Hua Hin is a town in Prachuap Khiri Khan province on the northern edge of the Malay Peninsula that stretches from Thailand to Singapore. Situated on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Hua Hin is located about 2.5 hours by car southwest of Bangkok. Best known as the site of Wang Klai Kang Won royal palace, Hua Hin is a convenient getaway for city dwellers who want to get out of town or hit the beach. It’s not as touristy, and the beaches aren’t as nice, as more popular destinations such as Phuket or Ko Samui, but Hua Hin has steadily developed as a tourist magnet in its own right. The Venezia, an Italian-style shopping center and Santorini Park, a Greek-themed shopping and entertainment complex in nearby Cha Am, opened recently and have helped put Hua Hin on the map.

Below is a sweeping view of the Hua Hin waterfront from Wat Khao Takiap, one of the city’s prominent Buddhist temples atop Chopsticks Hill (Khao Takiap).

This is a view of the Gulf of Thailand from the waterfront.

The city’s main street, Phetkasem Road (Highway 4), runs north-south through town past shopping malls, hotels, and a night market. It looks like many busy business districts in Thailand.

A stone building near the rocky beach below the temple offers great views of the Gulf of Thailand and the city.

The foothills of the Tenasserim Range straddling Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand crowd Hua Hin with worn hills that serve as pedestals for Buddhist sites such as the Wat Khao Krailas temple.

The traditional architecture contrast with the modern high-rise hotels and condos hugging the Hua Hin waterfront.

Although the sky was overcast when we visited Hua Hin in November 2012, the air was warm enough to enjoy the beach. Our son enjoyed making sand castles and sculptures. Vendors flocked to this little boy on an almost-empty beach, begging him to go on horse rides and buy souvenirs. He was having too much fun in the sand to pay much attention to them.

You never know what you’ll find when you visit Hua Hin. You might stumble upon some delicious Thai food like we did near the waterfront or see a cute cat sleeping on the beach without a care in the world, or…

…Ellie the Elephant playing elephant polo!

Ellie the Elephant is now available as an e-book or in print from Amazon and other booksellers!

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

After a long day driving from Phnom Penh through the Cambodian wilderness on New Year’s Eve 2012, we arrived in Koh Kong City at nightfall.

I wished that we could have stayed in town but had to settle for a rural lodge several kilometers up the road. We stopped for a quick sunset photo on the Koh Kong City waterfront and headed to our hotel. I suddenly fell ill and celebrated the New Year in bed with a fever. What I thought were symptoms of dengue fever turned into a 24-hour flu, and thankfully I felt better in the morning.

The next day we drove the 7-kilometer long Koh Kong Bridge back to town. Built in 2002, the bridge spans the mouth of the wide but shallow Prek Kaoh (Kah Bpow) River.

The capital of Koh Kong Province and largest city in Cambodia’s western coastal region, Koh Kong City has a population of more than 35,000 but looks smaller with its residents scattered across a large area. With no stoplights and little traffic, the city streets resembled a ghost town when we visited. The city has long had a reputation as a “Wild West” frontier town and a haven for smugglers, but recent efforts to improve access via Highway 48 has helped integrate it with the rest of the country. It’s now more of a convenient stopover on the way from Phnom Penh to Bangkok, Thailand than a remote outpost.

The regional branch of the National Bank of Cambodia, also known as the “Red House,” is one of the more recognizable landmarks in town. It’s more pink than red, but who’s quibbling?

This lodge in the town center had a uniquely Kampuchean (former Khmer Rouge Cambodia) look to it with an odd melding of Cambodia architecture and communist symbolism.

Canals and boat moorings crisscrossed the city center, creating picturesque views and great photo opportunities.

When we visited, the city was in the process of sprucing up the waterfront, paving roads, and laying sidewalks in what looked like a half-hearted attempt to attract tourists, but it seemed like local officials were in no hurry to finish any projects. The place had an unkempt charm and organic look that centralized planning couldn’t duplicate. The tropical scenery just past the city center that gave the town a wild vibe.

Koh Kong City has both Buddhist and Muslim communities served by the Neang Kok Temple and Al-Mubarak Dubai Mosque. We saw Buddhist statues in a local park and two monks asking a local store for alms.

