On December 18th I celebrated 11 years of marriage with the best man I know. He has given me more than I could have ever dreamed. For our 10th anniversary, we still felt new and slightly unsettled in our foreign home, so we opted for a simple, but romantic dinner at a nice restaurant in town. This year, feeling very settled into Cambodia, we were ready to step out of our Phnom Penh comfort zone. Having had a rough few weeks leading up to our anniversary trip, our get-away celebration was a welcomed one. I had researched quite a few places (the over-analyzer struck again -> http://sipofbrandi.blogspot.com/2015/03/does-it-really-matter.html ), and after much debate - with myself, as for me another person is not required for an argument - we decided on the Veranda Natural Resort in Kep, Cambodia. Buckle up because there are quite a few photos...
We began our trip in a private taxi which dropped us off at the front door of the resort. That may not seem like a big deal, but in a country where they cram up to 28 adults in a minivan (because more heads mean more cash for the driver) it is a wonderful treat to have breathing room during travel.
We were welcomed by the Veranda staff with lemon tea and a cool, wet cloth... and apparently I'm a Mister. ;o)
Just walking to our room was a vacation. It was beautiful!
The Stone Villa room 1 was our home away from home, and it was a peaceful retreat.
This is the back entrance that leads to the garden pool and steam bath - yahoo!
A few steps, and we had a view of both the garden pool and the Happy Hut, which is a crafting and learning area for children of those staying at the Veranda.
Our slithery neighbor - I love anybody who is willing to eat mosquitos for us.
After checking out our room, we looked over some of the other amenities: the reading lounge and the infinity pool.
We kept pinching ourselves, thinking this surely is not the same Cambodia we have lived in for the past year and a half... but it is... and we finally understood why so many of our expat friends (foreigners residing in another country) love traveling outside of Phnom Penh. It really is amazing what a little time with nature, away from the noisy, polluted city can do for your spirit. You cannot put a price on that.
The next morning we chose to hike the mountainside of Kep National Park, but first we enjoyed the "treehouse" feel of our resort and the luxurious breakfast buffet.
With every step we took up the mountainside, the splendor of God's creation engulfed us.
Part way through our hike our bellies began to rumble, so we decided to shorten the trail by taking a short-cut up and over the mountain. It was more treacherous and stayed more true to its tropical rain forest climate than the breezy mountainside trail, but it was a fun adventure.
There are more photos of me because I was the wimp that kept stopping for air. Hehe!
Apparently I was feeling the muscle man pose... oh the irony.
Not too far from the entrance/exit of the park sits a hillside cafe named Led Zep. We were re-energized with a delicious cheese crêpe followed by the chocolate banana crêpe with coconut shavings. Umm, yeah, it was more than satisfying.
That evening we hung around the pools and room until dinner. Although the first night of our stay we sampled Kep's famous Kampot Pepper Crab at one of the beachside restaurants, the meals at Veranda were so delicious there was no need to leave the premises. So we treated ourselves to mouth-watering prawn bisque, the best goat cheese walnut salad I have ever had, along with an amazing salmon steak. *french accent* Formidable!
This is the infinity pool at night - spectacular!
Our final full day was possibly my favorite, all thanks to my generous hubby and my sweet new friend, Sonny. Bradley gifted me with a spa day. As they were running a special, I received an hour aromatherapy massage, an hour foot massage, and a 15 minute head massage for $45! I was so jazzed since when I'd seen the prices upon our arrival, I knew it was too much for our budget. However, the special promotion made my day fantastic!
The drop-off... excited and a mess of tension.
Bradley treated himself too. While I "endured" the spa, he poured himself some lime soda water and plucked some passion fruit from a nearby vine.
The pick-up... happy and relaxed.
On our final evening, Bradley arranged for a special table and drinks (which was somewhat of a challenge since non-alcoholic drinks are harder to come by in this country). We dolled ourselves up, and relished stuffed chicken and a gorgeous steak.
The General manager, Aye, was so kind, and they arranged to "surprise" us with an anniversary cake. It tasted like a yummier version of the original ding dongs that came in foil - yummy!
We were so sad to leave the next day, but neither of us could help feeling beyond blessed that we had been able to plan and afford this celebration. I realize there are some people in this world who will never experience the luxury of a vacation, and there was not a moment that passed when I was not thankful for the ability to indulge in such extravagance. We caught a tuk tuk for 15 miles to Kampot, where we boarded a bus for our return home. Vanny and Sopeak were kind enough to pick us up, and we thanked them with dinner before they delivered us to our front door. We were there only long enough to drop our bags and hop on the moto for our date at a local café where they were showing Episode VI. The next day we saw Episode VII, and were so thrilled, that we decided on a final anniversary celebration: Star Wars Episode VII in 4DX. That's right folks! We technically got to ride in a TIE fighter, so yeah, we're a pretty big deal now.
Before Finn had made his decision to not kill for the First Order, he made an attempt on my life...
Thankfully Bradley was there to talk him down, and he is now rethinking his life path.
All in all, it was an awesome anniversary! I love finishing every year with a bang, and every year with my man is something to celebrate in deed! Love is whenever another person's happiness is more important than your own. I have been blessed with a godly man who truly strives to love me more than himself, and likewise, my love and respect for Bradley grows with each passing year. Whether dining at a beachside resort or McDonald's near home, marking another year in our marriage will always be a celebration, as long as the Lord allows us time. Happy 11 years to us! Cheers!
Please share any thoughts on your favorite anniversary, vacation, or Star Wars moments.
