Monday, November 19, 2007

Finally, a vacation!


I know I need to apologise... Life caught up with me and blogging got left behind. Well, I wasn't eating out much and even then there was nothing special to blog about really, except the spectacular barbeque on a certain beach on a certain pulau ubin where open fires, even for barbeques are illegal, prepared and executed by yours truly. Cooking was mostly nothing fancy or special and involved everyday meals, but thats a series I would like to do someday, like a week's worth of meals, budget of course, but nutritious and for 5 people, so that I can share some of my mealtime ideas with my readers. I have managed to confirm an allergy to eating 'outside' food, as a weeks worth of dinner out every night resulted in a scary patchy bloated face even thick concealer would not help. another week of abstinence from delicacies such as fried ikan bilis, barbequed seafood, dried shrimp anythings and other cooked food bought outside of the home, slathered in thick sauces, has resulted into going back to clear normal looking skin with the occasional blemish.

Well, as the post title suggest, I am indeed going on holiday to Cambodia and Vietnam, much deserved I think, after a long year of activities including the all important graduation. It will be 15 days of tramping around with a female friend, getting out hands eyes mouths and stomachs on all we can afford to eat in the way of cheap inexpensive street delicacies. Everything will be extensively noted down this time around, after the last trip's cameraless fiasco. I will try to blog along the way, but no promises there, since the precious time spent blogging would be much better spent hunting down another good meal.

First stop, Phnom Penh, loaded down with dictionaries, stationery and gifts for the lovely children at this Cambodian orphanage I visited the last time I was there. As it turns out, the Cambodian Water Festival will be on the 23rd to the 25th of Nov, so we are there right on time. Then we'll head to Lovely Vietnam. The initial plan was to explore the Mekong Delta region, but recent storms and floods mean that the area won't be the happiest place to visit. Plus I am trying to avoid taking those terrible anti-malarials. So We're going to try to go as far as Hanoi, and the head back down to HCMC by way of all the coastal towns such as Ha Long Bay, Nha Thrang and Mui Ne, as well as maybe an overnight visit to Dalat.

All in all that is plenty to do for 15 days, wish me luck and I'll be back safe and sound on the 7th of Dec in time for the Christmas season, and more heaps of food. Now, back to packing... to bring or not to bring makeup.. that is the all important question.. hmm...