URBAN DOMAIN 2024

Temples Day 2 – Angkor Wat ប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្ត

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This morning we managed to pull ourselves out of bed at 8 am, which was a fantastic effort considering our long day yesterday. Today is Cambodia’s Independence Day which celebrates the Khmer people being free from French colonial influence, so we were all excited to spend our first day visiting the most famous temples of Cambodian Civilisation.  The first temple we visited was the Hindu temple of Angkor Wat which is also known as the biggest temple in the world. From there we went to the Bayon Temple, which symbolised the four aspirations of Buddhism and finally we visited the Ta Prohm temple which is famous for the trees intertwining with the temple structure. We have many impressions from our first day in Cambodia. Some things that differ from Australia include the fact that it is a lot less urbanised and in Cambodia you drive on the other side of the road and whatever vehicle is bigger generally gets priority! Something that really caught our attention is that in the touristy areas even young kids were selling souvenirs, which you would never see in Australia. This has helped us to understand the vast economical difference between Cambodia and Australia. This makes us very thankful for what we have. We were all extremely tired after a long day of sightseeing in a foreign environment. We were all very excited to return to our luxurious, air-conditioned hotel for a relaxing swim in the pool. Note to all parents: We are all having a great time in Cambodia, and are learning a lot. Thank you for this great opportunity.

Harry Warner & Britney Bonnie

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Vietnam Red-day 2

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An early start at 6:00 am this morning, waking up to our group leader Hai’s ‘wake up call’. Breakfast was a scrumptious Asian style which included extravagant orange juice and miniature bananas. We all enjoyed the view from the eighth floor of the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh in the early morning.

After brekkie, we all scurried onto the bus and began our long two hour drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, 70 kilometres away. Cu Chi was a change of scenery from the busy Ho Chi Minh, from city to almost country side. We watched a propaganda video made by the Vietnamese about the Americans throughout the Vietnam war in a traditional bunker. Afterwards, we walked a trail of bunkers which showed displays of Cu Chi military techniques and living circumstances during the Vietnam war. This gave us a broader understanding of the Vietnam war and the hardships the Cu Chi people endured. We also got to walk through a tunnel which was only 1.2 metres tall, which proved very interesting and enlightening for all of us. For lunch, we ate a lovely meal in a floating restaurant along the Saigon River which obviously meant we had a majestic view. 

After lunch we travelled to the orphanage on the way back to Ho Chi Minh. At the orphanage, we met Sister Kim who is in charge of the orphanage. We split into groups and all went to different areas that included kids with different needs. All of the children were mentally or physically disabled which made it a very touching experience. We fed them dinner and played with them, giving them attention and TLC which is what they needed. 

Throughout these bus rides, we’ve discovered the groups love for cards.

Dinner was an interesting barbecue that we cooked ourselves right in the middle of our tables. 

Lots of love,
Juliette and Tanner.


   

  

    
   
  

Vietnam Yellow: Day 2

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Today we woke up early in Hanoi after hours of plane time yesterday to enjoy the local cuisine of Vietnam for our breakfast. To our delight, we saw a mix of both Vietnamese and Western foods on offer. This was very refreshing due to the lack of variety we had experienced on the plane trip.

We started our day with a tour in golf carts around the centre of Hanoi. We went past lots of different shops selling all sorts of things and also had our first experience of Vietnamese traffic. It seems totally chaotic but by the end of the day we were becoming experts at crossing the road.

After changing some money, we arrived at a restaurant where we enjoyed our lunch consisting of a series of interesting and delicious entrées and many rice based dishes. We then made our way towards the Australian embassy. A new experience for many on the way was the amount of armed Vietnamese soldiers guarding the embassies. When we arrived we had an interview with four of the staff and learned about what an embassy does and how the Australian embassy improves relations with Vietnam. This was followed by an hour of free time to explore the city centre in small groups. Most of us wanderedaround discovering the foods and merchandise on offer at the street vendors. We were at times surprised by the poverty, the propaganda and the military force that was present throughout the city.

In the evening we saw the famous water puppet show. The puppets on long sticks moved over water while an orchestra played traditional Vietnamese music. It was quite entertaining.

Written by James Saint-John and Magnus Rodgers

Tomorrow we head for Mai Chau Village, where we will stay until Day 7 and build the house. We are uncertain about the availability of wifi there but will keep writing our blog and publish it as soon as we can. 

Breakfast in the hotel  

Golf cart ride


Our comfortable bu
  At the embassy


The food is a highlight – whether Pho for lunch…      …or a banquet for dinner.

 

China – Day 3 Beijing

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It was a crisp cold morning as we had another early start to the day. Again, it was a non-stop day with an immediate arrival to the Summer Palace. Stepping off the bus and into the busy day of Beijing, we were greeted with the spectacle of luscious gardens. We were provided with the rich history of the line of emperors thanks to our tour guide Cathy. Everyone was in awe as they marvelled at the wide array of uniqueness perched in China. The Palace was a great opportunity for us to observe how royalty resided when they were not burdened with the role of leadership.


  


  
  

Everyone was eager to enjoy lunch as they were all ravenous after walking and admiring the Summer Palace. Lunch was in restaurant that served food which all of us enjoyed eating. Walking past the purple furniture, we were greeted by the fresh aroma of a wide range of dishes. The sweet and sour pork was easily argued to be the most popular dish as it was the first dish to completely disappear. People were yearning for more as their taste buds were delighted by its texture and taste.
  

The next location could almost be described as heavenly. (JOKE!) People gazed up at its circular roof that was reaching in the heavens in admiration. The Temple of Heaven gave us an insight into how Chinese people used to worship the different spirits and symbols in the past. A highlight that stood out was definitely when we were able to mingle with the locals and dance with the elders. Everyone was elated as they enjoyed this special moment with the people of China.
  
  
  

By now, everyone was buzzing with excitement after it was announced that we were allowed to wander in the Beijing Pearl Market for two hours. It is safe to say that all shop owners were intent on emptying our wallets, while we were focussed on keeping a firm hold on our money. Everyone enjoyed haggling for the lowest prices, bargaining their ways down to rock bottom amounts. Some more than others managed to save themselves from bankruptcy.

Dinner was a glorious aspect of our day with a buffet on offer. With everyone content with the fact that we were given with a large variety of food, most people gorged themselves. Eating alongside a group of Germans there was definitely a feeling of respect and companionship between the group. After both groups had finished their dinners, they surrounded the piano and enjoyed each others piano proficiency, As a familiar song was played, a harmony of voices soon filled the air with joyous tones.


  
  
To prepare ourselves for tomorrow’s monstrous adventure along the Great Wall, we stocked up on supplies at a local supermarket and experienced the foreign delicacies that never set foot in Australian soil. Amongst the plethora of Chinese products, familiar brands shined through the web of mysterious products that captured our attention. Restocked with our supplies, we returned to the hotel and rested ourselves after another strenuous and exciting day in China.


Daniel Zhou and Alec Maccora

Vietnam Red-We have arrived

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After a day of travel we arrived safely in Ho Chi Minh City where we met our guide Hai. We checked in to our hotel then headed out for our first Vietnamese meal. It was a hit, everyone loved the food! It was then back to the hotel for an early night to get plenty of sleep in preparation for the exciting day ahead.