oNe PhOtO a DaY aUgUsT 2019

THE PROMPTS FOR THE MONTH

THURSDAY 1st ON MY PLATE: The standard breakfast at our house: half toasted baguette with Vegemite, chilli jam, amaranth, cheese and tomato garnished with black pepper and holy basil.... yum, yum, yum. And yes just a few little Bhutanese treasures from our recent trip which now adorn the dining table

FRIDAY 2nd A VEGETABLE: Lotus Root a favourite of mine and one I’m somewhat obsessed with now that we live in a country where it is once again available fresh in the market

SATURDAY 3rd A FRUIT: A quick trip to the market to buy mangosteens for this prompt today. Trying to showcase Cambodia with this food month by selecting local favourites

SUNDAY 4th BREAKFAST: Since we always have the same breakfast and it’s almost the only meal that we don’t eat from a bowl, I posted that for the “on my plate” prompt. This was the final breakfast of our trip in our hotel room in Phnom Penh and purchased the night before to ensure our early departure. Delicious pastries and real brewed coffee made in the room, in my keep cup

MONDAY 5th LUNCH: We rarely eat lunch and that was the case yesterday so when it came to dinner I made way too much. Today’s lunch was last night’s leftovers with the new addition of enoki mushrooms - local noodles with veggies and tofu in miso soup. I think I enjoyed it more today

TUESDAY 6th DINNER:  tonight, was homemade Buddha Bowls. It’s my go-to-choice in all the restaurants, which we know that serve them and I love making them at home too

WEDNESDAY 7th RAW: The raw vegetables for a rainbow salad, always seem so much more photogenic arranged like this before they are tossed together and a dressing added

THURSDAY 8th COOKED: Straight from the oven homemade sweet potato and black lentil pasties. We were inspired by the near constant rain and slightly cooler weather and cooked more wintery food today. Experimenting with ideas for a food fundraiser for our little monks

FRIDAY 9th IN MY PANTRY: We have a tiny galley kitchen and live in a rental house which had no shelving when we arrived. I had this unit built to measure locally to contain all the crockery, glasses, saucepans, dry goods and appliances. The rolling plastic boxes which, slide underneath serve as a pantry and store the items we don’t use daily and all the supplies we cannot buy locally and purchase in the capital. The top creates bench space at a height not made for dwarfs. It works well for us. Organisation is the key and we’ve got it down now

SATURDAY 10th DESSERT: We don’t really do dessert but I do bake a sweet treat most weeks. Our no lunch but afternoon coffee break usually includes something sweet. While being held hostage by the monsoon rains yesterday I did an experiment with a carrot cake. We deserve it today as we took a chance and did a mad dash to the shops and market on our bikes and loaded up on supplies in a rare rain free opportunity. Now we have the taste test with a couple of last week’s chocolate chip shortbread cookies added to the fun!

SUNDAY 11th MY FAVE RECIPE: is this dish I refer to as Beijing Salad. I first tasted a version of it as street food in Beijing in the ‘90’s and got the university students, I then taught, to show me the basic ingredients and to help me learn to replicate the taste. Then of course I applied the eat a rainbow Japanese principle to include more colourful raw ingredients and finally it evolved in to what I now call my signature dish. I love it and once again live in a country where all the ingredients are available locally

MONDAY 12th A GREEN FOOD: Right now, the Thai basil growing in Ian’s kitchen garden is flourishing. It is regularly converted into peanut pesto, is the fragrantly delicious final addition to sauces, salads, noodle and stir fry dishes and a staple in our diets: a simple green food we enjoy almost daily

TUESDAY 13th SNACK: The little monks of Kep are back in class and trying their best. Every time we teach them they get treats or snacks and today it was milk and locally made wafers. Doe looks pretty happy with his share

WEDNESDAY 14th MACRO: A macro ingredient that packs a punch: the Carolina reaper is supposedly the world’s hottest chilli. Ian grew these two and I’m afraid to even touch them. Wooo eeee they are hot

THURSDAY 15th INGREDIENT: The go to ingredient in our house would have to be garlic. It’s almost never missing in any cooked meal

FRIDAY 16th KITCHEN: A little ingenuity goes a long way in a tiny, galley kitchen with no storage space. The metal, security frame in the window provides ample hanging space and the window ledge is perfect for keeping all the utensils handy........What true blue Aussie doesn’t have a jar of Vegemite in the kitchen?

