Recent posts - A Cambodian Tale

Red Tories. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (90 days old)

It's a strange feeling that overcomes you when you're sitting on a beach near Brighton Marina, quietly reading the Saturday edition of 'The Guardian' when you turn the page to see a double page spread… more

Moving. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (104 days old)

Am in Bedford now and spent the last ten minutes trying to think of positive and fascinating things to say about the place........nope,it's impossible.I suppose the park is well designed and it has so… more

Evensong. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (113 days old)

So here I am in Canterbury teaching 13-16 year olds from the far flung depths of Europe and beyond and loving every minute of it.It is quite amazing to see how well Serbians mix with Spanish students,… more

Thoughts on Michael Jackson's appearance in my life. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (137 days old)

It's 1988 and I'm working illegally at Tower Records on 66th and Broadway. The people I worked with were for the most part a great bunch of folks and the perks were great, including lots of free ticke… more

Keep on running.... From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (145 days old)

I'm no longer in Cambodia and am now in the UK finding some work,looking for a place to live so that A and C can get their lives back and watching cricket at Hove whilst my nose goes red. I have also… more

Funny thing is.... From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (168 days old)

I'm only writing this post out of a sense of duty and slight foreboding.The scaremongers have been out in their droves recently mainly because the security situation seems to be becoming far more unst… more

Calling all outcasts. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (183 days old)

I journeyed back to Cambodia last Tuesday/Wednesday with the usual mix of apprehension and excitement.The trip was fairly routine except for one notable exception.On arrival at Kuala Lumpur Airport at… more

Stephen Fry is notably absent... From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (191 days old)

You see I really do miss all things British particularly when it comes to a lack of reality TV and thought that requires the use of brain cells.I have been accused of a lack of patriotism,forsaking my… more

Back in Blighty From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (209 days old)

On arriving at Stansted Airport I expected tumbleweeds to be blowing across the tarmac,soothsayers proclaiming that the end of the world is nigh and raggedy urchins running around asking for "a few pe… more

Summing up. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (233 days old)

A while since my last meanderings.Here is a trip to Vietnam in a nutshell. Saigon/HCMC: Great museums,escorting old ladies across the crazy HCMC streets,bia hoi at 12,000 dong a glass(about 12p),lear… more

Hello Vietnam. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (257 days old)

It's been over a week and feels a lot longer.Started off in Saigon,and spent a pleasant evening watching the boat traffic run up and down the Saigon river,whilst sitting on the roof of the Majestic Ho… more

Just a quick one. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (266 days old)

I leave for Vietnam in 24 hours en route to visiting the UK,so have litle time for extensive thoughts. Valentines Day here was the usual surreal experience,with an ongoing debate re:globalization.vs.… more

Slip sliding away. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (280 days old)

Being a free man I decided it was about time I vacated the city and headed to the provincial south where beaches are aplenty and life runs at a slow pace. I first landed at Kampot,which was a first f… more

A free man From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (290 days old)

In deference to the recently deceased Patrick McGoohan,I am now no longer a number.Actually that's being a little too dramatic as it implies that my time at IEL,the school that I worked at on and off … more

The end is nigh. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (297 days old)

Only one week left at work,exams loom and I'm getting restless.This past week was possibly one of the longest I've experienced here,not helped by the fact that I had laryngitis(sic)and felt under the … more

Big Bicycles From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (303 days old)

As I was almost involved in a pile up of bicycles and motorbikes,it made me think......why do all the kids in PP ride bikes that are four sizes too big for them?Every day I see some poor teenager/chil… more

Bombs of PP. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (311 days old)

An eventful start to the New Year to say the least.After enduring rain,rain and yet more rain on New Years Eve,yesterday on leaving work I was informed that three bombs had been discovered not too far… more

Uncle Old Fart. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (318 days old)

Christmas Day was unlike any I have ever experienced.As I have previously mentioned,being a Buddhist country,the day is not a holiday here,and I went into work as usual.However,there the similarity to… more

Scary santa. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (324 days old)

In the grand tradition of David Lee Roth's jumpsuit and Sonic the Hedgehog,I was persuaded to don the ultimate outfit for the school Christmas party.Yes,I dressed up as Santa Claus.Now as scary a pros… more

The things you do. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (331 days old)

On Saturday I travelled around the world.Well,actually entered different rooms that represented a different part of the world.This involved donning a kimono in Japan,eating sushi in Korea and taking p… more

A day off... From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (335 days old)

As it's "Human Rights Day"and we get the day off,I thought I'd add a few extra thoughts. On Sunday evening I wandered across to the park opposite Wat Botun,which happens to be next to the Cambodian/V… more

Christmas in PP. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (339 days old)

For a country that is 97% Buddhist and is fairly devout I was curious to see what kind of take there would be on the festive season,it being my first time here over this period. I freely admit to bein… more

Blimey,Placebo are coming... From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (346 days old)

I was pleased to see this week that those masters of myrth that are called Placebo are visiting Cambodia this coming week and playing a gig at Angkor Wat with the unknown to me Click 5.It's indeed a r… more

Quiet times. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (352 days old)

After the hustle and bustle of the Water Festival things have returned to normal this week.It's been remarkably quiet actually and as there is nothing to report I will keep it brief. I am looking for… more

All finished. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (360 days old)

The comment that I made in my last entry about the festival not being as busy as I thought came back to bite me. I wrote on Tuesday,which was the first day of the festival,and by Thursday the streets… more

All things water. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (363 days old)

I don't normally write during the week due to time restrictions etc. but seeing as it's water festival time and I'm not working,I thought I'd take the plunge(water metaphors are all the rage around he… more

55 years. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (366 days old)

Today the 9th November is Independence Day in Cambodia and I left the house relatively early,camera in hand to catch the parade and festivities.This is a big week in the Khmer calendar,as later this w… more

A day at the beach. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (374 days old)

On Wednesday we had the regular school field trip which this term was a visit to Sihanoukville,or to give it it's traditional name Kompong Som. Arriving bleary eyed at the incredibly uncivilised hour… more

Just like watching Brazil. From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (380 days old)

Another weekend was upon me and I was in somewhat of a quandry.How shall I occupy my time productively?It was at this point that it was suggested to me that I pay a visit to the mighty Olympic Stadium… more

Is credit crunch a kind of breakfast cereal? From davidcambo in A Cambodian Tale (395 days old)

I have to say that all the gloom and doom in the civilised world right now seems to be passing us by!!I have found myself watching CNBC occasionally,and quietly snigger to myself as the capitalists wo… more