Comments on: Phnom Penh

By: Mike O'Mara

Mike O'Mara — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:27:29 +0000

Jon and Jack

I’m a long time listener. (Not a long time agreer - please come home!!!!!) I’ve resisted making a comment but following your progress on the edge of my seat. I was lucky to play basketball with my son,(in my reclining years), and nothing made me more porud. In January we are walking to the Lighthouse at Wilsons Prom so I can only imagine how important to you both that this time together is. Take care and I hope the man upstairs looks over you both. (Whoever her is Jesus, Allah, Jehova or Buudah - probably he is one and the same)

Mike

By: Ann

Ann — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:44:56 +0000

Great to catch up with your latest news. I agree, do not hurry too much, there is so much to see and you will not pass that way again, will you? So enjoy what you see and remember. Your photos will be a wonderful help.
The ABC, believe it or not is surviving, Hilary is doing a great job, in Tonya”s spot although we all miss her. Alli is leaving soon and I think the break will do us all good, we must not get too used to a permanent person in YOUR SPOT.
We will see her in Kerry’s place. Red is still RED and anyone who gets up that early, deserves to be listened to and the 1-3p.m. slot is excellent. BUT we do miss you Jon and if you are back at the end of January, that will be fine with me. Enjoy. I really miss you. Take care and keep safe.
Ann

By: Mr. Carne

Mr. Carne — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:57:36 +0000

Cheers; Jon & Jack,
I dwell on your observations with both, hope & reality.
One Evil (colonialism) & ‘progress’ recreates itself again & again, in the next generation of achievers!!!
Thus we learn, one generation by one generation.
Only by our PERSONAL EXAMPLE TODAY; can the future become: caring, harmonious, & peaceful.
But by sharing our lessons, we can all learn to change ourselves & THE FUTURE.
Only by moving ourself & our family outside our comfort zone, can our internal changes, become profound, rapid & perminent.
Jon & Jack; by writing your Blogs, I’am inspired & renewed.
Regards, Mr. Bruce Carne, Warragul Vic.

By: Bob & Anne Finch

Bob & Anne Finch — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:31:15 +0000

Hi Jon and Jack

We were in Siem Reap for a few days and just leaving by bus when we spied your Prado in the back streets.

We are interested travellers, as we plan to head off overseas with our Troopcarrier in 18 months, so look with interst at anyone else who is doing the same thing.

We will be following your travels with interest. Are you having to use a guide in China?

Wasn’t Cambodia and the people lovely, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there - short as it was, can’t believe they can still smile after so much devistation, appreciated how open they were about what had happened. We also visited the south of Vietnam, for the second time love it all, but now will be saving hard for our big venture in 18 months

All the best and good luck for your adventure.

Regards
Anne and Bob Finch

By: humphrey hollins

humphrey hollins — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:05:08 +0000

you refer to neighbours knowing what was happening at toul sleng.
You obviously rushed through cambodia if you thought there were any neighbours-this was not nazi germany.
The whole population of the city was forcibly removed,mate.marched to all points of the compass all over cambodia.
For four years the city only had a few communist embassies occupied and the KR leadership and their families as well as people to man the critical infrastucture and keep a few clothing factories going.
Even in the early nineties parts of PP were still empty-more reading required before visiting next time,old boy.

By: Bruce Watt

Bruce Watt — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:13:57 +0000

Hey Jon & Jack
Please dont turn this trip into a grand prix by rushing because you think you are behind schedule. On a trip like this which most likely is a once in a lifetime, there is no such thing as schedule. Slow down, take in the view, the culture, explore and learn.

Good Luck

Bruce Watt

By: Michael Hodgman

Michael Hodgman — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:23:42 +0000

Hello Jon and Jack,

Thank you for providing us back in Melbourne with an individual’s insight into other countries and cultures. We appreciate it as a very long listening 3LO listener.

My son John (18) recently surprised me as when he finishes his year 12 this year, he is going to help the Jesuits in Cambodia for 3 weeks. What advice do you have for coping in Cambodia for John?

Don’t worry about any delays, enjoy your trip and memories and just remember, your adversities will be good discussion topics when you eventually come home.

warm regards,

Mike

By: Phillip

Phillip — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:04:16 +0000

Congradulations guys.
You seemed to moving forward with persperation, fortitude and focus, and havn’t managed to kill each other.
Well done getting this far and I look forward to reading about the rest of journey.
Best wishes.

By: murray

murray — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 03:53:22 +0000

Jon, In Lao, go looking for the equal of the horrors of the Killing Fields, see if you find the crews that are removing the unexploded bombs that were left by mistake and bad judgement. You will be up that way. Dont find them by mistake though! So far, you both have my admiration.

By: Geoffo

Geoffo — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:34:17 +0000

Hello Jon and Jack

Cambodia, amazing. On Sunday I was at Tulla to meet M-G coming home for a couple of weeks with the rest of us and to meet the new grandchild. Customs was taking an hour-and-a-half to two hours to get people through. A laughing lady sitting waiting next to me had a bunch of rapidly wilting roses she had bought for an exorbitant price to present to her sister when she arrived for a holiday from Hongkong. She was from Cambodia. Her brother and parents were slaughtered. She was revelling in life, and insisted on giving me one of her roses to give to M-G when she finally got out. How can someone with memories like that ever laugh again? A friend of ours here in Mentone is also from Cambodia. Three brothers slaughtered because they wore glasses. She tells me with a laugh about how her son refuses to be a “good Asian boy” and do maths and medicine and stuff; instead, he has enrolled himself for a drama course. She helped when things were bad with our family in East Timor. What also helped was memories of our Jewish neighbours when I was a teenager; they had survived the concentration camp to live another, happier day. I heard the other day that another of them had died. There were four, now there is one.

How did we allow it to happen again? And when the Vietnamese stepped in to stop the slaughter, the graceless, gormless west continued to recognize the mass murderers as the legitimate government.

But I’m not sure “happen again” is actually relevant. It has always been happening and continues to happen. The dreadful slaughter in the Ukraine in the 1930s under Stalin, more of it in the 1950s, genocides here, genocides there. Look at the East Timorese killings, and we in Australia attended our circuses and turned out backs.

Sounds as though the trip really is working. The fact that the itinerary is in tatters is probably a positive!

Cheers, geoff