6 ways to live life like you're on vacation everyday!

The last few days I have been wondering about how to maintain some sort of holiday lifestyle when not on vacation!  It seems so many people work crazy hours, just to spend a few weeks unwinding before getting back into the daily grind.  So I had a bit of a think today, while sitting in my 5 star airconditioned hotel villa in tropical Thailand, about how one can bring some of the holiday lifestyle back into 'normal life'. This is what I came up with....

1./  Pamper yourself in small easy ways.
Quality hotels love to pamper their guests, because unless you know someone like Noi (see here), you are paying a lot of money to stay at their hotel, and they want you back.  But the reality is, a lot of the "little extras" don't actually cost too much, they just need some forethought.  So, in order to pamper yourself a little bit as if you were on holiday why don't you:

• Roll up your towels and leave them sitting by the bathtub, or near the shower.
• Pick some flowers from your garden then before you use the bathtub, sprinkle some into the water, maybe even light a candle or oil well, walk back out of the bathroom, put on a fluffy robe and come back in.

Roll petals and rolled up towels!

• Get your partner to leave you a few gifts around the house occasionally. A gourmet block of chocolate.  Some unique specialty soap.  A new crisp newspaper or magazine.  Do the same for them!!
• Eat more fruit.  Seriously, how much more fruit do you eat while on holidays, just because it is cut up for you or you are not sure if anchovy flavoured oatmeal will taste any good!  Eat the banana instead of the chips.
• Stop drinking instant coffee.  Just, no.  Buy a coffee plunger and wait the extra three minutes. Use that time to read a magazine, make a quick meal or breakfast, or cut up some fruit!  Maybe even try switching to some exotic teas!  They are really good, I promise, but do try for loose leaf!

2./  Learn something new!

• Its amazing how many people go on holiday and THEN decide to take a cooking class (read about mine here), Yoga class, or language course.  Um, where are you from, Uzbekistan? Chances are you can do these courses at home. So go, book them in, and make sure you give them priority and don't stay back at work. Seriously, go book them in... NOW!

Khmer Amok from my cooking class. See here

3./  Get more sleep!  

• Listen to your body clock... you're tired.  Criminal Minds isn't that good, I promise.  And sleep with your curtains open.  You will wake up naturally with the light.

4./  Give something back!

• Its also incredible to see how many people come overseas to spend time in an orphanage, or community building, teaching English (like I am), or the like.  It makes sense, you feel like you are making a difference and helping people.  It feels amazing, like nothing else.  But there are many ways you can do this already at home.  There are amazing organisations like Rotary Internation and the Lions Club are always doing community projects. Youth Focus (Perth, WA) is constanly looking for "big brothers" and I assume sisters to act as mentors to troubled youths!  Two of my favourite people, my mother and Momo spend time volunteering at a local hospice!  There are lots of opportunities to do good at home!

 Children playing at Jimmy's school.

Me teaching tha kids to speak good English, 'ay!

5./ Be open to meeting new people.  

• Know someone who's coming through the area, or have a friend who has?  Do you have a spare bed, couch, piece of floor, dog mat???  Chances are someone would love the opportunity for some free board and it's a great way to meet people.  The guy I spent NYE with, Alex, is from Germany and he met my Mum in Canberra before coming to Perth.  Mum had already called ahead for him so he could crash on my couch.  Meeting more people can only lead to greater things. Make an effort to try to got to a new place on a regular basis, even if it's just once a month.

Despite hanging out a few times (this time is in Thailand), this is the only photo in existance of Alex and I.  I was laughing coz he couldn't get his camera to work after calling everyone else retards for not being able to press the button.  Viola! Bad pic of Dan, good pic of Alex!

6./ Food

• Because sometimes, you are just meant to eat that extra course, or order that one more thing to share with everyone... just to try it!!!
• But do eat more fresh fruit!! Its good for you and your skin.  Your body will thank you.

What say you?  Do you have any tips or tricks for bringing holiday mode back into the real world?

Until next time,

Daniel

Don't forget to like my Facebook page (link below) or even like this post (you only need to push button below! It's calorie burning,..).

Follow me:

Twitter @TheDanFactor

Youtube: www.youtube.com/Dansplan

Facebook: www.facebook.com/travelleroftaste

Check out my about.me profile!

Siem Reap to Phnom Penh!! Floating villages and flooded forests!!