After our brief tour of Koh Kong City, we crossed the Koh Kong Bridge again and drove to the Cambodian-Thai border. The Prek Kaoh River looked more like a lake than a river.

On the way to the Cambodia-Thailand border, we passed a hodgepodge of eclectic architecture, including a Thai-style Buddhist shrine, Khmer-style gate, and the gaudy entrance to the Koh Kong Safari World Resort.

The drive from Koh Kong City to the border is about ten kilometers through some pretty countryside punctuated by a few beach resorts and homes. It’s one of the more organized, orderly, and uncrowded border crossings I’ve seen.

Although crossing into Thailand was somewhat confusing with few English speakers in the Customs and Immigration offices on both sides of the border, we made it through and entered Thailand after sorting out paperwork and communicating in hand signals.

For more information about driving in Cambodia, contact me at me@mgedwards.com.

More About the Cambodian Coast

Heading to the Coast (National Highway 4)

Driving the Coast (National Highway 48)

The Cambodian Wilderness

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Encouraging Words

1. Silver linings are worth their weight in gold.

2. Misery loves company. Care to join me?

Twisted Words

3. I learned my principals in school.

4. Springtime is when the trees leave.

In Its Own Write

5. Releasing a book is like opening the dam floodgates. May it overflow but not overwhelm.

Holidays & Events

6. It’s probably a good time to postpone that vacation to North Korea.

Random Musings

7. Crossing the road is no laughing matter to a chicken.

Click here to visit the Thoughts & Sayings page, or click here to read the previous batch of Thoughts & Sayings.

Images courtesy of Microsoft except chicken photo by M.G. Edwards.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

When my family and I visited Cambodia in December 2012, we drove from Phnom Penh to the city of Koh Kong on the Cambodia-Thailand border. Along the way we passed through the country’s pristine southwestern wilderness. To the south, Botum Sakor National Park lay on a peninsula between the Gulf of Thailand and Kampong Som Bay. To the west, the Peam Krasaop Wildlife Corridor hugged the coast near the city of Koh Kong. To the northeast, the rolling Cardamom Mountains stretched from Thailand to the coast. It’s a spectacular triangle filled with scenic beauty in one of the most isolated corners of Southeast Asia.

Home to the second-largest wilderness in Southeast Asia (the largest is in Burma/Myanmar), the Cambodian coast has one of the largest native forests still left in Southeast Asia. It’s a place rich in beauty and diversity explored by few. Wildlife inhabits the forests and wetlands along the coast. Although there have been reports of illegal logging, poaching, and development in the area that may have had an affect on the local ecology and threatened local wildlife, it was unclear how widespread the damage was when I passed through. Improvements to National Highway 48 have made the region more accessible to people but also increased the human footprint here.

We saw some incredibly beautiful scenery during our drive through the Cambodian wilderness. Here are some of the best landscape shots.

As far as we could tell from our limited vantage point, humans seemed to coexist harmoniously with nature. While there was some clutter such as a broken-down vehicle and road-side litter along, the local residents seemed to take care of their environment. The forests we saw were generally intact.

At the end of our wandering in the Cambodian wilderness, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset.

For more information about driving in Cambodia, contact me at me@mgedwards.com.

More About the Cambodian Coast

Heading to the Coast (National Highway 4)

Driving the Coast (National Highway 48)

Koh Kong City and the Cambodia-Thailand Border

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

During my family’s drive through Cambodia in December 2012, we headed from the capital Phnom Penh to the coast via National Highway 4 (NH4). After a nerve-wracking drive filled with an assortment of traffic – trucks, cars, motos, buses, bicycles, tractors, pedestrians, cows, chickens, carts, and anything else that moved – potholes, speed bumps, toll booths, and bad drivers, I was more than glad to turn off onto the secondary National Highway 48 (NH48). It wasn’t just quiet – it was too quiet. We passed a few trucks, cars, and bicycles but not much else. It was as if this road newly accessible to the world had yet to be discovered as an alternate route from Phnom Penh to Thailand.

