Alison's Adventures in Cambodia

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Over and out

I've been back in Blighty for nearly 2 weeks now, and already the previous 26 months seem like a distant dream!
I have had the most amazing time in Cambodia, and I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to live and work in such an interesting and welcoming place. Overall it has been a fabulous experience for me, and hopefully I've done some good for the people there
It's good to be home though, and it's surprising how quickly I'm getting used to life here. I am loving being able to communicate easily again, and it's been great to come back to the British cuppa, jeans and boots, Strictly Come Dancing and the run up to Christmas.
Many things are much as I left them, which is good for me. My greatest pleasure has been in catching up with family and friends, not forgetting Cappucino the cat. I've rejoined Quintasia, my singing group, although I won't be performing with them until the new year, and I'm looking forward to dusting down my vocal tubes and singing again. I'm back to work in a slightly different role with the PCT, and - joy of joys - am now based at Bexhill Hospital which is a healthy 25 minute walk from my house. I seem to have missed a horrendous two-year NHS reorganisation, and am returning at a time when things are beginning to settle down - what great timing! Although there have been a lot of staff changes in my absence, I will be working with many great old friends as well as some lovely new ones.
I have a number of fun pre-Christmas celebrations lined up, and will be spending Christmas in the Isle of Wight with all my family.
As I am no longer "Alison in Cambodia", this will sadly be my last blog posting. I have enjoyed updating the blog over the last two years, and it will remain on the world wide web as a record of my experience. Thank you for reading it, and for all the interest and support I have received while I've been away.
Over and out!!

Myanmar Magic

The Foreign Office and popular opinion said don't go, but in spite of airline and visa difficulties our trip to Myanmar went ahead. And it was great. Myanmar is a beautiful and fascinating place, with friendly people and interesting sights. We managed to cram plenty in to our fortnight there. In the capital, Yangon, we visited the incredible Shwedagon Pagoda, which spoiled us a bit for the many thousand other pagodas in the country. In Mandalay, we explored ancient Burmese cities, and attended a comedy night with the notorious Moustache Brothers, where I sat on the same seat that the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, had previously parked her posterior! That was the extent of our acquaintance with political events, and we saw nothing of the repression and human rights violations that have been in the news. I had my face painted with the yellow paste which Myanmar people of all ages wear to make themselves beautiful, and met some charming long-neck Karen tribespeople (what a barbaric tradition, though). I cycled round the plains of Bagan which are chock full of pagodas, and boated on Inle Lake alongside the rather odd leg rowers (apparently it saves their arms from aching). A highlight of our holiday was the hot air balloon festival at Taunggui, with fabulous animal shaped balloons in the afternoon, and balloons covered with candles at night.

Travelling around the country was difficult, with terrible roads and uncomfortable buses and trucks, but it was all worth it.