This week Cambodia will feel a lot different to me because two Thompson cousins will be landing in Siem Reap for a short visit.
My cousin Alice-Anne and her husband, Robert live near Hiroshima, Japan. Alice-Anne is a dentist for the U.S. Navy.
They have snow and fancy winter coats in Japan.
Alice-Anne and Robert, unless you have a heatstroke death wish, you can take those coats off before you get here.
I’m excited because they’re spending their entire eight-day vacation in Cambodia.
Their journey begins with a 15-hour overnight trip that will take them on three flights:
1.) Hiroshima, Japan to Tokyo, Japan
2.) Tokyo, Japan to Bangkok, Thailand
3.) Bankok, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia
Following my early-morning bike ride into the city, I’ll be waiting at Siem Reap International Airport at 9:00am Wednesday.
It’s officially part of my Peace Corps service to share Cambodia’s culture with other Westerners, especially my friends and family. This is a job I take very seriously. So, I’ve pounded the pavement, made phone calls, talked with Khmer friends, and tried my best to create the perfect itinerary.
We’ll explore one of the wonders of the world, Angkor Wat. We’ll visit my host family’s crocodile farm and home, teach my classes together and share pictures and stories about Japan with my students. We’ll visit floating villages on the Tonle Sap Lake, rice fields, and Buddhist pagodas .
We’ll see Phnom Penh, including the Royal Palace and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. And, if we can pull it off, we’ll be in a hot-air balloon over Angkor Wat, on an elephant trek, and staying in a jungle treehouse on the coast.
This is the Kingdom of Wonder. It’s my Peace Corps job to show it off 
(Plus, this gives me an excuse to do things even I haven’t done yet!)
Alice-Anne and Robert, have a safe trip, or as we say in Khmer, Soaks sabay dom plough. See you in three days.
OMG!!! Wish it was ME and DAD coming!!!!!!! The trip sounds incredible with tons of amazing things to do!!! I am so excited they get to come! Wow! Love, love, love the last picture!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!! Can’t wait to read and see pictures of all the adventures you all go on!!!!!!!!
I wish you and Dad got to come too. I love you too Mom.
How exciting for all of you!!! WOW! The itinerary sounds incredible! Enjoy your time together. Can’t wait to hear all about it!
Love you!
The visit sounds wonderful for all of you. What a great time you will all have together. I too wish your Mom and Dad could visit you. We will just have to experience everything through your writing. You do an amazing job with that.
What a wondeful experience for them and for you! I am so glad you will have family visiting and you will get to share so much with them. Can’t wait to hear the stories and see pictures! Love, Kaki
It sounds like you have an awesome trip planned for them. I am so very jealous of all the amazing places and cultures all of you are experiencing! Thank goodness you kids are good writers and let the rest of us enjoy the experiences via your words!
Yaeah ~ I’m “pumped” ~ that crocodile looks really, really hungry:-((((. Taking them to (or into, did I hear???) a crocodile pen where the “mom’s” are probably fearlessly guarding their eggs ~ so appreciative Travis…..?? Seriously, Alice-Anne & Robert have been counting the days and are sooooo excited! I sent them a message on FB asking only one thing, and I will ask it of you, as well. As this date was quickly approaching, I starting googling Cambodia, Floating Village, hungry crocs in Cambodia (haha!), and more. I came upon this incredible utube, truly totally by mishap, because I am not too internet bloggy/utubie savvy…. from “fatblueman”. Enough captured my attention that I explored his utube posts further and found them wonderfully descriptive of his experiences in Cambodia, the floating village, and so much more. His video of the Kangkor floating village was incredible, and his “video” of Christmas in Japan entertaining ~ so Travis, just as I told Alice-Anne and Robert, check his utubes or whatever they’re called out, as I expect us all to be treated to similar “coverage”, pulling out all your reporter talent & putting it to use! (Upon further investigation, fatblueman is a guy who has lived in Japan for at least the last 10 years, he’s from Canada, and among other things, is a musician performing with a group throughout Japan and obviously traveling to Cambodia, etc.
Seriously, you could also see this as a great opp to impart some of your reporting/journalism skills to AA & Robert as they continue to share their travels and experiences with us to! This is something each of you will also want to “save” to share with your own children & generations to come ~ assuming you escape the mouths of those alligators:-))
Thanks for the tips Becky! I’ll try to watch fatblueman today.
We’ll keep you posted on our travels! See ya soon.