One of the least populated areas of Southeast Asia, the coastal region of Cambodia wedged between the Gulf of Thailand and the Cardamom Mountains is a true wilderness with virgin forests, rolling hills, and wildlife that mingles with the few locals, mostly farmers and fishermen, who live along the coast. If you have time during your Cambodia trip after requisite stops in Siem Reap (Angkor) and Phnom Penh, consider adding the coast to your itinerary. Botum Sakor National Park, Peam Krasaop Wildlife Corridor, and the surrounding region offer a view of Southeast Asia you rarely see.

This coast is an as-yet unspoiled gem protected by years of remote isolation. The only highway in the area, NH48, was built in 2003. The notoriously slow ferry crossings across wide rivers that hindered travel in the region were replaced by five concrete bridges in 2011. The bridges made the coast much more accessible, and tourists can now easily tour the area by car or bus.

The drive from NH4 to Koh Kong, a city on Cambodia’s southwestern border with Thailand, takes about 4.5 hours in good driving conditions. If you’re planning a trip to Cambodia’s coast, the photos in this travelogue will give you an idea of what to expect. These photos were taken in December 2012. Note that road conditions are subject to change.

For the first half hour of the drive, NH48 is tarred and sealed with rock chip and in good condition from the junction of National Highway 4 to the Srae Ambel River crossing. Traffic was light with some trucks hauling heavy freight and cows wandering on the side of the road. The concrete bridge was solid. The countryside in this area offered beautiful views of low-lying mountains to the northeast. A Buddhist temple and monastery just off the highway reminded me that I was in Southeast Asia.

For the next hour beyond the Srae Ambel River, the road showed signs of aging and the affects of the rainy season with warping, pavement chafing, and potholes – nothing unavoidable if you drive at a prudent speed. The landscape was flat with some picturesque scenery that included some quaint bungalows, rice fields and fish ponds interspersed with wild foliage.

The road quality was fair as I drove west on NH48 toward Koh Kong and passed the second new concrete bridge crossing a river that flowed into Kampong Som Bay on the Gulf of Thailand.

About 1.5 hours into our journey, we arrived at the town of Andong Terk and crossed the wide Preak Piphot River not far from the mouth of the Kampong Som Bay. This large, brand-new bridge spanned the river in a high arch that allowed fishing boats to pass below. We stopped on the bridge and took some great photos of the gorgeous river and delta that spread out below in all directions.

We drove on through the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains along the northern edge of Botum Sakor National Park. While we didn’t spot much wildlife, we did see some beautiful views. At this point our GPS loaded with Cambodia maps failed and could not pinpoint our location. We knew then that we had really gone off the beaten path! Considering that there was just one paved highway in the area, we were confident that the road would bring us to our destination, Koh Kong. Eventually.

The road was in poor condition through the national park with severe warping and some axle-bending potholes. Our vehicle had to creep through some place where the highway had become a washboard. To make matters worse, the road grew winding and traffic volumes increased as trucks slowed down to navigate their way around the tricky potholes and curves.

The road condition improved after we passed the fourth bridge across the Khlang Yai River at the small town of Trapeang Rung. The Cardamom Mountains offered stunning views in this area. Although the road surface was better here, the highway wound through the mountains in sharp curves. With dusk approaching and another 1.5 hours to drive, I had to consider both the road condition and the fact that driving in the dark on an unknown route was difficult. It turned into a race between sundown and reaching Koh Kong.

An hour later, we arrived at the Tatai River, our final crossing before Koh Kong. This was the most picturesque location on our drive. Pointing at the stilt homes with rusty corrugated roofs along the river’s edge and the tropical forest beyond, I told my wife, “We’re definitely in Southeast Asia! Look at this view.” The colorful houses and boats persuaded me that despite the frustrations along the way – the traffic, roads, driving into the unknown – the trip was worth the effort.

We drove the final half hour to Koh Kong on battered roads. As the sun set, the light faded to gray, and the dim light cast a rose-colored hue before the shadows and darkness set in. I wanted to enjoy the view but had to focus on reaching Koh Kong before nightfall. The twinkle of city lights in the valley beyond the Cardamom Mountains assured me that we would arrive before nightfall. And we did.

For more information about driving in Cambodia, contact me at me@mgedwards.com.

