A Decade of Expat Christmases

December 24, 2011 · 12 comments

I was thinking last night about where I had been and what I was doing for Christmas since I left the U.K back in 2000.

Here’s the list:

2000: Pushkar, India

Spent in the delightful Rajastani town of Pushkar, one of my favourite spots in India.

2001: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Still living in Osaka, Japan but on my second trip to Cambodia after first visiting earlier that year.

2002: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

My first Christmas as an expat living in Phnom Penh.

Christmas in Phnom Penh 2002

Of the 13 people featured 1 still lives in Cambodia

2003: Sihanoukville, Cambodia

First Christmas spent with my future wife. We had a beach side BBQ and watched the film ‘Withnail & I’.

2004: Pailin, Cambodia

Motorbike trip across the Cardamon mountains, to Pailin and Battambang.

2005: Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Ate a huge sashami lunch with friends at the newly opened Kukai restaurant, now one of the town’s most popular restaurants.

2006: Dorset, England

With my family and my then fiancee, first in 6 years.

2007: Kep, Cambodia

Spent at Kep Lodge in Kep, southern Cambodia.

Kep Lodge

Not looking at all Christmassy

2008: Kampot, Cambodia

First Christmas as a family. Ate in the amazing Akashi restaurant now sadly closed.

Our first Christmas as a family

Probably the cheapest Christmas we'll ever have

2009: Dorset, England

Sad circumstances brought us here as my father died a week before Christmas.

My father and I in Lulworth Cove

My father and I at Lulworth Cove, Dorset in 2005

2010: Kampot, Cambodia

Christmas lunch (which was far from a traditional Christmas lunch) at Rusty Keyhole (rural location).

2011: Bangkok, Thailand

We are off to a friend’s house tomorrow to celebrate our first Christmas in Thailand as a family of four.

Christmas in Bangkok

Happy Christmas everyone!


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  • Gavinmac

    Merry Christmas. Good blogging.

    • Anonymous

      Thank you very much

  • http://twitter.com/tenaciousleigh Leigh

    Lovely. Merry Christmas!

  • Jo

    OMG !!!  So surprised to see the picture of Xmas dinner at my place back in 2002.  Tricia is here with me in Phnom Penh this weekend.  We are now both reminiscing about that Xmas.

    Merry Christmas to you, Lindsay and the kids xx

    Jo

    (and can I please have a copy of the photo)

    • Anonymous

      Yes I’ll email it to you – I only seem to have 1 of that day.

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  • http://profiles.google.com/bethanyshondark Bethany Murphy

    Happy Christmas! Enjoy with your expanded brood! 

  • Chris

    Hello mate, re the 2002 picture, I’ll have you know I haven’t actually stopped living in Cambodia, I’m just working abroad at the mo. Seriously, this place feels like home when I come back. Happy Christmas mate

    • Anonymous

      Hmm right whatev’ Chris

  • http://www.moshville.co.uk/ Mosh

    Ah, jealous. I’ve had a couple of overseas xmases over the last few years, but am now well ensconced back in Blighty. 2006 was spent in India. A mate and I were at the Taj Mahal in the morning and bar-hopping in the evening. Pizza Hut and McDonalds were eaten that day!

    In 2007 I had a very white xmas as I was working in the Alps.

    Since then, I’ve been in Scotland each year though sometimes as a fleeting visit around travels. Not any more. Fiancée, 2 kids and a third on the way. Despite my other half’s generous offer that I’m allowed to stretch my travel wings around work, I’m not going to leave her with the munchkins while I backpack around wherever.

    Maybe when the youngest gets a little older though ;)

    Have a great new year, fella. Maybe one of these years I’ll finally get to catch up with you!