TRAVEL + L E I S U R E / M AY 2 0 1 7 57
- I didn’t tell my
family I was going
to Cambodia.
My parents left so
traumatised that they
can’t speak about it,
and they were so
protective of me.
But the day before
I left, I got a package
from my sister with
photos of my parents
at Angkor Wat. Talk
about synchronicity.
So I went there at the
beginning of the trip.
It was an amazing,
spiritual experience.
When I came home
and told my parents
where I’d been, they
were happy I had
made the decision
on my own. They see
both sides—what
Cambodia gave them
and what it took
away—but I just saw
the beauty and the
potential, which was
nice for them
to hear. 5. Everything
in Cambodia is
centred around food.
That’s how the
community comes
together. It was
beautiful to see,
and I just wanted to
be a part of it. We
w e n t t o t h e m a r k e t
e a c h d a y. T h e s e
vegetables
are all grown by
local farmers—no
pesticides, just
straight from the
backyard. 6. Every
morning, a guide
picked me up on
a tuk-tuk to go see
the sunrise from
dilapidated forest
temples. This temple,
Banteay Kdei, is one
of the few in the area
t h a t a r e s t i l l u s e d i n
religious ceremonies.
It was a special
experience to witness
the monks at prayer.
I said a blessing in
gratitude that I am
able to travel, to get
out of my comfort
zone, and to see
a place that held
such personal
signifi cance to my
family. 7. I made this
lunch in the open-air
kitchen. It’s shrimp-
and-pomelo salad;
coconut-curry fi sh
with Kaffi r lime;
lemongrass pork
skewers; and pickled
cucumber, carrots,
and radish with
chile-lime dressing.
Anything we didn’t
need got turned into
something else.
It has made me see
ingredients in
a different way. It’s
like what I do at work
with materials. Apply
it to cooking and
the sky’s the limit.Everything in Cambodia
is centred around food.
That’s how the community
comes together. I just wanted
to be a part of it.
7456For more pictures
and stories, log on to
travelandleisureindia.in.TRAVEL + LEISURE / MAY 2017 59