The Kingdom of Wonder is a very flat land. Consequently, any small hill is well known and often named as a “mountain”. One of the first places I visited in Cambodia was perhaps the most well known mountain in Kampong Cham province, where I cycled with colleagues at the end of 2013. During that visit, … More Kingdom of Wonders
Kung Future is a tiny NGO working in Phnom Penh off the smell of an oily rag, with landless Cham people who live on their boats at the conflux of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. This week Kung Future reported the death of a two year old boy who fell off the boat he … More Every Time I Go On A Plane
Fundraising for the 20yo woman with (probable?) Rheumatic Heart Disease needing urgent heart surgery continues. A friend asked me to prepare a Powerpoint presentation for a fundraiser she is organising and I thought I would share it here as it summarises some of the stories I’ve spoken about disjointedly. Story One: An Inconceivable Connection In … More Unconnected Connections
Study after study by psychologists has shown that there is no correlation between wealth and happiness. The only exception is in cases of real poverty, when extra income does relieve suffering and brings security. But once our basic material needs are satisfied, our level of income makes little difference to our level of happiness. Research … More This Thing We Could Do
It’s okay to be imperfect. On the other hand, we should not allow perceived success or praise for perceived success affect our ego. Someone cycling Road X is no better or worse than someone walking Road Z. In the field of humanitarian work it’s easy to find people willing to shower you with praise. This … More People From The Sky
A first impression of Phnom Penh for any newcomer will likely relate to the traffic. Sitting at intersections beside trailers piled disproportionately high, their loads towering ludicrously into the sky, you may have fleeting images of death-by-crushing. Ladders stand tall on seats of motos between the back of the driver and the front of the … More Making Sense of Another World
A friend was telling me the other day about her experience on a medical mission in Haiti. In 2010 a catastrophic earthquake killed at least 100,000 people, maimed many more and destroyed existing infrastructure and services. Many countries responded with humanitarian aid. By the time my friend’s mission began, some years later, she witnessed examples … More The Frangipinis Above Me: Part 1
Joe died in his home three weeks ago, unknown to any health service. His family do not know why he died. Joe also did not know why his legs became weak/deformed as a young child. All he could tell me when we met, was that he got a fever and then stopped walking “during Pol … More Where Love and Hate Collide
Almost a week ago I returned to Cambodia for another extended stay. In a few weeks I begin my second assignment with Medecins Sans Frontieres, this time in Phnom Penh. Meanwhile a holiday with friends, tripping around the country, is underway. Two nights at Wat Opot Children’s Community was as boisterous as one might expect … More Throwing The Baby Out With The Bathwater
New Zealand’s South Island is a panorama of tiers stretching in a lengthwise direction roughly parallel with the coastline. Most prominent, at least initially, are rows of alpine summits piercing into blue skies or disappearing into woolly clouds. Dizzy heights descend into rolling forests and grassy slopes, which in turn meander into a patchwork … More Good Riddance For 2017!
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