JJ in her 12-18 months

As she grows, I just can't resist to tell people how energetic, naughty, talkative and nasty she is. She likes playing with her cousin brothers, yet conflicts over the i-devices have become normal incidents in which she is usually the victim. She likes climbing up a nearly 2 meters high stool and other furniture at home, and she is skillful at this. Her temper is quite bad, I would say. She likes repeating after what we said, especially the last single words. She's managed to count "...pi, bei, buon, bramm" and recently some 2-syllable words. She likes dancing (one of her fav is the Gangnum Style) and humming as well. She likes feeding herself although it usually ends up with a big mess. She is quite good at potty training but not yet mastering it. She likes her bottles now but still can't let go of the habit of being nursed by Mak Mak before sleep. She has been to Sihanouk Ville, Kompot, Kompong Thom and Siem Reap and she behaved well, which I am thankful.

JJ and Mak Mak at Sambo Prey Kuh Temple, Kompong Thom (22 Jul 2013)

Bali

The main agenda was a 4-day workshop, so it was all about nothing but Hotel Mercure and the Kuta beach located just across the street! Not even a chance to see the sunset due to the late closing of the workshop on some days and raining on the others. Well, this may leave me an excuse to go there again...

Hotel Mercure
(So in love with this roof-top pool)

Isn't this cool?
(Wondering how thrilling this is???)

Salamat Pagi!
(A short walk to feel the sea breeze but not the sea itself)

NOT YET ANY BALINESE SENSE!!!

Next time, I doubt!
@_@

NGOF's staff retreat in Mondulkiri

The sunset viewed from Phnom Dos Kramom

The one-building Dak Dam Primary School

The green along the way to Dak Dam District

The Sea Forest

Buu-Sra Waterfall

At Buu-Sra District Hall

The symbol of Mondulkiri Province

Thmor Rung

It was quite a gloomy day with slight rain the whole afternoon. I got quite sick with one slippery step and going under the rain. After all, I got better after coining. Surely, gonna visit there again and enjoy... A good site to go!!!

FYI, Thmor Rung is a natural tourist destination located just 6km from the national road #4 (few kms from Pich Nil).

Hakkeijima Sea Paradise

This was the last stop before getting back to Nagoya's home, concentrating for my messy thesis.

Well, I'd say I AM ON LEAVE from my blog for a while...

Happy White Day

@ a strawberry farm in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture

(On a zemi trip of Noukoudai)

My 2nd ski trip in Gifu

Ehe... Skiing again. I've just noticed I somehow love skiing although I'm not good at it. The trip last year was somehow... er... click HERE to see it by yourself, and this one was much more enjoyable. For one thing, I made it with very few falls by not trying new styles because I didn't wanna risk breaking my legs, more precisely my knees. Too coward me!!! For another thing, there were 10 other Cambodian friends joining, whlie last year only 6.

It was the first fall on the first day, March 1, when I attempted to walk up the hill with my skis on, instead of shouldering them as instructed. Super energy-consuming!!!

Cambodian immature skiers were so active. Initially, we were in 3 different groups with other foreign students. But after negotiation, we made it 2 thanks to Bang KS. This was the 1st time on the 2nd day that all of us met along this course, but where was Bang PR???

Me in ski wear @ Rabbit (or Turtle???) Station

Parking... lolz...

Trying to catch snowflakes. Too bad I couldn't capture their shape with my DC. They are too beautiful to be real. Will bring a microscope with me next time... Ehe!!!

Never missed a chance to take picture together\(-_-)/

So beautiful!!!

National Norikura Youth Freindship Center
FYI, the temperature was -2°C on March 3

The whole group
One broke her left leg, and another her neck, I heard.

Getting back

Note: This ski trip is organized by SOLV members of the Graduate School of Law, Nagoya University. This year is the 10th anniversary!!! My BIG THANKS go to all the organizers!!! Some photos above are from R's DC. Now waiting for more photos from the rest of the ski group.

The B-U-T of Fall

@ Nagoya University, Nagoya City

@ Korankei, Toyota City

*** Photoed by ME with Bang PR's DC.

Real little***

Welcome to...

Cambodian Corner
Photo fair + fund-raising (for school kids)

Cambodian Circus
with additional themes (traditional dances + some comedies) as background
performed @ Little World from 13 Sept - 24 Nov
Very typical both Cambodia and circus!!!

A massive group of Cambodians for Cambodians...
CHEERS!!!

End...
Yet, just one of the many clicks by NK

*** This Little World, a window to men's life and culture of about 20 countries, is real little. No a space for Cambodia's wonder. Quite disappointed...

2 weeks in Chiang Mai (Oct 1-14)

Just some highlights...

Sites and Activities

Food & Drink

@ Orchid Farm

Look fun huh?!

Actually, it was super tiring because of those sleepless nights (...got up late almost every morning... lolz). Fieldwork in the day time and group meeting @ nights, esp. those before the 2 interim presentations. Got stuck... and some tense and pressured... a lot of workloads with little fun. 5 of the 30 students went to hospital because of fever and food infection; my group (WG1) kept no record there (that's what should be cheered for!!!). A final report + presentation are waiting for everyone... 頑張ろう！！！

That's so called fieldwork. No reason for complaint. Anyway, I got back to Nagoya in a whole piece. Do appreciate all those concerns (for some obvious reason) from many friends and seniors both in Japan & Cambodia.