More About the Cambodian Coast

Heading to the Coast (National Highway 4)

The Cambodian Wilderness

Koh Kong City and the Cambodia-Thailand Border

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Book two of the World Adventurers for Kids Series, Ellie the Elephant is an illustrated picture book that encourages children to follow their dreams. A young elephant named Ellie who lives in Thailand dreams of joining the elephant polo team and playing in the Elephant Cup polo tournament, but her parents want her to work in the rice fields. Will she realize her dream of playing elephant polo?

Inspired by my adventures in Thailand and real elephant polo matches, the story features Ellie and her family, Monk the Monkey, and human boys Wasan and Wattana. Fun for kids and adults alike, the story will introduce them to the amazing game of elephant polo and inspire children to dream big.

Print Edition

The paperback version of Ellie the Elephant features 21 full-color illustrations. It is now available to purchase in print for only $6.99 (or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($6.99)

Amazon UK (£4,61)

Amazon Germany/Austria (€5,84)

Amazon France (€5,55)

Amazon Italy (€5,40)

Amazon Spain (€5,40)

Createspace ($6.99)

E-book Editions

I released two ebook versions of Ellie the Elephant, one with illustrations and the other with cartoon photos. Both feature the same story. The print edition features only the illustrated version of the story.

Ellie the Elephant (Illustrated Ebook Edition)

The illustrated edition of Ellie the Elephant is now available to purchase as an ebook for only $0.99 (99 cents or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($0.99)

Amazon UK (£0,77)

Amazon Canada ($1.01)

Amazon Germany/Austria (€0,89)

Amazon France (€0,89)

Amazon Italy (€0,89)

Amazon Spain (€0,89)

Amazon Brazil (R$2,00)

Amazon Japan (¥99)

Apple iTunes ($0.99 for iPad)

Barnes & Noble ($0.99 for Nook)

Barnes & Noble UK (£0,66 for Nook)

Goodreads ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Kobo Books ($0.99 for Kobo)

Scribd ($0.99 for PDF)

Smashwords ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Ellie the Elephant (Photo Ebook Edition)

The photo edition of Ellie the Elephant is now available to purchase as an ebook for only $0.99 (99 cents or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($0.99)

Amazon UK (£0,77)

Amazon Canada ($1.01)

Amazon Germany/Austria (€0,89)

Amazon France (€0,89)

Amazon Italy (€0,89)

Amazon Spain (€0,89)

Amazon Brazil (R$2,00)

Amazon Japan (¥99)

Apple iTunes ($0.99 for iPad)

Barnes & Noble ($0.99 for Nook)

Barnes & Noble UK (£0,66 for Nook)

Goodreads ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Kobo Books ($0.99 for Kobo)

Scribd ($0.99 for PDF)

Smashwords ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

What Kids Are Saying

Ellie the Elephant is kid tested and approved! Here are what some early readers had to say about the picture book in their own words:

“This one is the epicle of EPICNESS! The cover is cool and the pictures inside are the best.”

“I love this one! It is awesome! Cool! I like how you made the pictures detailed.”

“I love this one! I like the cover.”

“I like Ellie the Elephant because it has pretty good animation and it is a really good book.”

“I like dis 1 ‘cause U put GR8 detail and U cartooned everything.”

“This one is awesome! Great cover.”

“Detailed pictures. Good detail. I love the book it is so good.”

“Love this one. It is awesome!”

“I like this one because it’s attention grabbing!”

Alexander the Salamander

You may also want to pick up the first book in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. Alexander the Salamander, is also available to buy for just $0.99.

Alexander the Salamander is about a salamander named Alexander living in the Amazon who joins his friends Airey the Butterfly and Terry the Tarantula on an unforgettable jungle adventure. Set in the Amazon region of Brazil, the story teaches children the importance of listening to teachers and other authority figures. Co-authored by M.G. Edwards and his son Alex, the story was inspired by their 2008 visit to the Amazon.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

When my family and I drove from Bangkok, Thailand to Cambodia in December 2012, we entered uncharted territory. Few visitors do self-drive tours in Cambodia. We learned through trial, success, and error that it’s possible to drive a 1,500 kilometer circuitous route from Bangkok, Thailand through Cambodia and back to Bangkok. Possible but not easy. Our 2.5 week road trip in the Khmer kingdom was a fascinating but trying experience with bad traffic, uneven roads, and routes that led to unknown places with sparse GPS coverage and meager route information in English.