I'm sunburnt. I'm tired. I'm in Phnom Penh eating duck and drinking a mango shake… life is good!!  This morning I travelled by boat from Siem Reap which took us south through lake Tonle` Sap and down a river of the same name, towards Phnom Penh.  Lake Tonle` Sap is the lake which fed the expansion of the ancient Khmer empire, much like the Nile did for Egypt.  This lake is remarkable though.  It depletes and floods every year. The water for this flooding comes from the melting snow in the Himalayas. However, and this is the cool bit, as the massive increase of water comes down the Mekong river in the delta, the water bottle necks and flows back up stream, going up the Mekong, then the Tonle` Sap, and flooding up around Siem Reap.  In the process it covers massive forests which provide food for a massive fish population feeding the locals.  When on this lake, there are times you cannot see the shore in any direction.  It truly becomes an inland sea.

There are a few ways to travel between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Private taxi, coach, plane and boat.  Plane is about 80-90 USD and the flight is about 45 minutes. All other ways are about 5-6 hours and vary on price. Boat is 35 dollars, coach about 12, and private taxi is probably around 70 dollars as well.  A lot of travel guides really tore strips off the boat, claiming it was hideously expensive for how long it took claiming the views became monotonous, the boat noisy, and rather unpleasant.  Many suggesting the coach to save money.  I don't think that could be further from the truth.  I mean, the boat wasn't first class by any means, but it provided six hours of fantastic views not only of the Cambodian country side, but Cambodian life.  We saw floating villages, people checking fishing nets, floating schools and restaurants, children swimming. It was fantastic!  The only down side was I didn't put on enough sunscreen!!  

The cool thing about Cambodia is that OH&S hasn't yet discovered this place so you can do whatever you want.  The awesome thing about the boat trip is you don't have to go into the cabin... ever... (well, unless you want to pee).

 

The best seats are either at the bow or on the roof and you are free to move around so long as you don't disrupt the captains view for too long.  This is a brilliant way to travel!  The wind is in your hair, you get to chat to other travellers, and because you are exposed to the elements I really feel that you get a sense of being connected to the land and environment around you. I mean, would you rather be looking at the view below, or be in a bus?

Floating villages en route to Phnom Penh.

When I first caught this boat about 4 years ago we literally pulled up to Siem Reap and walked a plank to a muddy shore. Now there are proper jetties where street sellers hock their food and beverages before you hit your journey, all claiming there will be no opportunity to buy food or drink on the voyage.  However, you do get provided with a bread roll and can buy coffee, beer, and soft drinks for USD1 the entire trip.  However, if you want some bananas cheese etc, best pick it up before you leave. It all costs less than a dollar.  

Margaret and I

I love being on the water so thats a plus, and boats are just fun to take photo's on!!  So forget what the guidebooks say!  If you think you can get the views and experiences captured in these pictures on a plane, taxi or coach, then go for it!  But the boat will get my vote every time.  

Oh, and the final selling point.  Last time I was here I did catch the bus one way.  It was six hours long on a pot holed road.  The toilet on the bus was in a small cabin under the seats.  Just so I can paint the picture, think of this.  You need to go to the toilet terribly! There are four more hours to go, with no stops.  You go downstairs and climb through a small door to the toilet.  On the bus, travelling along a pot holed road, throwing you from side to side, is a squat toilet... Fuck... That!  You could have a beer and do this instead!!

We pulled into port (see how I talk like a seaman now!) around 1:30pm, after departing at 8:00am, and made our way to find some digs.  We are staying at Hotel Cambodiana which, is about 3.5 - 4 stars. It nice, just rough around the edges, though probably not good value.  The view is incredible though, especially before 7:00am as the sun is rising. Our room has a view over the pool and the Mekong river. Its a little bit magic.  After checking in we headed out for lunch, which is quite nice. I ordered a roast duck salad which tasted very American to be honest (too much mayo, too much sauce), but was still nice.  Along the walls are A4 pieces of paper from people visiting from all corners of the globe.  Quite a clever idea really. So, if you want to leave your mark in Phnom Penh, make you way to Khmer Saravan.  It's right on the river front.

The wall of Khmer Saravan - messages from all over the world!

I think thats enough writing for one day! 

