LDWorldWide

I am now in Los Angeles, and best-friend-in-the-world Sarah is too! She is here for a work-related training and leaves very early tomorrow morning, but we will hang out this evening. What a treat.

Woo-hoo! Great movie. Watched it on the Bangkok to Tokyo flight.
This morning, I woke up five hours ahead of Cairo time. When I arrive in LA tonight, I will be 10 hours behind.

By the Big E

In observance of Jason’s leaving today—he who painted Evie’s face to avoid a fight over our one cat mask and who developed a Riverdance routine with Anna that for some reason he refused to allow me to capture on video—I took him to lunch at the Marriott yesterday, in the beautiful garden where I had […]

I do not even plan on leaving the airport hotel, as I plod through my ’round-the-world-ticket-mandated, 24-hour stay in Bangkok, between more substantial visits to Phnom Penh and Los Angeles. A more ambitious traveler would take a trip downtown, of course. But in my case, there is great value in putting away as much […]

For those who fret about horrible labor practices in the far-away lands that manufacture our clothes, know this: Cambodia is unique in the region for its labor relations. A 2001 Labor Law provides a comforting list of labor rights: freedom of assembly, protections for union organizers, safeguards against child labor, a novel labor arbitration […]

So, be forewarned: If you buy a lovely, rose-colored silk blouse in Laos, and walk around even for 10 minutes in the hot February sun, you are likely to develop embarassing and unerasable sweat stains in the armpits, thus ruining your prized souvenier.
At least, it happened to me.

As my closest associates well know, I have a long and unfortunate history derived from an inclination to “walk first, check map later.” This morning, for once, I planned more carefully. This is because Phnom Penh really intimidates me. It bustles and teems – I have seen for myself the constant collisions involving various […]

The scene: Reception area of a small, American-operated law firm in Phnom Penh. LDW and her colleague, C, enter from stage left, glad to find themselves in an air-conditioned environment after walking outside in the sweltering Mekong heat.
Cambodian receptionist: Welcome! What can I get you to drink?
C: What do you have […]

The scene: Inside the conference room, LDW and her colleague are seated at a large table. One of their hosts, an American lawyer, appears to weigh about 300 pounds. He welcomes his visitors.
LDW: Thanks for having us! Sips her tea. Your receptionist is quite a force.
American Lawyer: How so?
LDW: Well, there […]