Life with cats, and other things…
Plateau de Bokor, Cambodia.16th February1957 It has always been something of a mystery to me how a responsible driver can, under normal circumstances, end up running out of gas/petrol. Three times I have been in a car when the driver announced that we were in such a situation and on each of those occasions, we … Continue reading Koh Tonsay
Kep, Cambodia 1956 Until we went to Cambodia, I had never experienced the delight of warm sea water. A couple of months after our arrival from England, we got in the Citroen and drove to Kep on the coast. As I recall, the journey took about 3 hours on a rather pot-hole filled road that … Continue reading Circumnavigation
Angkor Wat, Cambodia 1956/7 70 years ago today, my mother and I arrived in Cambodia to join my father who was working there for UNESCO. I know precisely because it was his 44th birthday. (I am writing this on June 4th) Mum and I had flown from London, Heathrow to Paris, Orly where we transferred … Continue reading An anniversary
0802/26th April 2026 It's Tuesday afternoon as I begin to write. Normally, I start soon after breakfast but today we went for an impromptu drive which I shall no doubt relate after I've had a chance to look at the photographs. It has become my practice to write my posts the day before I publish … Continue reading Becoming obsessed
1706/1st November 2025 The year leading up to the 2024 election was tense and stressful. Then after that appalling day, we were left sick with apprehension. In the months since the inauguration, I've asked myself whether my dread was justified. Or should I have been even more afraid? Being afraid is not helpful and worrying … Continue reading Differences
1406/16th May 2025 . There is a saying that if life sends you lemons, you should make lemonade. Following that principle, when the forces of Nature send bad weather, I take photos of snow, ice, floods... ...and raindrops. . The mention of lemonade took me yet again to Cambodia where in 1956, I encountered a … Continue reading Lemon
1536/21st December 2024 . The patio door slid open and there was Grant waving as he called out: "Two waters please!" He takes bottles of water to re-fill the heated bowls near the house. We have others out in the field, but they would soon freeze solid at the moment. . Grant's words propelled my … Continue reading A warm place
Tonle Sap River, Quay Sisowath, Phnom Penh 1956 . During our second year in Cambodia we moved away from our small flat overlooking the river, which had always been so interesting, with all its constant activity. We took up residence in a bungalow on what was then called rue Dr Hahn which I can picture … Continue reading Greys
1642/3rd August 2024 . It was a sensation of having dived into a pool of warm honey and being probed by long fingers as it insinuated itself intimately around me. Exiting onto the porch early this morning, suddenly I was cast back 68 years to my first encounter with tropical heat. . Mum and I … Continue reading Firsts
0800/27th June 2024 . The flowers here are at the Veterinary Hospital. They are always so beautiful and I can't have you thinking I grew them!... . Appliances. Where would we be without them? When I was a child, before we went to Asia, my mum had very few. The major one was a Hoover. … Continue reading Appliances