Driving a right-hand drive (RHD) vehicle from Thailand, where you drive on the left side of the road, complicated matters in right-side drive Cambodia. My family acted as spotters to help me spot oncoming traffic in our RHD vehicle. Cambodia does not typically permit these vehicles in country, and enforcement can be haphazard. You may want to rent a left-hand drive (LHD) vehicle in Cambodia in lieu of entering the country with a car rental. If you don’t have experience driving in a developing country, you might consider hiring a car and driver that could make your vacation more enjoyable and less nerve-wracking.

We met adventure head on in the coastal region of Cambodia. One of the least populated areas of Southeast Asia, the beautiful area is truly a wilderness frontier. Internet research yielded little information about the region and whether it was possible to navigate a passenger car through the area. It is, as we learned along the way.

The drive along the Cambodian coast is now easy to do compared to the logistical challenges it once was. The Royal Cambodian government with international assistance improved National Highway 4 between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville on the coast as well as National Highway 48 heading northwest from Highway 4 to the Thai border (see map for reference). The paved roads have been improved, and most significantly, concrete bridges now span five rivers that flow south into the Gulf of Thailand. It’s a major improvement over the five ferries that once took hours to transport cars across these wide waterways. As of 2011, it was possible to drive along the Cambodian coast from Phnom Penh to the Thailand border in 4.5 hours without taking a single ferry ride.

A drive along the coast is well worth the trip. It’s a place rich in beauty and diversity explored by few outsiders. Home to the second-largest wilderness in Southeast Asia (the largest is in Burma/Myanmar), the region boasts one of the largest native forests remaining in Southeast Asia. Wildlife inhabits the forests and wetlands along the coast; although most are hard to spot from the highway, there are birds a plenty.

To drive to the Cambodian Coast from Phnom Penh, head southwest on National Highway 4. The 140-kilometer drive to the junction of Highway 48 takes about 2.5 hours depending on weather conditions, traffic volumes, trucks, buses, tractors, cow crossings, potholes, speed bumps, toll booths, bad drivers, motos, and pedestrians. The highway is a free-for-all with anything that moves using it as a thoroughfare. With few passing lanes, drivers will try to pass no matter whether it’s safe and may occasionally force your over to the shoulder when they misjudge the distance between oncoming traffic. The road is generally good despite potholes and curves that decrease visibility and make drivers more daring. This is one highway where it’s better to be safe and drive slow than be sorry and end up in a local hospital.

Although the drive can be frustrating, the great views make it more bearable.

Stay tuned for more travelogues about driving the Cambodian coast. For more information about driving in Cambodia, contact me at me@mgedwards.com.

More About the Cambodian Coast

Driving the Coast (National Highway 48)

The Cambodian Wilderness

Koh Kong City and the Cambodia-Thailand Border

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Encouraging Words

1. I aim to confuse so you don’t have to.

2. A smile is what happens when something inside comes out.

3. Exercising your mind is better than food for thought.

4. When brilliance strikes, fight back.

Twisted Words

5. Cleaning windows is such a pane, but I want them to look smashing.

6. I’m always getting into travel on the road.

In Its Own Write

7. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone wrote fill-in-the-blank stories we could buy and turn into our own books?

8. Twice upon a time, there was a story and a knock-off.

Holidays & Events

9. I filled out my brackets for March Madness. The Vatican Conclave is my top seed with the North Korea Nukes as potential spoiler. The Venezuela Chavistas should go far with Nicolas Maduro at center while the Washington Sequesters could bow out early.

10. I’m happy to be Irish for a pot of gold. Okay then, how about a pint?

11. Ides don’t know what Ides gonna do on March 15.

12. Happy International Women’s Day! Enjoy your day off.

13. Happy Sequester Day. Where are you hiding?

Random Musings

14. Wouldn’t it be nice if advertisements featured what we wanted to buy rather than something to be sold?

15. I’m like an onion. Peel away some layers and I’ll make you cry.

Click here to visit the Thoughts & Sayings page, or click here to read the previous batch of Thoughts & Sayings.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Book two of the World Adventurers for Kids Series, Ellie the Elephant is an illustrated picture book that encourages children to follow their dreams. A young elephant named Ellie who lives in Thailand dreams of joining the elephant polo team and playing in the Elephant Cup polo tournament, but her parents want her to work in the rice fields. Will she realize her dream of playing elephant polo?