SATURDAY 17th TWO THINGS: that go deliciously well together are Sunshine Pie and ice cream. Today was one of those rare occasions when we had dessert because we had friends over for lunch

SUNDAY 18th A DRINK: Late afternoon in our favourite bar.  Despite the fact that we are doing Arid (alcohol free) August, we do still stop by for a drink and to catch up with our mates

MONDAY 19th A WHITE FOOD: In fact, my favourite white food would have to be mushrooms but a very close second is feta cheese. These enoki mushrooms were fresh in the market this morning and once again the prompt of the day has dictated our eating choices

TUESDAY 20th SWEET: We always take sweet treats to the little monks’ class. Today I topped up the sweets bag to use as rewards but no one got any. A few too many distractions with monks from other pagodas arriving, many community members present, construction trucks rolling in and a huge banquet being set out in the eating area. We had to abandon class and admit defeat without treats

WEDNESDAY 21st A RED FOOD: I can’t go past a red capsicum. There is almost always at least one in our fridge. A red food that features heavily in our eat-a-rainbow diet

THURSDAY 22nd SAVOURY: Greek Salad with a twist. I know the amaranth and capsicum don’t belong in there but a little extra crunch with all the creamy feta just can’t be a bad thing

FRIDAY 23rd IN MY CUP: Vietnamese style black coffee speciality of Mangroove Guesthouse Kep

SATURDAY 24th A FOOD ON A STICK: BBQ fish are a big feature of the beachside offerings and many of them are various food on sticks. This stall was gearing up for a busy weekend’s trade as the foreshore picnic spots started to fill this morning at Kep Beach

SUNDAY 25th COOKING: The lazy cook in me sees all these veggies roasting in the oven as way to prepare 2 or 3 meals for the coming week. Already, roast pumpkin hummus is made and last night’s Buddha Bowls contained some but there are still plenty for risotto, couscous or salads. Spending one whole day cooking is a joy and it’s always appreciated in the following week

MONDAY 26th ON MY FORK: Despite being confirmed chopstick users, tonight I did eat my dinner with a fork! Stir fried veggies and rice features regularly on our dinner menu but tonight’s version contained the delicious addition of melted feta

TUESDAY 27th YUK: I have no idea what this green food on a stick is but Gam is thrilled to have it. It’s not cucumber - he confirmed that. Nonetheless it looks like yuk to me.

WEDNESDAY 28th I SHOP HERE: in Kep Market and mostly from this one stall and super friendly vendor, who always seems to have the freshest produce and most variety to satisfy our need to eat a rainbow everyday

THURSDAY 29th THIS IS DELICIOUS: My birthday treat at Terrazza - vegetarian pasta flambé in a whole wheel of parmesan cheese. It was undisputedly the best meal I have eaten in Cambodia. I can’t wait to eat there again. As we have been held hostage by torrential rain and dinner will be a whatever is in the fridge concoction, I had to find an archive shot

FRIDAY 30th MESSY: The whole process of making Kimchi is a bit messy as far as I am concerned but bottling it up to ferment is definitely the messiest. Ian’s current favourite fermentation experiments revolve around Kimchi - this batch has Thai basil in it!

SATURDAY 31st IN MY HAND: When we are in Kampot on a shopping run the priority is fresh ground Rumblefish coffee.  A cold brew while they roast and grind a month’s supply makes for the perfect break

oNe PhOtO a DaY jUlY 2019

THE PROMPTS FOR THE MONTH

MONDAY 1st I AM: Vicky - an Australian, a wife, a traveller, a cook, and organiser, a swimmer, a reader, a teacher, a cyclist, an optimist, and a planner but unfortunately also a worrier. I am also happy to lead a simple life and my guiding principles are gratitude and integrity

TUESDAY 2nd MY FAVE BELONGING: This is going to be a tricky month for me, as we are travelling so of all the things with me right now my camera is my fave belonging. It’s been getting a real work out too. It’s old but it’s done good service and still works perfectly perhaps a little like me

WEDNESDAY 3rd MY FAVE VIEW: is most definitely prayer flags flapping in the wind at the mountain passes in Bhutan. We were fortunate today to drive through three passes and fly our own flags for the benefit of all sentient beings at each. This is Yongtong La at 3411 metres and the vibrant flags in the top of the shot are the ones we strung up today. I love Bhutan

THURSDAY 4th I’M GOOD AT: devising engaging learning activities to suit the abilities and interests of my students. This is an archive shot of our little monks taken not so long ago in Kep

FRIDAY 5th IM NOT SO GOOD AT: travelling these windy mountain roads but this is the ninth crossing of the kingdom. Anyone who knows me knows I do not travel well but our driver is a dear friend with whom we have done this journey several times in the past nine years. We were in the high passes and surrounded by clouds for a large part of the morning today but are now descending into the heat and blue sky of the sub-tropic zones