Until tomorrow,

Daniel

Follow me on twitter @TheDanFactor

Cambodia, Seam Reap: Dinner Part 2: Khmer Amok and my morning in an orphanage

Today has been a good day.  I got to spend the morning working in a Catholic orphanage run by some lovely nuns.  The children there are awesome, aged from new born to five.  Unfortunately I don't have any good photo's as they nuns don't allow them, unless you donate large wads of cash or its your last day working there after a reasonable period, but I managed to get the photo underneath taken and smuggled out thanks to my partner in crime Johanna from Holland (who coincidently is working there).  The baby never cried the whole time, until we took this photo!! I swear!!! Oh, and obviously when I left because I make THAT much of an impression on people when I meet them for the first time! ;)

The orphanage actually was quite well run, I thought.  The first time I walked in half the children wanted to be picked up and carried for a bit which was nice.  I was consistently walking around lost with a child in each arm while Johanna did the real work and changed some nappies (diapers). But I got used to it and was loving it by the end.  Well, basically all I needed to do was play with children, so I fit in well.  By the time I had finished, I had only been pee'd on twice! Winning!!

Last night for dinner we ate at the night markets and had BBQ again.  One of the children who came to our dinner for homeless children (read here) asked us to buy him some fried rice, which we wouldn't because firstly, we don't want to encourage begging, and secondly, we had plenty of food which we offered him instead (stir fry veggies with rice and calamari).  The little blighter refused it, walked to another table to collect some cans and bottles, scored a cup of soft drink, then promptly came back to enjoy his rice and calamari and soda.  It was quite funny.  The are all very street smart.  I tried to pic a sly on my phone, but it didn't turn out too well.  Here is is anyway!

Urchin with his meal and drink!! 

OK, speaking of dinner, I owe you the main dish - Khmer Amok.  I think most everyone will love this! I was hesitant, because I am not the biggest fan of fish, but this recipe is awesome and Khmer Amok is one of Cambodia's signature dishes!  If you really don't like the idea with fish your can replace with chicken or beef! 

Main Course: Khmer Amok

Spice paste

So, you need to create a base paste for this recipe.  To create the paste you soak 2 dried chilli's in water until soft. Finely slice 2 sticks of lemongrass, a shallot, 2 cloves of garlic, on Kaffir Lime leaf, a finger of turmeric, 1 slice of galingale and the chilli's.  By finely I mean finely. My cook kept telling me to go forever! Whack it into a mortar and go to town on that bad boy with your pestle. Mix in 1 tablespoon of crushed peanuts, 4 dessert spoons of Chilli oil (though this may not be necessary. I was told it wasn't spicy and was purely for the colour when cooking), a dessert spoon of oil, half a teaspoon of shrimp paste and a pinch of salt.  Pestle away!! Pestle until a fine paste.

Khmer Amok
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add two dessert spoons of the spice paste and fry, adding one ladle (half a cup or so) of coconut cream. Add half a teaspoon of chicken salt/stock half a teaspoon of sugar, 3 squirts of fish sauce, half a teaspoon of palm sugar and mix.  Add the fish (or substitute). Add a ladle of water and simmer for 3 minutes adding coconut cream or water if need. Add half a sliced onion and a shallot.  Simmer for five minutes until soft.  Add two eggs and and hand flu off spinach or broccoli leaves and mix well.  Serve in Banana leave (if available) and garnish with coconut cream.

Serve with Rice

Khmer Amok

Please try it or leave me a comment to let me know what you thought!! :)

It's my birthday tomorrow, so we'll be having dessert!! :)

Daniel

Follow me on Twitter @TheDanFactor

Siem Reap, Cambodia: A little tour

I'm really starting to get around Siem Reap now, so I thought I might give you a little tour of this part of the world and where I am living.

I'm staying in a small home stay, a few kilometres outside of Siem Reap, which costs me 180 bucks a month! Pretty amazing, huh!!  And I get a free bicycle as well!! My room is quite spacious really, if Spartan. I have a large double bed, a few benches to keep my things, an ensuite and the complex has an outdoor communal kitchen area which is really nice as I have been able to meet some other volunteers from other parts of the world (mainly European so far).

Here is the street my home stay is situated, and my trusty bicycle!! 

Around the corner on Shoe St, I have all the necessities I could possibly need.  Shoe St is lined with, well, shoe stalls, but it also has many local eat shacks, two petrol stations, and a hairdresser.

