My last fun time in Australia

After a long weekend at Blue Mountain and in Canberra I’m finally back in Sydney. Being in Sydney this time was different from other times because Caroline and the kids were gone to Vanuatu and Jolyon was on his rode trip for his work, so it was only me alone in Sydney.

In Cable car crossing blue mountain 2009.

In the cave 2009

The stone in the cave 2009

The stone in the cave 2009.

Me and Three sisters at blue mountain 2009.

Cambodian's Sea wolf band played in Sydney, Cabramatta 2009.

Sophie and I at Bronte Beach. Sydney 2009.

On stage with Cambodian famous signers in Cabramatta, Sydney 2009
Khat So Khim (the lady with the purple dress), Tat Vichaka, Soun Chantha and Srey Nark.

Me and Khat So Khim. Sydney 2009.

While the family was gone, I stayed at Caroline and Jolyon friend’s (Susie and Simon) house at Bronte Beach. Simon and Susie’s house was lovely and they were such wonderful, generous people, I felt very welcomed. They were very open for me doing anything I liked and making myself feel at home. For the first two days there were four of us staying in the house, but on the weekend Susie and Simon went for a holiday, so there was only Phil (their son) and I in the house.

With Noung. Cabramatta Sydney 2009.

Me, Barang, Noung and Kim. Sydney 2009.

Susie, Simon and Phil. Bronte, Sydney 2009.

To be able to stay close to the beach without two children around, all I did was sleep and relax. I slept until 11:30am then got up to eat. After that I spent three hours walking around the beaches. For the first two days I walked from Bronte Beach to Bondi Beach. On the way to Bondi Beach I also saw a small beach named Tamarama. Tamarama beach is a small beach compared to others, but it was lovely too. The second day as I walked around the beaches I took frequent breaks on the big rock that I found. I climbed up the rock and took a rest for about an hour and a half listening to my music. After I finished sitting on the rock I continued my walk, but again I stop at the tallest rock to look at the view. It was really a beautiful day, with a perfect view of the beach. Many people walked past me when I was sitting on the big rock, some were couples, some were groups and some of them were walking alone like me, but everyone seemed to enjoyed very much their time along the beach and the view of the Pacific Ocean.

My shadow.

In the rock at Bronte Beach 2009.

The wind blew stroking on my face; it made me felt a little bit cold. Children were playing in the sand and ran around with their balls. The big waves in the sea made the surfers happy and they enjoyed their surfing. That moment made me feel like I was standing in a heaven that I never had felt nor seen before.

What a lovely cuple!!, I wish someone could love me that much!!
Peta Hoff and Brand Hoff at their house in Canberra 2009.

With Brand Hoff 2009.

With Peta Hoff 2009.
With Brad Hoff at Blue Mountain 2009.

On the way back I walked pass all the beaches as normal, but this time I looked at the sea from the street along the beach. I saw a lovely little penguin swimming in the big ocean alone, and it was funny because I was the only person who saw that and I was standing there watching it playing in water. Around fifteen minutes later the penguin’s body was carried by the waves and got hit against the big rock, up and down until it died. I stood there nearly an hour and watched its dead body and felt very sorry for the little penguin that died from the big waves. The first time that I saw penguin it was very happy, jumping up and down in the big ocean, and then I saw it died. Suddenly, I looked the water again and thought “the water in the ocean is clear and so beautiful, it makes people feel good and relaxed from all the stresses they have just looking at it. The water brings a lot of fun to people who know how to use it, but it can also kill life if you are careless for just a minute”.

My best friend Daniel changing nappy for his son Otis.
What a different world I'm living in :o)
Sydney 2009

Otis in Sydney 2009
Cutiest photo of Quinn of the year!!! Hotel in Sydney 2009.

Cutiest photo of Quinn of the year!!! Hotel in Sydney 2009.

With Grand (Caroline's Mother) Sydney 2009.

That evening I went to a Cambodia charity concert with my new Cambodian friend name Ngoun and his friends Kim and Barang. At the Cambodian concert there were many people, most of them were Cambodian. It was a fun time because everyone dressed up and put on a lot of makeup and wore a lot of jewelry, except me looked very casual (normally I like to dress up too, but not that night). I spoke to some people there about how excited I was to come to this concert, and they all said “Oh… your Khmer language is very good! Where are you from?” I said “I am Cambodian too, but I am living and working in Washington DC. Then they said “Oh…you are Cambodian too, but you don’t speak good Khmer!” And I thought “What is wrong with my Khmer??” Anyway I was the only Khmer person who had brown hair at that concert, because all the Khmer girls there had either highlighted or blonde or red hair. I should have been the person who looked like Cambodian and they all have looked like foreigners. The rest of the night I spent watching the performances and doing traditional Cambodian dancing.

