It’s another hot day in Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
I am having an iced coffee in cafe with fans blowing from all directions. The noise of motor bikes, cars and sounds of the constant building of this city is almost familiar now and the atmosphere of PP comforting like “home” again after a month away in Vietnam.
It is my first free day alone for quite some time….so I’m taking it easy and not filling it with too much to do. I will wait until siesta is over at two o’clock before I hop on a moto and get busy with some jobs I have to do before returning to Sihanoukville.
Yesterday I met up with my friend Merrick from Byron who happened to be passing on his way back from Butan. It was quite surreal to be dancing on the top of a river boat sailing down the Mekong at sunset last night. His friend knows many ex pats here so we were invited to join their party.
There are many people I meet doing amazing things with their lives…lots involved with humanitarian projects, trying to get this nation back on it’s feet. I expect that it will take many generations to overcome the traumas of the past. Everything seems in disrepair and there are mountains of rubbish and rubble everywhere, but somehow the people here remain able to smile and show their graciousness. Survival is a powerful incentive.
With each boarder crossing there are significant changes to the people and economy, as well as attitudes towards tourism and life in general. (our lives have been so protected from war in Australia…at least in my community and experience). Here life is implicitly attached to the past. Vietnam is a dynamic nation, business wise and developing strongly with tourism, and education. Laos is a few years behind with the influence of a strong Buddhist faith and a growing but still under developed tourist trade (although it won’t be long before they catch up). They are gentle and smiling people. Here the overwhelming sense is a nation in ‘recovery’.
I have gained a lot of insight and understanding of the “Vietnam War”…although they call it the ‘American War’.. it was initially hard to understand who they were calling ‘the enemy’ …depending on whether you were in the north or south , but generally the museums refer to the Americans…even in the south. They don’t seem to refer to the fracture between the Vietnamese people and politics since the reunification…it still refers to the American insurgence and brutality. Interesting…their politics don’t seem to have changed much.
‘The secret war’ in Laos and Cambodia has taken a huge toll on the people, land use and economies. The millions of landmines and ‘bombies’…cluster bombs that were sprayed out all over the countryside means that people are still being blown up and/or not farming land that they previously relied on for their livelihood. It’s a very sad situation but slowly the world and their own people are clearing the mines. If I sent you a forwarded petition about Australian’s attitude towards bombing at a world forum soon…please read and respond…we can all just help a little bit.
Change of subject….by next week end I will be back at CCPP….a new phase. It will be different arriving back this time with a knowledge of the people and tasks ahead of me. When I left a month ago I felt satisfied that my presence was appreciated and my skills well used. This time I will have an emphasis on painting and developing work with some of the interested kids for an international kids art exhibition in Sweden. I also hope that my own work takes off, as my own practice didn’t really get going last time. Hopefully the heat will be more tolerable now that the wet season approaches. I am going back with fresh eyes and more materials to inspire me.
Jeff and I had a fabulous time together. We traveled through north Vietnam in local buses through the mountains and into remote places. We bicycled through paddy fields and climbed well trodden paths. We drank rice wine with the villagers and ate exotic foods. (Jeff managed to eat dog, and duck embryos, but my best effort was fried silk worms) We were challenged by the events of the everyday and delighted by the encounters we had with the different ethnic tribes people.
During our last week we went back to cat ba Island where I started this adventure in January. We went Kayaking and rock climbing and cought up with old friends (Slo says hellow to Kerrelen and Russel)….this time I managed to climb to the top of all three faces…with no fear…only a few cuts and bruises…yippee.!
Jeff is now back in the UK to visit his family for a month after a year away. He will join me again in a few months to start traveling through Thailand and indo and eventually to Australia.
One thing I have learnt is that you just don’t know what life will throw at you from one day to the next. I guess the only thing we have is the belief in ourselves, and the trust that things have a way of working things out the way it is meant to be. The other wonderful thing is that we have choice in life and for that I am eternally grateful.
It’s getting time to get on with the days chores….looking into getting postcards printed of the kids work and source of canvas.
Great to have this rave with you all. I will attempt to reply individually to all your emails now that I have more time to myself…thanks for the contacts. I love receiving even the most everyday type news from home. Love you all…Victoria XXX
