When Zeb found out that we’ll be in Pnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city, for my Birthday she finally had the last info she needed to plan a day full of surprises. And that’s exactly what she did surpassing even my craziest expectations (I’m still asking “when was she able to do it, because we spend 99% of our time together?”).

The “evil” plan she had and that she put into action was to fill my day with various activities to make me live the whole range of emotions in less than 15 hours.

She knows that I’m always looking to learn more about the local culture, architecture and habits wherever we go. So she mixed that with our mutual quest to explore all the highest observation decks/rooftops in the cities we visit. She booked a room for 3 nights on the last floor of a Khmer themed boutique hotel just in front of the National Museum and across the street from the Royal Palace. Moreover she conspired with the manager and the hotel staff to await me with a “La multi ani Urs” (Happy birthday, Bear) message written with flowers on our bed. That was to be only the first of a long series of surprises.

At 5 AM the morning of my birthday the hotel wakeup call rings… “Hurry, we have to get dressed and leave!” … After finding out that I don’t need any special clothes we rush out to find a tuk tuk waiting for us. He drops us near the Mekong’s bank where a boat awaits its only passengers for a laid back breakfast at sunrise. And it was quite a spectacular one!

After one hour and a half on the lazy river we’re back at the hotel where I’m scheduled for a long relaxation massage with a view of the Royal Palace from the 15^th floor… it’s true that after a few months of traveling a huge amount of stress accumulates and a relaxation massage is totally needed!

Everybody knows that after a massage one thinks only about food and sleep! My Zeb knows me sooooo well! A second breakfast accompanied by champagne was there to make sure the Bear has everything he needs!

Fast forward in the beginning of the afternoon : we go to Cambodian Televisions studios for a few Thai boxing matches. I find myself for the first time on a television set and also the first time at a Thai boxing match. The guys are quite young and in the light categories, but they put on a great show! And I still think I can take them down, taking into account the kilo difference and the secret Transilvanian Bear kicks that I master!

The day ends on a romantic and familiar note. We have reservation at the best rooftop terrace in town, where we’re supposed to await the sunset while remembering how much we love the French cuisine. I’m a bit puzzled when Zeb tells me that we need to take the laptop at the restaurant, but I don’t think too much about it… so just after the main course she puts the laptop on the table and launches a movie… a special movie, that is! Before my eyes pass one after the other my family and lots of friends from all over the world to wish me a Happy Birthday from thousands of kilometers away. 15 minutes later I’m left speechless! Even if we are on the other side of the globe she still managed to get some of the dearest persons to me a lot lot closer… a big thank you to all of you, guys!

And of course a big birthday cake awaits at the end!