Inspired by my adventures in Thailand and real elephant polo matches, the story features Ellie and her family, Monk the Monkey, and human boys Wasan and Wattana. Fun for kids and adults alike, the story will introduce them to the amazing game of elephant polo and inspire children to dream big.

I decided to release two editions of the book, one with illustrations and the other with cartoon photos. Both feature the same story. Choose one or both. It’s your choice.

Ellie the Elephant – Illustrated Edition

The illustrated edition of Ellie the Elephant is now available to purchase as an ebook for only $0.99 (99 cents or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($0.99)

Amazon UK (£0.77)

Amazon Canada ($1.01)

Amazon Germany/Austria (€0.89)

Amazon France (€0.89)

Amazon Italy (€0.89)

Amazon Spain (€0.89)

Amazon Brazil (R$2.00)

Amazon Japan (¥99)

Apple iTunes ($0.99 for iPad)

Barnes & Noble ($0.99 for Nook)

Goodreads ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Kobo Books ($0.99 for Kobo)

Scribd ($0.99 for PDF)

Smashwords ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

The Wordshop ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Coming soon to Google Play, Sony ReaderStore and other booksellers.

Ellie the Elephant – Photo Edition

The photo edition of Ellie the Elephant is now available to purchase as an ebook for only $0.99 (99 cents or equivalent in other currencies) from these booksellers:

Amazon.com ($0.99)

Amazon UK (£0.77)

Amazon Canada ($1.01)

Amazon Germany/Austria (€0.89)

Amazon France (€0.89)

Amazon Italy (€0.89)

Amazon Spain (€0.89)

Amazon Brazil (R$2.00)

Amazon Japan (¥99)

Apple iTunes ($0.99 for iPad)

Barnes & Noble ($0.99 for Nook)

Goodreads ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Kobo Books ($0.99 for Kobo)

Scribd ($0.99 for PDF)

Smashwords ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

The Wordshop ($0.99 for multiple ereaders)

Coming soon to Google Play, Sony ReaderStore and other booksellers.

Ellie’s Tour of Thailand

Stay tuned as Ellie goes on a virtual tour of Thailand! Here’s Ellie enjoying the scenery in Khao Yai National Park east of Bangkok.

What Kids Are Saying About Ellie

Ellie the Elephant is kid tested and approved! Here are what some early readers had to say about the picture book in their own words:

“This one is the epicle of EPICNESS! The cover is cool and the pictures inside are the best.”

“I love this one! It is awesome! Cool! I like how you made the pictures detailed.”

“I love this one! I like the cover.”

“I like Ellie the Elephant because it has pretty good animation and it is a really good book.”

“I like dis 1 ‘cause U put GR8 detail and U cartooned everything.”

“This one is awesome! Great cover.”

“Detailed pictures. Good detail. I love the book it is so good.”

“Love this one. It is awesome!”

“I like this one because it’s attention grabbing!”

Pick up your copy of Ellie the Elephant today!

You may also want to buy the first book in the World Adventurers for Kids Series, Alexander the Salamander, is also available to purchase for just $0.99. Alexander the Salamander is about a salamander named Alexander living in the Amazon who joins his friends Airey the Butterfly and Terry the Tarantula on an unforgettable jungle adventure. Set in the Amazon region of Brazil, the story teaches children the importance of listening to teachers and other authority figures. Co-authored by M.G. Edwards and his son Alex, the story was inspired by their 2008 visit to the Amazon.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Symp Tax Introduced to Congress

Washington (RFN) – Congressman Dave Dingleberry of Washington, D.C. introduced a bill to Congress April 1 that would allow taxpayers who favor increased revenue for the Federal Government to withhold additional income tax voluntarily. In a speech delivered on C-SPAN, Dingleberry told viewers that if enacted, the Spend Your Money Publicly (SYMP) Act would add up to $84 million in additional revenues to the Federal coffers. The Congressman stated, “It’s time to give Americans the chance to give back to their country. It’s time for those who want to pay higher taxes to show their support through a symp tax.”

