30yp.com (blog) 
Location based services
10 November 2008
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I've started working on my current project, a web based contact database for SAfAIDS. They've got a bunch of offices around the region, and they are looking at simplifying their contact management, across all these offices.
I contemplated using an off the shelf package, but in the end decided against it. Because SAfAIDS want to also manage mailings and publications, the custom component would, I suspect, not warrant starting with a ready-made solution.
So, I'm throwing my own solution together. The project is still in hiding, but it will be made available at SAfAIDS contacts . net.
Because SAfAIDS' contacts are scattered across the region, if not... read more
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Water, charities, travel
6 November 2008
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DDR. Shows at The Bag Factory. Long distances. Fish 'n' chips at Ocean Basket. Coffee at the Wild Bean cafe. High inflation. Happy Meals with Hello Kitty toys. Pretoria hash. Bunny chow. Bad drivers. Pub quiz at the Keg & Filly. Oriental Plaza. Pool parties. Highveld.
A good cause
A different way of supporting your favorite charity is by installing a small application from A good cause. After installation, when you shop at selected shops, part of the proceeds of your purchase will go to the charity of your choice.
Their blurb, however, is questionable, claiming that 75% of the purchase price will go to your charity. That's a crapload of money. An unlikely cr... read more
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Tagged with: charities travel swimming
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Travel and insurance
30 October 2008
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Back in SA. Rouzeh was there to welcome me at the airport, after a very long flight, which was nice. She's staying in Pretoria, close to her office, but I'm, at least for now, staying with Christo, in Johannesburg. Jo'burg, after all, is where it's at.
The weather is on the warm side, but not too hot, with the gentle breeze that's blowing most of the day. I signed a three month contract for a project with SAfAIDS, building an online contact database.
I'm, temporarily, renting a car with rent-a-wreck. It's not too expensive and the car is not too close to being a proper wreck, though fairly close, and it does give me the freedom you need in Gauteng. Things are just too far apart... read more
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Tagged with: insurance Johannesburg Pretoria South Africa
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Torture, death, money and marihuana
26 October 2008
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There's really not a lot to see in Phnom Penh, so that a lot of your time can be spent at the few nice artsy bars and cafes scattered around the city.
The two must sees are the Khmer Rouge's S-21 prison and, some 15 kilometers out of town, the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, where the 17000 prisoners of S-21 were killed, all during the Khmer Rouge's short reign in the mid 70s.
Both sites are interesting for their historical value as both sites have little else to offer. At the Killing Fields, the only sight is a large stupa filled with skulls unearthed on site. At S-21, the few photo exhibitions are not too bad.
At one of the exhibitions at S-21, a guest book was written front to back with remarks like "Never forget" and... read more
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Tagged with: Cambodia communism drugs food Phnom Penh tourism torture
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Climbing the hill in Phnom Penh
23 October 2008
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Taking the bus to Phnom Penh, a six hour journey, the same as when you travel by boat, but at a seventh of the price. The road is excellent and the bus reasonably comfortable.
On the bus, I sat next to a Khmer lady, wearing cap, sunglasses, longsleeves and gloves (when outside), who spoke more than passable English. She managed the (apparently) only five star hotel in Siem Reap, frequented mostly by Japanese, Taiwanese and Koreans. The rooms go for around 250 USD per night.
A conservationist, a Khmer guy who worked on restoring one of the temples in the Roluos group, earned 40 USD per month.
My first impressions of Phnom Penh were not as good as I hoped. True, the place still has a bit of a colonial feel to it, but the... read more
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Tagged with: buddha Cambodia temple Phnom Penh
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Tomb Raider!
22 October 2008
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Most of my day was spent cycling past a series of smaller temples: Prasat Kravan, Prasat Bat Chum, Banteay Kdei, the man made lake of Sras Srang, Ta Keo, Chau Say Tevoda, Thommanon and the impressive Ta Prohm.
The latter, overrun by the jungle itself and very photogenic, made an appearance in a Tomb Raider movie.
Afterwards, I wanted to visit the Western Baray, what once seemed to have been a huge man made lake, to the west of Angkor Thom. There's a similar area to the east, but that doesn't seem to be a lake anymore.
I managed to get onto the raised dike surrounding the area, on the side where the lake had been taken over by ricefields and houses, but for several kilometers couldn't find a road into the area.
This is ... read more
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Tagged with: buddha Cambodia food Siem Reap temple
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My cheeks they are a hurtin'
21 October 2008
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Rented a bike again today and peddled my way towards to the Roluos Group, a series of temple ruins to the east of Siem Reap. At just under 15 kilometres, in the bleedin' heat and fiery sun, this was more than trivial.
The ruins at the site, with just under a dozen temples or so, were built before Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, having been created from the late 9th century onwards.
There's not too much left, except for the ruins of Bakong, which is supposed to be a terrestrial version of the celestial Mt Meru, the tallest peak on which Vishnu had made his home.
The other two ruins I visited were Preah Ko, with six brick towers the first to go up, and Lolei, flanked by a more modern Wat where pr... read more
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Tagged with: Angkor Wat buddha Cambodia cycling Siem Reap temple
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Comments
- MastaBaba commented to Water, charities, travel on 9 November 2008.
- Bad C commented to Water, charities, travel on 6 November 2008.
- MastaBaba commented to Water, charities, travel on 6 November 2008.
- MastaBaba commented to Travel and insurance on 1 November 2008.
- Hamed commented to Kashan and Abyaneh: elegant houses on 1 November 2008.
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