A lot have been learned, I'm sure. Well, gotta fight harder for semester 2... Just what I've always told myself. Lolz... Wish me luck then!!!

Last day in Chiang Mai

View from Sunflower Chinese Restaurant, F24,

Centara Duong Tawan Hotel, Chiang Mai

Photos...

If interested, read more about the sites here.

- Iwakuni city (official site in Japanese), Yamaguchi Pref.

- Iwakuni @ Wikipedia

- Kintai Bridge, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi

- Miyajima, aka Itsukushima, Hiroshima Pref

- Itsukushima Shrine

- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Hi from Hiroshima

Just a short notice to say hi and tell I'm gonna get on the bus from Hiroshima at 7am, reach Osaka at 1pm and arrive in Nagoya at 6:20pm. But, now I'm still blogging, while Bang SC, who put me up, is sleeping. Lolz...

Goodbye to Hiroshima...

"Journey to the top"

It was tougher than the "journey to the west" because I don't have any magic that the monkey god had, plus I have a weak knee and a not-so-strong body condition. With great excitement and anticipation, I was looking forward to this package tour as a chance to experience the climbing of this famous, mighty tourist site of Mt. Fuji. I don't know what kind of package tour I was registered for, so I'd better not complain about the guide-less climbing. Luckily, we met a young Japanese guy (born in Osaka, educated in Kyoto and working in Kobe) who was on his fist-time climbing Mt. Fuji alone and who was really kind to keep us company all through the trekking, although he could move faster on his own.

Surely, that was a really real CLIMBING, from the 5th stage of about 2,300m above sea level to the top of 3,776m, which almost killed me in exhaustion (sometimes I needed to use the canned oxygen when I couldn't breath properly) when I nearly reached the 8th stage (where a not-so-delicious dinner and a just-for-4-people-with-no-any-space-left bed was provided) and again when I climbed the steep rocky path to the top in the dark after a 2-hour-sleepless sleep. Here once again, I gotta be super grateful to B.VR and B.SK for their help and close company, and also sorry for being a burden for them. In total, it took me and other guys over 9 hours (5 from the 5th stage and 4 from the 8th stage) to the top, yet it wasn't the end of all the pains and endurance. The temperature was so low that I was nearly frozen while we were waiting to see the sunrise. Plus, we gotta endure the strong smell from the toilet just meters away. Tired, hungry, sleepy and cold, I didn't appreciate the view of the sunrise much. I just wished it to come out as fast as possible, so that it'd get warmer. After the sun was totally up, we went for breakfast. What would you think if you were charged 800 yen for a bowl of no-meat-shouyuu ramen (soup noodle)? And how about 200 yen for a visit to a very dirty, smelly toilet? The tap water is so scarce that I couldn't even wash my hands thoroughly let alone brush my teeth nor wash my face. This was totally not the image I've had for Mt. Fuji.

After breakfast, we decided to descend a bit earlier than the set time because we already experienced 2 hours late in climbing last night. The ideal time is 4 hours, but I took about 5 hours. A bit improvement was resulted from experience and route conditions. Yet, the stony soil and steepness of the route made the descending walk slippery and foot aching. My knees and ankles got very tired and one of my toes got "pong bek". God did bless me for surviving the 5.6km zigzag route from the 8th stage back to the 5th.

At the 5th stage, where people get prepared for the climbing.
The history of the birth of Mt. Fuji

The formation started about 15,000,000 years ago.

(Since my Japanese is limited, read and search more by yourself. Ehe...) Viewed from the bus stop at the 5th stage

(No idea if that's Mt. Fuji; I should have asked someone.)The climbing route Climbing team, with Ken-chan (the 1st from left), our unexpected and kind "guide" at the 6th stage (after 1-hour walk from the 5th stage + photo taking)
That's the rest of the climbing route, needing another 8 hours including short breaks
Waiting to see the sunrise at the top
@ 4:54am
@ 4:57am
@ 4:57am
@ 4:58am @ 5:02am
The volcanic site
The crowd around the volcanic site after the sun rised
The descending route
Finally, back to the 5th stage, about 30 minutes behind the schedule, though.

Well, let me conclude this tough journey to the top of Mt. Fuji in a positive way although I didn't find it a bit of fun at all. First of all, I've gained another unforgettable life experience - climbing the mighty Mt. Fuji. Second, I've done what I thought I couldn't have been able to do - going through the rocky, stony routes to the top, 3,776m above sea level. Third, I think it's trained me, the immature mountain climber, to be stronger and more persistent. Fourth, it's gained me more value of friendship, both new and old. Last (?), although I'm not superstitious, I've prayed for the healthiness of everyone (esp. my family and friends); I've always believed that healthiness is the best blessing of all.

The stamp of the top, 3,776m

Please accept my giant thanks, everyone in the team, for making this trip possible, memorable and successful.