A hair salon around the corner from where I am living...

My local petrol station!!

One of the cool things I kinda like here, is that streets are named, either officially or unofficially, by what is on them.  For example, Airport Rd goes to the airport, Pub St has lots of pubs, my street comes off a street with lots of shoe salesmen... Shoe St!!  It makes remembering street names easier!!

Shoe St, with all their shoe stalls

One of the entrances to Pub St which has a lot of the...wait for it... pubs!!

Siem Reap, while poor, does have a lot of charm.  One of the things I like about it is there are lots of little streets and side alleys which you can continue exploring and find exciting new places to dine and drink at, or even get a massage!  I find this really nice! I like a place that can slowly reveal itself to you rather than be right and in your face from day one.

There is no shortage of different cuisines.  This morning I had an Indian curry for breakfast, I just had fresh spring rolls and a chicken and mango salad at a local Khmer food restaurant, and tonight I am going to a volunteers farewell at an Italian restaurant where the tiramisu is suppose to be to DIE for!  I love me some tiramisu!

I started teaching at a school last night (a difficult thing after the lunch I had yesterday :-S)! The children are amazing, quite bright!  I would love to tell you more about it, and I will, except I am due there in 10 mins so must dash!

I have just booked into a cooking class, which I will have tomorrow!  So hopefully I will have some recipes of some traditional Khmer food which I have actually tried and made myself!! :)

Until then!

Daniel

Twitter: @ThedanFactor

Check out my about.me profile!

Siem Reap - Dinner for homeless children.

Kids are effing awesome!!  The night before last was two met travel buddies, Sharon and Nick's, final night in Siem Reap. So, with two friends from Holland they decided that they would host a dinner at a local outdoor market restaurant for some local homeless children.

Normally the homeless children here would be sorting through garbage to collect anything of value (cans bottles etc) or selling flowers, blacelets or books to tourists before going home are midnight.

So, come 6:00 Sharon, Nick, and another 3 of their friends, Julian, Jon and his wife, whose name escapes me at the moment, gathered up around 30 homeless children in central Siem Reap with the intention go give them a massive feast of chicken rice, drinks and two barbequed chicken pieces (a leg and wing).

Our dining table!! 30 children plus adults!!

Never have you seen a happier bunch of children at a dinner table! It was so incredible to see how thankful some of the children were! Not only that but what surprised me more was how smart these kids are.  These children weren't some of those brain drained 12 year olds we all know who spend 4 hours a day watching television, some, including our little friend Proen (pronounced like "prawn"), could have basic conversation in about 5 languages. These children may have been on the street, but they were definitely getting an education. Very street smart.

Proen is in the blue Batman t-shit.  Speaker of five languages, though he assured us that he 

certainly wasn't Batman.  Batman was his father. He is merely Batboy. You have been warned!!

Anyway, I don't want to go on about how special this was.  I just want to leave you with some pictures and, hopefully soon, a video of the evening I put together.  Its so awesome to see people do things like this, when they could easily push aside these children and pretend they are not there.

 Boys being boys!!  

This kid is the BIGGEST poser!! But also a kick arse street fighter! Afterwards we were messing around on the street outside and I damn near got an elbow to one side of my face, followed by a spinning backfist to the other side...  Below is his actual size compared to me... Just keep quiet, yeah??

This lovely lady was one of my favourites! She kept making me sit next to her and kept hugging my arm.  

Here we are looking at ourselves in the digital display on my camera.

Our end of the table at the night markets

These two (above and below) are brother and sister.  They are SO CUTE!! The girl sells bracelets and flowers around the main pub / club area each night.  I actually saw her as I was putting this post together and I touched up the photo a bit at her request! Such a girl - Cambodia's next top model? She was the most thankful for the dinner.  The night of the dinner she gave Nick and I a bracelet when we saw her later.  Last night when she saw Tash and I have dinner she gave Tash a free flower and both of us a big hug!

 This girl is feeding her sister. less than 2 years old.  Notice the seats.  There were no highchairs so we had to put three plastic seats on top of each other so it was high enough! :)

Two of the four dead set legends that made this happen, Sharon and Julian.

'Nuff said

Just so you know, this dinner cost about USD $200 for 30 children (though it could have been done for about USD $3.50 a child if they only gave chicken rice and one drink).  Earlier in the day a saw two American tourists scwabbling whether a bill, for the two of them, was $5, or $5.25....  And the end of this dinner, the children were so thankful, and went on their way sorting through trash and selling their wares.