SATURDAY 6th MY FAVE COLOUR: is orange as anyone who knows me already knows. Another favourite thing is butter lamps, which just happen to burn orange despite appearing white before they are lit. Taken yesterday at Kore La-the final pass on the lateral road before reaching Trashigang

SUNDAY 7th I LOVE EATING THIS FOOD: Momos! Not the same as Chinese dumplings though I love them too. We have been eating as many as possible since arriving. Yesterday was a momo party with Ian’s former class 4/5 students who are all now finishing high school or already studying at a tertiary level. Love those cheese momos!

MONDAY 8th A HIGHLIGHT FROM MY DAY: After heavy rain all night and all morning we scored a dry spell at 2pm and hiked down the farm road and through the scrub on a rough track with lots of leeches to find our driver patiently waiting for us at the road head. Our aim was to reach Trashigang to see the newly restored interior courtyard of the Dzong. Last time we saw it in 2016 there were piles of rubble and it was a sad picture. With 15 minutes before it closed we managed to convince the security guards to allow us in. Finally, we got to wander around the courtyard alone and see it looking resplendent with only a handful of monks sharing the space with us and somewhat mystified about why we would want to be there

TUESDAY 9th I LOVE THIS ABOUT ME: I take a great deal of pleasure in simple things, I try to adapt to the customs and rituals of the places I have lived and in which I travel and I am curious and very interested the culture and daily life of other places. This is me, early this morning lighting a butter lamp at Kore La (the first of the passes we encountered today) photo credit goes to Ian

WEDNESDAY 10th MY FAVE HOBBY: would have to be photography. Recently I’ve mostly been using my phone but here in Bhutan the camera has been getting a real workout. This is my favourite shot from today’s Tshechu (religious ritual combining storytelling, music and dance) in Nimalung. It was hard to choose just one shot

THURSDAY 11th MY HANDWRITING: is not particularly uniform or neat but this is it. I wrote the 100th quote for my 100 days of inspiration, gratitude and calm today - just one day late but I was a bit too overwhelmed by Tshechu yesterday so I gave myself a break

FRIDAY 12th THIS SONG MAKES ME HAPPY: “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell. It was hard to choose just one as there are so many songs that make me happy but this one came to mind. I particularly like the version by Prince on the ”A Tribute to Joni Mitchell” album

SATURDAY 13th I GREW UP IN: Adelaide. spending long summer holidays on the beach and so many times all four of us kids very badly sunburnt (before anyone knew the dangers of skin cancer), jumping off the jetty, cars bogged in the sand, keys and kids lost and fish and chips  wrapped in newspaper for picnic lunches. I have now strayed far from where I was born and raised but I never quite feel I have come home until I visit the beach and usually manage to do so on the day I arrive

SUNDAY 14th I DO THIS MOST DAYS: I write 3 things I am grateful for at the end of the day and add them to my gratitude journal. When I do forget I do it the following morning. Do not take things for granted but take them with gratitude

MONDAY 15th THIS FLAVOUR MAKES ME HAPPY: It’s called thingay here in Bhutan and it’s almost onomatopoeic as it leaves a tingling feeling on your tongue. Combined with chilli in thukpa it’s the quintessential Bhutanese flavour. I just went out and bought it because of this prompt and now I will have to try to make that delicious rice porridge with paneer when we get home

TUESDAY 16th I LOVE THIS FILM: We happened to be living in Bhutan when it was released in 2016 and one of the animators is a dear friend. But what I love most about it is that the visuals are so strikingly Bhutanese and it’s so important for young children to see their own culture displayed, surviving and thriving in a modern medium

WEDNESDAY 17th I’M GRATEFUL FOR: blue skies and sunshine in sleepy little Haa. This view onto the main street from our hotel window is also pretty spectacular. Actually, I’m also very grateful for the opportunity to be in Bhutan right now

THURSDAY 18th MY FAVE BOOK: long story follows.....  It’s a bit of a stretch because we are travelling but I’ve been trying to make these prompts about me and our trip. I can honestly say this my favourite Bhutanese writer and I have read every book she has written (except the recipes in her book about Bhutanese food) many of them several times. I taught one several years in a row and love it so much I tried to buy another copy this trip but had no luck.  We went to 5 out of the 6 bookstores I know in Thimphu to find a single copy of any of her books and then miraculously found a new children’s book to add to my collection just an hour before the book store closed on our last day in Thimphu on Tuesday. I went straight back to our hotel room and read it so it’s my new almost fave book

