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| We at the Kampong Cham Temple in Cambodia on this date in 2016. |
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| Tom, in front of the steps leading to the temple. |
When we realized it was only four years ago that the above main photo was taken and posted on our site, it seemed as if it was so much longer ago. Even the time we spent touring India, beginning on February 2, 2020, also seems so long ago.
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| We were both sweating profusely in the heat of the day. |
No doubt, being in confinement for this extended period, now well over four months, we have little comprehension or a definitive sense of time that has passed. The recent experiences of the past year, before the lockdown, seem to have occurred years, not months ago.
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| The ornate designs of temples were fascinating. |
Only six months ago, we left Arizona after spending time with Tom’s sisters in Apache Junction that we left the US to come to India. It was only eight months ago that we were with other family members in Minnesota and Nevada.
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| Scary faces to ward off evil spirits. |
Today, as we reviewed these photos in a past post from Cambodia on July 29, 2016, it feels as if it was ten years ago or more. This state of lockdown does the trick on our brains when each day and night blends into the other.
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| We entered the temple for more detailed views. |
When it’s the weekend, suddenly it’s Wednesday, like today. We ask, “What happened to Monday and Tuesday?” We have certain rituals we conduct on specific days of the week, for example, laundry, and those days re-occur so quickly, we can barely take a breath.
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| The details often illustrate the joy of the Cambodian people. |
Even the one-hour gaps between my walks in the corridors come up so quickly. I often shrug my shoulders in sheer wonder that the time has cropped up again so fast when I’ve barely rested from the last vigorous walk. And yet, the walking itself, with my aching legs, seems to take forever.
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| More views of shrines. |
A good night’s sleep is a blessing. This morning, my Fitbit recorded that I’d slept for 8 hours 38 minutes last night (and Tom slept long as well). It’s a welcome respite from the mundane days to nights and nights to days, providing me with the energy needed to walk the corridors hour after hour.
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| The detail of the craftsmanship is astounding. |
Now, I’m up to 9000 steps a day, 4.5 miles, 7.6 km, maneuvering my way around cleaning carts, cleaning staff, and staff members leaving and entering their hotel rooms. It’s no wonder I sleep better and sleep longer, most likely due to the exercise. I never miss a day.
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| We weren’t sure if these flags were temporary or permanent to celebrate a particular holiday. |
And then today, these photos from Cambodia put a smile on our faces, recalling what we’ve left behind and, hopefully, can look forward to in the future… The world. Is the world still awaiting us? Will we be able to resume our world travels, even if in a new way, in times to come?
Only time will tell. We wait. We watch. We search. We read. Only time will tell.
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| Young monks in training, working at the temple. |
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| Someone on a tour who later visited the orphanage must have handed off a lollipop to this monkey. We giggled when taking these photos. |
Photo from one year ago today, July 29, 2019:
The Wild Atlantic Way in 14 Steps
- Inishowen Peninsula – Derry to Letterkenny
- Fanad Head – Letterkenny to Bunbeg
- The Slieve League Coast – Bunbeg to Donegal Town
- Donegal Bay and Sligo – Donegal Town to Ballina
- Erris – Ballina to Belmullet
- Achill Island and Clew Bay – Belmullet to Westport
- Killary Harbour – Westport to Clifden
- Connemara – Clifden to Galway
- The Burren and West Clare – Galway to Kilkee
- The Shannon Estuary – Kilkee to Tralee
- The Dingle Peninsula – Tralee to Castlemaine
- Ring of Kerry – Castlemaine to Kenmare
- Beara and Sheep’s Head – Kenmare to Durrus
- West Cork – Durrus to Kinsale
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| We included this map of the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland along the western coast in the year-ago post. For more details, please click here. |