Power Museum in Sydney 2009.

With Vigirnia at Oprah's house 2009.

With Vigirnia and Sophie at Glebe 2009.

Although, I didn’t know many people there, but I had a wonderful time and was very happy to see how Cambodians living in Australia live and still keep their culture alive.

Thanks to Noung who invited me to the concert. Thank you very much to Noung, Kim and Barang who droved two hours picked me up, dropped me back home, bought me the ticket, paid for drinks the whole night. I did have a really great time with you guys!!!

I thought you guys are awesome!!

Let me know if you coming to the U.S and I will make sure you have fun!!!

Now, it’s time for me to get ready to go to back to Washington DC. Maybe I will see everyone again next year.

Canberra

Old Parliament house. Canberra 2009

Canberra is one of the capitals cities of Australia located at northern end of the Australia Capital Territory. With population over 345,000 it is Australia’s largest inland city and the eight Australian city overall. This was the first time I had been to Canberra.

On the way into the city, I saw Canberra’s Parliament House, it’s tall and on top of the building had display with Australia’s flag.

Parliament house. Canberra 2009.

In Canberra is less nosy than other cities I have been to. Most of people living here are middle class people also government and NGOs people, so that makes everything seems more expensive than other cities I ever been in the world. The positive things I can find in Canberra was the beauty of environment, people look neat, city looks natural full of big trees everywhere, quiet but feel like a lot of happiness that you can not see but you can feel it inside. People seem to live in very peaceful life. A lot of people there are living in big house with nice garden, swimming pools and tennis’s courts. The house that I was staying is Joylon father’s house, and yes it is similar to other houses around here, it is a big old house with a pool and a tennis court.

With PJ and Kirsten at Cocktail party in Canberra 2009.

Lovely people I met, Ema, Hoties,lovely, cuties, sweeties handsome and clover at the 5am party in Canberra 2009

At cocktail party, Canberra 2009.

The first week I’m arrived, I took the children to Questacon. Questacon is a national science and technology center, which provides free games, quizzes and activities to explain science to children and teenagers. When I arrived at the center I went directly to buy the tickets for me and children, Quinn’s entre was free, because he is under age and doesn’t require a ticket, so I paid AU$18 for Elliott and me. The first section we went to Questacon was dinosaurs section. There were five giant dinosaurs and seven little ones. They looked like a real animals, they moved, screamed and open their big mouths with their sharp teeth seemed like they want to eat us. Elliott was scared and he was afraid to pass through the first section. I held his hand and told him that “They are phony” animals don’t be afraid, just kept walking; he laughed and stared at the dinosaurs until we passed through the first section.

With my three sisters, Bobilee, me, Sharni, and Phebe. Melbourne 2009.

Driving Bobilee's car around winery, lucky after I drive we both still alive! 2009

Dinner welcome Nika to Melbourne and good bye to Bobilee leave Melbourne for three months. 2009

After the first section I kept taking the kids around the center to check out the games that they created in the center for children. We stopped at the children’s play section for an hour, because there were lots of interesting games that the children could enjoy and also it was good for them as there were many children play inside. After the children’s section we went to the top of the center to see the clown ball and the other games. We walked until we finished all the sections, and then went to the ground floor for lunch. I ordered sausage ball and big chips to share with Quinn and Elliott. When we were eating lunch, one lady who was sitting next to our table and had a daughter said “Your children are very cute and well behaved, you must be a very good MOM” I replied “ho… thanks, YES! They are… I am very proud of themJ”. After we finished lunch I took the children home.

My Australian's family! Alex, me Bobilee, Nat and Myline. Melbourne 2009

On the way back home I thought, why is it everywhere I have been people think I am the mother of these two children?? Can’t they see my skin color and my appearance? I am very different from them, plus I’m too young to have two children that old. Perhaps, I am looking old enough to be their mother?? I think people are just being silly to think that way, or maybe time for me to have a baby??? Humm... first have to find a husband :o) :o)