February 2010

Janice Wong.

This pastry chef and proprietor of the 2am Dessert Bar in Holland Village yearns to sweeten the life of orphans on her travels in Cambodia

What’s your ideal holiday?
Visiting a city that is full of soul, spirit and culture. You never know what you can expect in such cities!

What’s a favourite destination you’ve been to with Jetstar Asia?
Siem Reap is one of my favourite places. I have been there twice this year with Jetstar! Every visit is different. There are many inexpensive quality resorts there with spas and good food. The best part of it all is making a difference to the lives of the children whenever I visit them in the orphanages. The little you do can make a huge difference in another’s life.

Tell us about the interesting things you’ve done in Siem Reap.
I went horse riding for a whole day (US$64; S$90) at the Happy Ranch. I took up horse riding in Singapore, but felt the need to travel to get more riding experience and the tracks we took were breathtaking and unforgettable. My trainer was a 29-year-old Frenchman who had just moved to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh. It was one of the best days I’ve experienced this year — the feeling of being free on the horse and enjoying the sunset blanketing you while you ride.

My visit to the orphanage in Siem Reap was very rewarding. Cadbury sponsored 10kg of chocolate and Aalst sponsored 6kg, all of which was distributed to the children. The children and their caretakers had not even heard about chocolate, let alone tasted it. Having visited at least five orphanages this year all over Asia, I hope to be able to continuously support certain orphanages through my restaurant.

Could you see yourself ever living in Siem Reap?
As there’s so much poverty in this part of Asia, I would definitely like to live in Cambodia for a few months to build homes for the orphans and the underprivileged in the future.

Do you have any advice for those wishing to travel there?
Do try to wake up early to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat; the best time to visit is at 5am. After which you can proceed to the temples and roam around in the wee hours of the morning. The air and smells are completely different then, with fewer tourists as well. Bring a blanket and mosquito repellent when you travel to the temples. It’s great to lie down in a quiet area by the waters around the temples. Find a secluded spot and read a book!

What do you want to do on your next trip to Siem Reap?
I would definitely do a two-day horse-riding trip. I’d visit a few more orphanages outside of Siem Reap as well, hopefully with another Cadbury sponsorship to distribute chocolates, clothes and books. As with my previous trips, I go with no travel plans — just with the intention to embrace the local culture and make new friends to learn about them and their country.