FRIDAY 19th MY FAVE PLACE IN THE WORLD: It’s a tough one. There are lots of places I love. Somehow Bhutan is the one I talk about most when we are not here and now that we are the love is rekindled. I always say I left a piece of my heart here when we left and now I think an even bigger piece will stay behind when we depart in two-days’ time! It’s the everyday sights, the people the culture and the sheer majesty of the kingdom that brings a sense of inner calm. I love Bhutan

SATURDAY 20th MY FAVE PEOPLE: Of course, my family and the wonderful friends, who have stuck with me through thick and thin are up there on this list, but if I’m honest with myself right now the little monks of Kep win hands down. After a month of travelling I miss them. I have loved every reunion in the kingdom and the many friends and former students we have spent time with but these guys (and their other classmates not in this archive shot) make my heart sing

SUNDAY 21st TODAY WAS GREAT BECAUSE: after deciding to pay our final hotel bill in the country with a credit card we had some spare cash. I found a great book in the airport and then worked out a way to get the extra cash to Lama Shenphen for his work with recovering addicts in the kingdom. We are sad to go but grateful for the memories. “Palden Drukpa Gyalo”

MONDAY 22nd A SCENT THAT MAKES ME HAPPY: Nothing beats the smell of coffee in the morning - well perhaps drinking it! I always have to buy freshly ground coffee first when we do our marketing and then sniff it until the shopping is done and we can relax with a brew before heading home. This routine ensures any forgotten items are remembered when my brain wakes up. Oh yeah .... my go to perfume is also “Happy” and I haven’t had any for over two years- this was a duty-free purchase on our return to Thailand yesterday. Blissful start to our Bangkok sojourn

TUESDAY 23rd I ACHIEVED THIS! Despite almost always cycling or swimming these days on our final day in Bhutan I achieved a personal best for 2019 with the hike up to Taktshang - almost 18kms and 158 floors for the day.

WEDNESDAY 24th MADE ME SMILE TODAY: We made it to the Kingdom of Wonder today. Our luggage has grown at every destination and we left the airport in the smallest vehicle of the whole trip. I wanted to take a shot of Ian in the Cambodian Rickshaw with all our bags and the driver photo bombed it so only half the bags are visible

THURSDAY 25th THREE THINGS I’D TAKE ON A DESERTED ISLAND: Hope, calm and inspiration. Then everything else would fall into place

FRIDAY 26th A MEMORY OF MINE: That time in 2012 when to celebrate education in Bhutan, representatives from every school walked to the capital of Trashigang district from their schools and joined each other on the road. It was a 16-kilometre hike from my school and a wonderful experience. With hundreds of children and teachers converging at the main intersection and staying overnight to participate in a full day of entertainment and celebration. Of course, every foreign teacher in the district was included and along with principals I led the charge out of Rangjung Higher Secondary School. Some primary children walked for 3 days! What a feat of coordination and harmony

SATURDAY 27th A FAVE OUTFIT: I wore yesterday. I love it because it’s simple, casual, comfortable, my favourite colour combination (orange and black) and everything except the shoes and necklace are more than a decade old. It still fits and I still love it. Photo credit to Ian who took a zillion shots in this art filled laneway in Phnom Penh before I was happy with one of them - as I’m fond of saying, “That’s as good as it gets!”

SUNDAY 28th MY FAVE SEASON: Here as in most of Cambodia, there are really only two seasons- the wet and the dry. It’s always hot. It’s is officially the wet season but there was no rain today so we had the best of both seasons dry and a little cooler without the bright sunshine

MONDAY 29th MY FAVE ANIMAL: I haven’t had a pet since I was a child as my lifestyle is too nomadic, so I get a big kick out of seeing and spending time with wild animals in their native environment. Birds especially but the pedantic in me won’t allow myself to call them animals, so an elephant it is. This is an archive shot taken in Mondulkiri last year

TUESDAY 30th SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO KNOW: I’m a total foodie. I love cooking and baking and sharing original vegetarian food with family and friends. I delight in trying new dishes in restaurants. I also love to alter and experiment with recipes and in fact rarely make anything but adaptations or fusion dishes. This is a snapshot of a few recently homemade meals

WEDNESDAY 31st MY FAVE THING TO TAKE PHOTOS OF: would have to be the little monks of Kep. After a six-week break, we will start classes again tomorrow so this is an archive shot. I’m so excited to see them and also very curious about the changes that may have occurred at the monastery and among the boys themselves