If you are ever in a place around this world which provides you with an opportunity like this make sure you do it.  It was one of the best meals I have ever been too!!

Daniel
Check out my about.me profile! and follow me on twitter @TheDanFactor

Siem Reap, Cambodia. The first week - thank Vishnu for the French!!

Thank God for the French, that's all I can say, or Vishnu, now I'm in Cambodia! While French efforts to colonise Asian countries, or any country for that matter, was never nearly as successful as the English, the French did do a few things well.  While implementing a stable government, infrastructure, sanitation, schooling and all other elements of society which made England powerful, but obviously boring, were implemented haphazardly by the French, they do seem to have focussed on the important things in life when it came to spreading their influence into far regions of the Orient - cheese, bread, milk and wine.   Go France!  

But before I scoffed too much about the method of implementation of colonisation, I had a think about Western life and diet, and if I took out all the dairy and bread I realised, pretty quickly, that while I may be able to survive a while, it isn't long before I want some crusty bread, or cheese and crackers... or milk in my tea or coffee... think about it.  I assume France thought these delicacies are what separated us from the animals, or the locals, or something, and they were probably right, except for the bit about the locals.  And do not even get me started about life without wine. Why would you even bother?

However, the history lesson into the poor treatment of Cambodians by pretty much, well, everyone (including themselves) aside (I will go into it later in another blog post), Cambodia is lov-er-ly.  The French must have got something right. 

I am quite happy to report that Cambodia, like Vietnam (also colonised by the French, by the way) have lovely fresh baguettes (at USD 30c) a reasonable supply of cheeses including camembert and brie, reasonable coffee, and milk is readily accessible, which actually really surprised me after living in Malaysia.  Either, things have improved greatly in 3 years in this region, or Cambodia is on top of it their game!  I assume the later!  Also, coincidence or not, you can eat frogs here. Not just the legs like in France, but the whole bloody thing!!  Stores here are lined with French (and other - including Australian) wines, and not just crappy 3 dollar a bottle wines either - e.g.  Moet, Verve, and Taittinger Champagne is all readily available and a wide varieties of wines at different prices are available at quiet reasonable prices - from about $5 into the hundreds of dollars. Actually, yesterday I googled a review of the Chateau Soutard Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, of Bordeaux, France, which was selling for USD $120 a bottle, and that was just at the local store.

So, I am quite happy to thank the French for making my stay in Siem Reap that much more pleasant and easier to adjust too.  Last night I was quite easily able to put together a wine a cheese platter for four people that would have been the envy of many, for about 20 bucks.  So, France, merci.  I wouldn't want to get sick and go to the no-hospital, but an evening with a lovely merlot with friends in balmy weather is to die for.

Aside, from thanking my lucky stars for the French, because of the French I find myself volunteering in local schools for the poor (free schooling supported by locals or NGO organisations).  Tash (my travelling partner while in Cambodia) and I made contact with a school called Jimmy's School, run by a local by the name of...wait for it.. Jimmy.  Tash and I will start there on Monday, I believe. So, I am looking forward to that.  We popped by last night while the children we in the middle of a lesson to see some very enthusiastic children learning English (see how that's done, France) and giving us lovely big smiles and hand waves. But more on that once I have started working there.

To end with, here's a lovely food story, since I think I am suppose to do something like that in this blog.  Tonight some friends I have met since arriving, who are leaving Siem Reap tomorrow, are having a banquet for street children. At 6:00 tonight we are all going to the local market to round up some little street urchins, and will take them to a local outdoor restaurant and let them order what they want.  Of course, by '"we" I mean "them". Though I will be there, they will be paying.  That's the best way really!! ;)  Remember, the best meals are those you share with others, whether old friends, new friends, or to be friends and I can't think of more deserving recipients.  To be honest, it really is heart breaking to see the poverty here.  Literally, you have children waiting at your table for you to finish your can of beer so they can collect the trash to sell for money.  So, I imagine, tonights dinner will be amazing!  These children are grateful for anything they receive and they also have some of the biggest smiles I have ever seen on any child!  They just need a bath - something neither the French or the English seem to get right!!

Daniel

Follow Daniel on twitter: TheDanFactor

Check out my about.me profile!