Semper Ubi Sub Ubi: January 2021

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Where I've been...

Look, I did a thing. Shows me there's a lot left to see in this big old world.

Friday, January 1, 2021

Well, 2020 has been quite a year. I'm happy it's now 2021 and let's hope for better times. I want to give my sincere condolences to anyone reading this blog who has lost loved ones to the COVID-19 pandemic. May they rest in peace and may their memories be a blessing.

Here is how my 2020 went.

January started out in Siem Reap, Cambodia and then on to Singapore (ahhh, remember when we could just travel when and where we wanted to?)

Blessings from this monk

Clinton, Jamie, Mark, and I at Phnom Kulen water falls

Mark, Sareth (our guide), and me in the Phnom Kulen water falls

Banteay Srei temple

Mark and I in Singapore

Riding around Singapore

Artsy time-lapse blur of Singapore at night

I also turned 51, which I've been told is the new 31 (well, before the pandemic and all)

Gray Frosting?

In February we went to Koh Rong, and island off the southern coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. We also did a lot of work helping American citizens from the Holland America Westerdam get back to the USA.

4K Beach on Koh Rong

Out and about on Koh Rong

4K Beach on Koh Rong

Near Sok San Beach on Koh Rong

Mark at Phnom Penh Airport

Mark and I helping Holland America to repatriate American citizens from the Westerdam

The last two American citizens from the Westerdam to leave Phnom Penh (they didn't want to go).

And I bought a used Vespa

Ciao Cambodia!

In March we decided to take authorized departure from Phnom Penh to Charleston, South Carolina. It was eerie going through the airports at the end of March

Incheon Airport

The Korean Airlines lounge at Incheon Airport. On our last stop through here in September, 2019, it was packed.

It was even more eerie (eerier?) to be in Charleston with no people out and about

Mother Emanuel Church

King Street downwtown

King Street downtown. On a "normal" April day it would be packed with people.

Washington Square Park

Colonial Lake - normally very busy.

The Mini Bar

April, May, and June were in Charleston. I teleworked and we did a lot of bike riding (we bought used bikes and then donated them to Second Chance Bikes before leaving)

The pool was closed, but the wine was open!

Riding around Lake Moultrie, South Carolina

Riding on the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston.

That was a long ride.

That was a long ride, too.

Between Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms, South Carolina.

Some beers at the Blind Tiger in Charleston.

Up on the roof for solo Pride Party!

Riding around Kiawah Island.

Dust from the Sahara was blowing in and made for a gorgeous sunset.

Mark in the golden hour glow.

Oh, and this happened

No comment.

In July we made our way back to Phnom Penh - with an unexpected week in San Francisco due to wrong COVID-19 tests and then misplaced results. We finally got it worked out, though.

Masked up from Charleston to Burbank.

Sunset arriving in Burbank.

San Francisco. I guess there are worse places to get stuck waiting on COVID-19 testing.

That's our flight back to Phnom Penh (well, Seoul and then on to Phnom Penh)

August saw us return to Siem Reap and the Angkor temples. We drove and took our bicycles with us. Totally worth it to see more temples at our own pace. I feel very sorry for the tourism industry and the people who rely on it, but I will say it was quite amazing to contrast seeing Angkor Wat from our visit in December, 2019 with hordes of tourists to this one in August, 2020, with nearly nobody around. It was a Cambodian holiday, so there were some Cambodians touring the sights but next to no other tourists around.