OCTOBER 1st I AM…. An Aussie, a teacher, a reader, a sister, a cyclist, a wife, a swimmer, a vegetarian, a photographer and a foodie but right now, I am in our favourite eatery in Kampot
OCTOBER 2nd I LOVE: Well today is our wedding anniversary so what more can I say! Many of these were taken on the day and as our style is to travel instead of giving gifts, seven countries are represented and the centre shot is our wedding day. I love Ian
SEPTEMBER 3rd I MADE THIS: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and honey roasted cherry tomatoes, capsicum, onion, garlic and fresh straw mushrooms as a side dish for an anniversary dinner with friends last night. It was yummy
OCTOBER 4th I WORK HERE: I am actually retired but for the last four years I have been volunteering teaching English to the little monks in this pagoda. Although in the last six months classes have been on again off again, we are going to start classes again in the middle of this month when all the boys will have been vaccinated and we are super excited about it
OCTOBER 5th I LOVE THIS COLOUR: Orange forever
*I was surprised to see that this shot was selected by admin for the Facebook Fab Four on the day it was posted
OCTOBER 6h I WALKED HERE: I am using an archive shot taken on timer as yesterday there were 26,000 visitors to Kep and we are staying indoors and out of the traffic, crowds and festivities of Pchum Ben! After fracturing my patella (knee cap) ten months ago, I have been focusing on recovery and climbing stairs and especially going down stairs is still a slow and tenuous process. I imagine this place - Takshang or Tigers Nest, and being strong enough to do that hike again when this is all over. It’s over three thousand metres to the actual monastery and the number one tourist destination in beloved Bhutan. So, this is a shot of one of the five times I have done that hike. I’m still hoping it will be possible to do it one more time and focusing on how far I have come already
OCTOBER 7th I HELD THIS: mechanical pencil which, I’ve owned for over ten years, to record today’s Chinese lesson in my notebook. We are being recluses as Kep is currently over run with domestic tourists celebrating Pchum Ben
*This shot was unexpectedly selected by admin for the Instagram Fab Four on the day it was posted
OCTOBER 8th I LIKE TO: cook for friends and have casual gatherings at home
OCTOBER 9th I STOOD HERE: in a newly opened cafe in Kampot while a dear Bhutanese friend took this photo for me today
OCTOBER 10th I DO THIS ON SUNDAYS: Actually, being retired I don’t really have any specific routine which is a luxury I love but I do often bake on Sundays and many other days of the week too
OCTOBER 11th I WROTE THIS: at about this time a year ago when the pandemic was beginning to seem overwhelming and never ending. I’ve always been a writer but I don’t write poetry much anymore. It’s the only piece of my own writing in a book I keep of quotes and maximums
OCTOBER 12th I LIKE TO DRINK: Well that’s a true statement but I do especially like to drink Australian Sauvignon Blanc. This is a rare treat as it is not so easy to find in Cambodia but we arrived in the capital for a short break today so yay, yay, yay! Let the party begin
OCTOBER 13th I LOVE THIS VIEW: from the Palace Gate’s Sky Bar over the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. Even when the sky is dark, those rooftops are impressive
OCTOBER 14th I ONCE: lived in the ‘apartment’ at the top of these stairs and my partner fell down them too! In Samtengang, there were many of this kind of traditional rammed earth house and they were still building them
OCTOBER 15th I NEVER: imagined that fried tarantula would be a part of anyone’s diet but it is always on offer in Central Market Phnom Penh. As a vegetarian I am not in the slightest bit tempted by this or the other offerings of crickets, larvae or offal all available at one stall in the sit down and eat area!!
OCTOBER 16th ON WEEKENDS I : like to get out, people watch and see the sights. Being on a short break means there are lots of interesting street scenes too
OCTOBER 17th I SAW: these two Great Hornbills feasting on fallen fruit in the street in downtown Phnom Penh yesterday morning
OCTOBER 18th I DON’T LIKE TO: complain but our capital city break is over!
OCTOBER 19th I WENT TO: the pagoda today to recommence classes with the little monks of Kep after a two-and-a-half-month break. They are working in groups racing each other to assemble the alphabet in the correct sequence
OCTOBER 20th I SAT HERE: to take a selfie, once the Physio session was done today. And I feel soooooooo much better. Showcasing that post op scar before they open it up again
OCTOBER 21st I READ THIS: on the menu at our lunch spot in Kampot yesterday. We used to eat here more often and now I’m glad it’s back on the playlist again
OCTOBER 22nd I DID THIS GOOD THING: Warning long story! When we left Bhutan, we made the decision to sponsor this young man’s tertiary education. It was a complicated process to achieve this but we persisted and paid up front for all three years before departure. He was a former student of mine in high school in Rangjung and one of many who we knew would need assistance to continue their studies. I would have loved to have been able to do the same for all the others but we had to make a choice and Lhendup was selected. The last trip we were able to make before travel became impossible, was to attend his graduation ceremony in Bhutan. This was the official college celebration. Well done Lhendup
OCTOBER 23rd I LOVE THIS TIME OF DAY: just before sunset when the light is forgiving and the setting looks magical. I also love this season. As the monsoon weather winds down and the rice ripens it seems to inspire new beginnings and hope
OCTOBER 24th I WATCHED THIS: video clip several times this morning. A bit of musical nostalgia with an Aussie- Khmer vibe
NB *I ran afoul of admin with this shot and it was taken down, as screen shots are no longer allowed according to the groups’ rules. Oops I did make an effort to put it together in a collage app and make sure it was obvious that the three separate images were taken from a video clip but rules change!! This was the first serious infringement since I began doing this challenge almost 10 years ago, so I forgive myself
OCTOBER 25th ON MONDAYS I: usually swim. Today we tried out our newly purchased sun-safe swim tops too
* I only just noticed the goggle rings around our eyes. This shot was taken immediately after we had completed our 50 laps in the pool! That's real life
OCTOBER 26th I LIKE TO EAT: healthy, home cooked, vegetarian food and mushrooms are my favourite
* random highlighting which will not be removed despite my best efforts LOL
OCTOBER 27th I CAN: climb up and down these stairs at a dear friend’s house to work on improving strength, balance and range of motion in my knee. After almost one year, stairs are the final remaining hurdle to complete my recovery
OCTOBER 28th I CAN’T: say no to these little ones and I can’t resist taking photos of them either. Also, he has such focus and concentration and let’s not mention those eyelashes
*this one was the third section for the Fab Four for the month of October
OCTOBER 29th I WORE THIS: new tropical print face mask, gifted to me by TRUNKH, to ride my bike out shopping this morning
OCTOBER 30th I HAVE TO: find the time to remove the old, faded photos from our walls and replace them with these new versions I recently had printed in Phnom Penh
OCTOBER 31st I BELIEVE: actions speak louder than words
