2010 was a crazy year. I lived in Portland, Kyrgyzstan, traveled across Canada, moved back to Seattle, and now Phnom Penh. I learned a new language and promptly forgot it, I lived without running water, I helped build a house, I had my first year without school since I started pre school, and I bounced back from a long stretch of unemployment. Hopefully 2011 will be a little less eventful (civil strife I’m looking at you) but just as full of amazing opportunities.
For New Years my newest flat mate, my co-worker, and her Dad headed to Siem Reap. Siem Reap is so different than Phnom Penh, designed (at least the sections we were in) for the tourist, with more aggressive panhandling and tuk tuk drivers. However, it quickly becomes clear what draws people to this town, Angkor Wat is a stunning set of ruins. No ropes, no fences, just amazing and intricately carved temples in various states of restoration that you can climb all over.
I spent New Years eve itself sick with food poisoning, what a way to start 2011. We also had ‘Dr. Fish’ massages, where you stick your feet in a tub of water with little feeder fish and they eat away the dead skin. Quite the odd sensation, and hard for someone with as ticklish feet as myself, but fun until they found my bug bite. Then a little painful. But everything else was incredible, and it was nice to get out of Phnom Penh for a bit.
So much so that I'm heading out of town this weekend as well. Happy New Year!
