balik kampung
balik kampung or 'return home' with aisha for this southeast asian trek
destination: malaysia and cambodia
purpose of journey: farah and dave’s wedding
never travel to southeast asia without: insect repellant
favorite outfit: a bikini and batik sarong on the beach
how many pairs of shoes: three - a pair of slides, sandals, and platform wedges.
what were you listening to: literally a bit of everything, depending on who was in charge of djing, but i really enjoyed hearing traditional khmer music in cambodia.
favorite meals: asam laksa in penang; a pungent local delicacy made with fermented prawn paste, fish, tamarind, chili, lemongrass, rice noodles and fresh toppings. amok fish in siem reap; a coconut fish curry steam cooked in banana leaf and served with rice.
highlights of the trip: the weddings. catching up with family and old friends. spending time in the jungle. island hopping on a jet ski. visiting the ancient temples of siem reap and witnessing the resilient spirit of the khmer people. food. singing michael jackson with farah at karaoke.
mama macaques at batu caves
precious stray kitten
my beautiful jidah (grandmother) and youngest cousin nibras
in front of the thrones before the bersanding began
<3 sister <3
in our baju kebayas! striking a pose in my favorite outfit ;)
jungle trekking in taman negara. the oldest primary rainforest in the world. 130 million years old!
a tualang tree buttress. towering above the canopy at 289' they are worth more standing for the honey they house. attached to the bottom of branches parabola shaped hives can reach 6' across.
the cascading falls of lata berkoh
feeding the elephants at kuala gandah elephant orphanage sanctuary. siti had beautiful eyelashes and was my favorite.
young coconuts. attending the island wedding <3
gopro screen grab on the jet skiii
sunset in langkawi and my favorite dish
cambodia
river of a thousand lingas at mount kulen national park. these 11th century phallic hindu carvings depict the god shiva. the water is sanctified by this 500' stretch or riverbed and flows throughout siem reap.
beng malea outside of the main temple complex is largely unrestored. still, an ongoing project the cambodian mine action center has found and cleared 438 anti-personnel mines and 809 unexploded bombs from here.
laughing monk at angkor wat
one of 216 giant smiling avalokite śvara at bayon temple. built in the 12th century for a buddhist king. ta prohm built around the same time is affectionately known as the 'tomb raider temple.' massive root systems engulf the ruins. both temples were mind-blowing.
the only temple not commissioned by a king. banteay srey was built in the 10th century and dedicated to the hindu god shiva.
banteay srey means 'citadel of the women'
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