Alas...

 And Alas, I finally get to use that word.  It’s also time for me to leave and return to my life in the U.S. and this feels harder than it ever has before. I remember this feeling before, the feeling that there was more that I wanted, but this is different in just about every way.

At the end of my last two visits, I wasn’t ready to go, but the plans for the trip had ended and so did my time. Each time, Tree had planned and executed nearly perfect travel plans for us and in the end, he had to move on to his next tour, and we had to return home from truly memorable vacations.

I don’t think that my plans for this trip were all that ambitious but had room for hiccups and roadblocks. Luckly, I don’t feel I hit many of them. This is boring…you all know all this stuff.  Here are some pictures.



The Drean Team (Li-da, Meta, Po-Thai, Jeannetta

 

The Sacred Dancers of Angkor
Apsara Dancers

Flooding in Battambang
(Poor guy on the bike)
On the Bamboo Train in Battambang
Me, Meta, Jeannette and Claire

Our visit to Phnom Sampeau in Battambang
 

 


The Killing Cave Killing Field Site

At PHARE CIRCUS for Bad Bands Concert

 

 


 The Sacred Dancers of Angkor
  

Bad Bands in Battambang Concert
 

 

Our teams at various Temples around Battambang collecting DNA samples from the community




The team at lunch after a morning of sample collection

The team meeting at the end of the sampling trip


the results of a successful out reach trip

Our first night in Phnom Pemh on the River Walk





The Search for Li-Da's family (I have more but its not my story to tell)


The search for my Family
Thai collecting DNA from my cousin Thorn Sambath

Me showing Sambath my baby picture

Family

Sambath invited us to his home to meet his family

Me and my new family

The home of Sambath's sister


 
Having lunch with my cousin Thorn Samoeur (son of Sambath)

Going to World Vision in Phnom Penh


The location I believe to be the World Vision Nutrition Center 
where I was kept before we were evacuated


Meeting Tree and his girlfriend Dee

Me and a Capybara

In Siem Reap at the Night Market and Pub Street




Me with a Hero Rat
 
Me at Angkor Wat



At Dara's School: The Global Child
Check it out its amazing
https://theglobalchild.org/

My Home Stay - Eco-Home 


Dinner with the family and the neighbors
 





Some of the Food




My Bike with my suitcase on the back...Over loading vehicals is very common in Cambodia
I guess I am becoming more Khmer

It goes without saying I love my motherland...I am leaving for now but I will return, and this time I know it will not be too long.  See you in the Spring of 2027.

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