GEEZ… HAS IT BEEN FIVE DAYS ALREADY?

1 paint-a-school challenge, 2 boat rides to the floating village, 3 hotel tours, 4 temples, and 5 days of food and drinks later, we realised that the 5-day master class is coming to a fitting end. While we were nursing the effects of 5 full days of a jammed packed itinerary, it was certain that there was a fondness for Siem Reap and each of us found something special about the place. The last day was also a day where we took our time to go about doing our things and the change in pace allowed us to catch our breath and get some quiet time to reflect on our individual experiences for the past week. Most had a leisurely breakfast while Linibel and Tan-Chi decided to conquer the morning market.

We were supposed to catch a SilkAir flight out of Siem Reap International Airport at 1225hrs and were told to gather at the lobby by 1020hrs. Manish, Saroj and Saurabh had already left earlier and were starting their adventures in Phnom Penh. Kanya graciously accompanied us to the airport and being good hospitality students, we thanked him with a little token from everyone. We were definitely grateful to him for being such a gracious host (and not forgetting, nanny) and for giving us an insider peek into the mysteries and wonders of Siem Reap. The past 5 days were a delight and in so many ways, an education into a city and country that so few understand. After all, Kanya taught us all that “a man without knowledge is like soup without fish paste” – the essence of our 5-day master class so succinctly summed up in a local Cambodian idiom.

And no learning trip can be complete without a little misadventure, and  Yash had one of his own for this trip. Right before we were about to enter the airport, we discovered that his luggage was left behind at Raffles. A little scurry here and there and after a phone call to Raffles later, Yash had his luggage delivered to the airport via a Tuk-Tuk in the nick of time.

A PHOTO REEL OF THE MISADVENTURES OF YASH

GETTING READY TO HEAD BACK TO SINGAPORE

At Siem Reap International Airport, you could easily tell the MMH’ers apart from the regular tourist. Almost every MMH’er was huddling around their laptop, checking their emails and catching up on work. Given that there was an announcement informing us that our flight would be delayed by about half an hour,it almost seemed as if that gave the MMH’ers more reason and time to continue pounding away at their laptops.

Minutes later, the announcement informing us that the flight was ready for boarding was announced and we quietly walked the tarmac to our SilkAir plane.

Once onboard the plane, it was time to rest and catch some snooze. 2 hours later, it was a slightly rainy Singapore that we returned to. A cool reprieve and perhaps a quiet and sombre moment to conclude our 5-day master class.

Moments later, we landed back in Singapore, safe and sound.

Well, all good things must come to an end and parting is such sweet sorrow. Goodbye and thank you Siem Reap. Hello Singapore.

~ Dylan & Duta