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Holiday in the first world

a travel blog by katja-horsch


Going home… to Cambodia

Returning to Europe in June after 2 years volunteering in Cambodia was a big deal....

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Holiday in the first world

London, United Kingdom



2 years ago I landed in Cambodia to share my skills and to change lives. The time in Cambodia has certainly changed my life miraculously and I think I have gained new life long experiences and friends. I completed my work placement with VSO before I went.

Our holiday to the UK after those 2 years was to join 2 family weddings we were invited to and to see how it feels again to be in the 1st world.

We started from Phnom Penh and flew via Bangkok to London where we stayed with Oli's good friends Alison and Ben for a couple of nights.


We had a lovely time. Then we went back to central London and dumped our luggage at Oli's brothers house to travel with lighter luggage up to Scotland the next day.
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After we arrived in Edinbourgh by train, we stayed at Oli's friend Elsbeth for a few days. Meanwhile we explored Oli's old hometown.

Then we went with Oli's parents up to Glasgow to Loch Lohmond. Oli's cousin Bryony got married the next day. It was the most perfect day for a wedding and the most beautiful location.

The next day we drove down with Oli's parents towards his proper hometown Delph.

After a few days in beautiful Yorkshire, we went back to London where Oli arranged for some friends to see us at his brothers house.

The next day I arrived in Oxford. It was lovely coming back!

There Í had time to sort out my new living space and I started the process on my midwifery training at Brookes University.

The next day, we all flew to Germany to the next wedding.

It was Mathias and Andreas wedding in beautiful Lueneburg. We had such a wonderful time!

After the wedding we drove back towards my hometown but on the way we stayed in Neu Sammit and camped with my friends for a few days. We had such a lovely time and unfortunately I left my camera in the car so I don't have any pictures.

Back in my hometown Guestrow, I showed Oli where I was from.

We also met up with Doerti and Marcus.

After a few days in Guestrow, we took the ferry and spend the weekend with Oli's friends in Copenhagen, Danmark.


Back in Guestrow, we picked up the girls a few days later and flew back to England.

We had a fantastic 4 weeks in Europe but it was also really nice coming home. You can read here why: (a short article for the NSJ magazine)

Going home… to Cambodia

Returning to Europe in June after 2 years volunteering in Cambodia was a big deal.

Leaving work was not so sad because I felt ready to go. But saying goodbye to beloved volunteer friends who had become so close was really tough.

Even harder was leaving Cambodian friends and family, knowing that they will probably never leave their surroundings because they are too poor – or maybe just too fearful. I always feel guilty that I am from one of the richest countries in the world. In their eyes I am rich and I agree.

Having taken the final tuktuk ride to Phnom Penh airport I was soon transported to another world – by watching 5 films back to back on the plane!

Suddenly we had landed in London. At first it didn’t seem so different – just another airport – but then we stepped out into Marks & Spencers and Costas. And all those white people – all dressed in suits like they’re going to a wedding! And the cold…

Our first coach ride was to Luton, to be picked up by a friend. The uniformed driver introduced himself before carefully stowing our luggage. We sat in a velvety seat with acres of legroom! Just as we set off (bang on time) the driver said “Please fasten your seatbelts”, which had us in fits of giggles. Driving into the dusk, it felt so smooth and safe like still being on a plane and it was lovely and quiet, so relaxing…

The landscape was so different. Of course no palm trees or rice fields, no cows or dogs on the road. Instead, motorway and big electricity masts covered the grass fields we passed.

And it was like this throughout the whole trip: relaxing and smooth, but cold and expensive – suddenly I was definitely not rich anymore! In Scotland everyone else enjoyed the summer whilst we headed to the nearest charity shop to snap up their gloves, hats and scarves! We did have great fun speaking our ‘secret language’ though.

But I had this constant rice craving. Every time we saw a Thai restaurant, my heart bet faster and we had to go in. I sometimes cooked rice myself but it didn’t taste the same – it wasn’t the slightly sticky rice that you can eat in Cambodia.

Instead I had to eat bread, cheese and cake and of course we were especially spoiled in Yorkshire with pies and in Denmark with smoerebroed. My stomach didn’t like it and I suffered. Plus everything tasted very bland and boring. And my stepfather pointed out how bad my table manners had become!

After a few weeks in Europe I was also really missing the colours of Cambodia. And the people, the landscape, the heat. We had a great time with all our friends and family, but it was so good to know that I could return one more time to Cambodia.

On the plane back I promised myself I would really enjoy every moment that I have left here. I felt happy and relaxed – I was coming home!




permalink written by  katja-horsch on July 10, 2011 from London, United Kingdom
from the travel blog: Holiday in the first world
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