Siem Reap, Cambodia

A few months ago I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a great training course that was being run in Siem Reap, Cambodia.  The course was split across what was coming in the next couple of versions of Veeam software releases and Mastering Technical Sales with a guest presenter of John Care.  The what’s new sessions were Top Secret, however most of the content has been shared publicly although there a few more things to come.

We arrived a day early and had a bit of a look around Siem Reap and spent a bit of time at the main market where you could get a brand new Omega watch for $27, which I’m sure was real, and almost made it through the week! In the same market was the latest fashion, cooked insects, fresh fish, and amazing vegetables all within a few hundred metres.  Just outside the markets was the infamous Pub Street and some of the locals were great, with a few who were out to make a dollar off the tourists by scamming them.  Over lunch we were approached by a mother with a newborn asking for us to buy a tin of formula for her child.  After buying this we found out it was a known scam.  Talk about picking your targets out, three men all with kids travelling for work!

The really amazing part was getting to go to Angkor Wat and the absolutely amazing Ta Prohm, made famous by Tomb Raider.

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Adelaide Hills Weekend

I was lucky enough to be able to spend last weekend in the Adelaide Hills with my family and friends.  The Adelaide Hills are around 30 minutes drive from the CBD, and have wineries, breweries, and great spots for food.

As this was a family outing, and the first trip on a plane for Snuffleufugus, there was a bit of planning required.  This was mainly around how to make our lives, and those of other people on the plane a bit easier with a baby on board. Continue reading “Adelaide Hills Weekend”

Wolfe Creek

Wolfe Creek. Ask anyone who has seen the film Wolf Creek if they would go there and the answer is extremely likely to be “No!”. But if you’re this close it’s hard to say no, especially if you love photography and really strange spots.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to go all round Western Europe when I was younger, and as I’ve gotten older some of the most beautiful ski spots in the world, and some of the best places in the world for work.

Wolfe Creek stands apart from these places and is in the same league as Uluru, Pearl Harbour, and Normandy for the haunting stillness, and sense of grandeur.

Wolfe Creek is a crater from a meteorite impact around 300,000 years ago and is about 870 metres in diameter and 60m deep.  To get there you have to go down the Tanami Road.  Calling it a road is a bit of a leap though as it was a dirt track about 8 lanes wide through cattle country, and the cattle were crossing it whilst we were going along it, and graders were on some sections but not others. Continue reading “Wolfe Creek”

Bangkok

I spent a week at the start of the year in Bangkok for Sales Kick Off.  Each year the company sends me to different parts of the world and Bangkok wasn’t somewhere I thought I’d end up getting to see.  Just getting to Bangkok was a mini adventure up to Singapore and across, once again the tyranny of distance was in effect.  Getting to see everyone from the company was great, and the updates on where the company is going was invaluable.  And I picked up a couple of awards.

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Mitchell Falls

Mitchell Falls is one of the iconic images of the Kimberley, and really inspired the entire trip.  The amazing pictures of the rest of the area and comments from people who had been firmed up the desire.  Official information can be found at https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/mitchell-river

After a fuel stop at Drysdale River Station and a quick call home before no contact with the outside world for a few days it was onto an ungraded section of road for a few hours, before driving through lush rainforest into Mitchell Falls National Park and onto the campground.  The drive in was the worst so far, lots of wash outs, sun setting directly ahead blinding us on the drive in and hills that made seeing oncoming vehicles impossible.

As had become the norm we arrived just before sunset, set up the camp for a few days and kicked back with a couple of ice cold beverages, and started a fire and bbq. On the drive in we had stopped outside the National Park to get some firewood.

We woke early the next day and headed straight to the helicopter booking office to organise a one way trip from the top back to camp. At $150 each this took a bit of thought however I can say that it was honestly the best money spent on the trip. Flights organised we grabbed our day packs and started walking through the bush. Continue reading “Mitchell Falls”