for Guinness or black beer! This mixture of dried fruit, sugar, butter and spices has now been brought to the boil and simmered for ten minutes. After three days of allowing it to brew with the occasional stir and taste testing of course, we will bake the cakes and douse them in Scotch not Brandy. No self-respecting Scott would settle for anything less!

SUNDAY 6th PINK: The flash of fire as the sun hits the pink hibiscus syrup in my keep cup. It’s a nice reflection of banana palms too. Tasting provided by Sweet & Spicy at the Sunday Market in Kep

 

MONDAY 7th BROWN: I’m pretty happy with the inaugural bake in the new oven today. First batch of traditional Xmas cakes are now baked and cooling. Everything seems to have cooked through and browned nicely on top, even the almonds. Next batch we’ll have to bake a few minis to taste test while these all age until Xmas Day

 

TUESDAY 8th PURPLE: The beautiful purple cover of the book I just finished reading. I really love Pearl Buck’s stories. They illuminate the everyday lives of Chinese in every walk of life, in different eras. This one was a digital purchase to help me escape my current home bound existence and I loved every page

 

WEDNESDAY 8th ORANGE: With so many orange possessions I didn’t think I would go for an archive shot today but I love this Aussie sunset, which is in the gallery on our living room walls. It was only when I tracked it down in digital form that I realised it has been on the wall upside down for over three years. Gotta laugh! I will never forget Xmas Day Adelaide, Australia 2013

THURSDAY 10th NAVY: The first mask I bought back in March when we were in Phnom Penh and refused entry to a shop to buy water because we weren’t wearing masks. Neither was anyone else at that time but rumours had spread that foreigners were the cause of the pandemic in Cambodia so we just complied to alleviate stress and ill feeling. That notion has definitely subsided now but the mask remains with me whenever I go out. Discretion is the better part of valour. At the time I thought it was black but it turned out to be navy

  

FRIDAY 11th GREEN: The green canopy of the coconut palms screams resort but this is an everyday sight here. I delighted in being able to go out to dinner last night and feel that life might actually reset into a viable routine soon

 

SATURDAY 12th RED: My favourite brand of toothpaste. It’s Ayurvedic and difficult to find, though I now have on three continents. Who else can say they actually bought toothpaste as a souvenir but we did last year in Bhutan! Imagine my delight when I discovered it in an Indian spice shop in Phnom Penh last year. Persistence pays off

 

SUNDAY 13th GREY: “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” Nelson Mandala. Image from a postcard I collected in Lao many moons ago and simply could not part with

 

MONDAY 14th BLACK AND WHITE: This month’s selfie featuring my favourite pants in a black and white outfit on the porch, where I have been spending way too much time recently

 

TUESDAY 15th PATTERN: The pattern in each of these pieces will forever remind me of the specific country from which each piece came. We have had the privilege and honour to live in all four countries. I wonder if you can guess which countries they are? Would you like to try?

 

WEDNESDAY 16th MINIMAL: No flashy sunset just a minimal ocean view I snapped as we drove by in a car today

 

THURSDAY 17th RAINBOW: We bought this tiny multicoloured prayer wheel in Bhutan last year and I can’t walk past it without giving it a spin. Since today is the 113th National Day of Bhutan, it seemed like the obvious choice for a rainbow photo. Tashi Delek!!

FRIDAY 18th ONE COLOUR: I thought this was going to be the month that our little monks didn’t make it into a prompt but I’m glad to say we saw them at the pagoda a couple of days ago. Robes come in all shades of yellow and orange here and the monk body of each pagoda seems to wear just one shade. For our monks this dusty mustard orange/yellow is their one colour for attire

 

SATURDAY 19th TWO COLOURS: Delving into possessions for inspiration today, I came across this gold printed Buddha on hand-made burgundy paper. You don’t have to be wealthy to collect art as long as you appreciate simple aesthetics

 

SUNDAY 20th THREE COLOURS: The first three ingredients for the “eat a rainbow” salad I made for dinner tonight

 

MONDAY 21st DARK: The image is dark but the prognosis is good. It seems my kneecap is actually knitting back together and healing and mobility returning. The whole morning was spent at the hospital but a celebratory lunch is definitely in order now

 

TUESDAY 22nd LIGHT: Dappled light on the yellow orchid flourishing in the garden. It’s been a grey old day and this was a rare burst of sunlight, which inspired me to take a short walk outside

 

WEDNESDAY 23rd POP OF COLOUR: This is the furushiki - wrapping cloth I made this morning especially to fit a gift for a friend. I love that even the cloth is part of the present and can be reused again and again. No waste wrapping is the way to go this season

 

THURSDAY 24th PASTEL: A festive sunset and drink in pastel shades taken earlier this year as today is a crazy weather day. Still a favourite place to soak up the Kep ambiance

 

FRIDAY 25th A FAVE COLOUR: orange

 

SATURDAY 26th COOL: I think Ian was pretty cool riding this ‘cyclo’ through Kep and past the iconic Kep Crab in weekend traffic and dressing the part of a cyclo-rider to do it. I was in the support vehicle and managed to snap a few shots and videos along the over ten-kilometre route he covered in the heat and humidity that day

SUNDAY 27th WARM: With the addition of fresh, local, green, peppercorns which have now been turned into a sauce and salted green peppercorns, tonight’s dinner will be warm but not hot

 

MONDAY 28th MONOCHROME: Keeping it simple with local tamarind

TUESDAY 29th GOLDEN: memories, golden Buddhas, a golden frisbee and Gam the golden boy in the classroom and at play. We miss him now he’s given up his robes but we hope we will soon resume classes and he will return as many do. An archive shot from July when we first all played with frisbees together

 

WEDNESDAY 30th MATCHING: Two matching Bhutanese treasures from our last trip to the kingdom and our last major trip anywhere actually! Waiting hopefully to resume the wandering with these two in hand

 

THURSDAY 31st BRIGHT: A final bright ocean sunset to end the year on a high note. It was actually a bit grey and gloomy today but this shot captures the hope and optimism I want to project into the coming year