Poll Finds ‘The Onion’ Losing its Sense of Humor

New York (RFN) – A public opinion poll conducted in March by The Onion and Al Jazeera found that a majority of The Onion’s readers believed that the amount of humorous content in the satirical new source’s articles has declined substantially since 2008. Results from the poll of 1,000 respondents showed that more than half thought it was “less humorous” while another quarter thought it was “not funny at all.” A spokesperson for The Onion stated, “I’m sorry, but we just don’t think this president is as funny as the last one. Beside, half of our writers went to work for the Administration after the 2008 Election.” The Onion is a subsidiary of Al Jazeera.

Business

Company Announces Asteroid SlingShot

Spaceport America, New Mexico (RFN) – Private space exploration company Romulan Ventures announced April 1 that it had developed the “Asteroid SlingShot,” a prototype designed to catch and deflect asteroids on a potential collision course with Earth. Made from heat-resistant, elastic materials, the device pulled by two aircraft successfully deflected the flight paths of more than 100 migrating birds in a limited test near Spaceport America, New Mexico. Romulan spokesperson Kirk James told reporters that more tests would be needed to determine whether the Asteroid Slingshot could be scaled up to deflect asteroids bound for Earth. He estimated that the device would cost approximately $1.2 trillion to build and deploy and added, “When it comes to saving the Earth from destruction, it’s worth it.”

Entertainment

Call Center Set Up to Field ‘Star Wars 7’ Inquiries

Los Angeles (RFN) – Sources in Hollywood are reporting that a call center has been established in Bangalore, India to field inquiries from thousands of actors interested in joining the cast of Star Wars Episode 7, the most anticipated film in recent years. With reports that Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are set to reprise their roles as Luke, Leia, and Han Solo in the epic series, thousands of actors have clambered to join the cast. Sources stated that so many had demanded roles in the new movie that the movie’s studio opted to outsource the high call volume to a call center. An unidentified casting agent close to new Star Wars director J.J. Abrams told RFN that, “The last straw was when Ahmed Best called to ask if he could reprise his role as Jar Jar Binks.” Star Wars Episode 7 sans Jar Jar will be released in theaters everywhere in 2015.

Survivor to Film on Location in North Korea

Los Angeles (RFN) – Producers of the reality show Survivor announced that the show has settled on North Korea as the location for its 15th season after receiving permission to film in the country. During his February 2013 visit to North Korea, former NBA star Dennis Rodman reportedly received personal assurances from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on behalf of the show. Rodman said, “Oh yeah, my buddy Kim loves that show. He even wants to be a contestant.” The North Korean leader declined requests to allow filming at Yoduk prison camp but approved the production at the Ryugyong Hotel in the capital, Pyongyang. The show’s producers did not confirm whether Kim would be a contestant. However, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s official news agency, released a statement confirming that Kim had added “Survivor Winner” to his list of official titles.

Sports

World Baseball Cricket (WBC) Tournament Ends in Turmoil

New Delhi (RFN) – Game one of the World Baseball Cricket (WBC) tournament ended in confusion April 1 when the American baseball team and the Sri Lankan cricket team came to blows in a bench-clearing brawl over scoring issues. The Americans claimed that they led the Sri Lankan team by a score of 2-0 on home runs by Greg Smith and Joe Johnson. The Sri Lankan team countered that they were ahead 220/6 to the Americans’ 200/3. Umpires have not yet sorted out the final score.

ACLU Seeks an End to April Fool’s Day

Los Angeles (RFN) – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), citing possible civil rights violations on April Fool’s Day, set up a hotline to help end the practice of perpetrating practical jokes on unsuspecting fools the first day in April. The ACLU asks those who are potential victims of April Fool’s Day pranks to contact the April Fool’s hotline at their earliest convenience. The ACLU will prepare cases for eligible claims in an effort to combat this offensive practice. If you believe you have wrongly duped by an April Fool’s Day joke or prank and seek redress, contact the ACLU at 968-3665 (YOU-FOOL).

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Click here for previous editions of Straight from the Headlines:

2005 Edition

2006 Edition

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and a short story collection called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. He also wrote and illustrated Alexander the Salamander and Ellie the Elephant, two books in the World Adventurers for Kids Series. His books are available in e-book and print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. Edwards graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in China Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2013 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.