Sydney-based writer Anthony Dennis and I have been friends for years, often partnering on features for various luxury travel and lifestyle magazines.  'Penang's Time Capsule', published in the The Australian's May 2012 issue of WISH Magazine, is our latest collaboration.

As Anthony details, in 2008 George Town "was awarded UNESCO World Heritage listing, granting it membership to an elite South-East Asian club that includes once forgotten but now fashionable old town treasures such as Hoi An in Vietnam and Luang Prabang."  Thus, in the past few years, "George Town has been undergoing a renaissance."

Indeed, it is an exciting time to visit Penang, as this renaissance lends itself to a rapid and real-time "rise from obscurity, recognition, revival, restoration and then a kind of gentrification.  The latter is driven by the arrival of enterprising Westerners, and then locals, to establish tourism businesses."

It was this hunt for George Town's flourishing dining, retail café and art scene, as well as its "sensitively designed boutique accommodation in traditional shop-houses" -- and the enterprising individuals behind these initiatives -- that lured us to Penang for this story.

"Typically low-rise old towns...lend themselves well to small-scale, boutique-style hotel developments", and Penang is no exception.  The old town is filled with "extraordinary and distinctive colonial architecture, street after street replete with rows of dilapidated but intact shop-houses", some of which notable conservationist entrepreneurs like Christopher Ong and Narelle McMurtrie have lovingly and beautifully renovated and restored.

Over the course of three days this past January, I visited with Christopher and Narelle, documenting Christopher's Muntri Mews guesthouse, a former stable and carriageworks, and Narelle's Straits Collection and China House, an eclectic mixture of retail spaces, restaurants, galleries and guest residences.  I also photographed Clove Hall, an Edwardian Anglo-Malay bungalow converted into a beautiful boutique hotel, and the century-old Eastern & Oriental Hotel.  In my spare time, I wandered the narrow streets, capturing images of "Technicolor shop-houses with multiple shuttered-windows and weathered terracotta rooftops."

UNESCO declares that George Town is among “the most complete surviving historic city centres on the Straits of Malacca with a multicultural living heritage originating from the trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through

the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay archipelago to China...[constituting] a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in east and southeast Asia."

But don't just take UNESCO's word for it.  Visit Penang and experience this glorious and colourful time capsule for yourself.

See more of my luxury lifestyle and travel photography on my website.

Many years ago -- while casting for a Reader's Digest Magazine cover I was shooting -- I met Canadian model, Lisa Crosswhite.  We chatted as I flipped through her portfolio, and I quickly realized that Lisa was an extremely talented and creative young woman with an entrepreneurial spirit.  Although we didn't work together on that specific shoot, we did stay in touch.

Since then Lisa (the model) has starred in many of my images.  From advertisements for GlaxoSmithKline and Meritus Hotels & Resorts, to editorial work for Condé Nast Traveller, to personal creative projects such as "Orphan", I have photographed Lisa numerous times over the years, and we have become close friends as a result.

But when Lisa (the entrepreneur) recently launched Gnossem -- a Singapore-based online fashion retailer -- and asked me to shoot the brand's launch campaign, I was excited for the opportunity for our friendship to grow into a creative partnership.

Lisa wanted the imagery for her inaugural Gnossem campaign to convey a strong sense female empowerment, yet maintain soft, romantic undertones.  Together we chose to shoot the photographic collection at Ku De Ta restaurant and lounge.  Perched atop Marina Bay Sands, teetering 56

stories in the sky, Ku De Ta offers one of Singapore's most spectacular vistas, providing us with a backdrop Lisa felt would "enhance the feeling of celebration and ownership of one’s being."

Featuring fashion artisanship from a handful of independent designers from across Asia-Pacific, including Pepsi Herrera (Philippines), Trioon (Singapore), and Fang Fong Projects (Hong Kong), it was a fantastic day of aesthetic collaboration with Lisa and another fellow Canadian, hair and make-up stylist Andrea Claire.

Watch a Gnossem-produced behind-the-scenes video here and browse more of my advertising photography portfolio here.

In the final installment of Sam McGoun's cross-Cambodian adventure, our hero -- whom over the past few weeks has had time to reflect on his epic adventure -- pens an open letter to his friends, family and supporters.

Dear friends,

It is with the deepest heartfelt gratitude that I thank each and every one of you for supporting me and the students of Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School over these past several months.  Your messages of encouragement gave me the strength to continue in my physical challenge, and both your time and financial contributions will power us forward well into the future.

As I reflect upon my journey across Cambodia to benefit the students of this special school, I am often overcome with emotion -- all very positive and all very powerful.

Today, as I will do for many days, weeks and months to come, I am attempting to process these emotions.  That is, I am attempting to draw out the deeper meaning -- a conclusion or revelation, perhaps even a philosophy -- that I can use to help guide me going forward.   As we all know, a profound life experience is often the best opportunity to learn and grow as an individual.

So what then, are the conclusions, revelations or philosophies that have resulted from my running, biking and swimming 670km across Cambodia to benefit the students of Sala Bai?  There are many; below I share two.

True happiness requires a purpose and passion in life

From my perspective, the only definition of success is true happiness.  And while true happiness eludes many of us, I am pleased to share that I’ve found it with the help of Sala Bai and its inspirational students.  My true happiness is knowing that I have both a purpose and a passion in this life much bigger and far more important than me.

My purpose is helping others -- giving more in this world than I could possibly ever take.  My passion is Sala Bai, and more specifically, giving young Cambodian women access to education and employment in the hospitality industry.

My true happiness, therefore, is the result of helping others, and in particular, the students of Sala Bai.

To be clear, there are other core ingredients required for true happiness -- ingredients that I am blessed to already have present in my own life: my health, my family and my friends.  And indeed, while everyone is different, I feel confident that true happiness will continue to elude us if we

don't have a purpose or a passion or if we do not make these about other people or other things that benefit humanity overall.  For me, this is eliminating poverty and fighting human trafficking by educating and employing the students of Sala Bai.  For you, it may be raising your children with a value system that enables them to be good (and happy) adult human beings.

Two things are for certain:  one’s purpose and one’s passion are individual choices, and these are two ingredients required for our own true happiness.

Smiles have no language barrier

Smiles are universal signs of welcome and respect.  I speak exactly three words of Khmer (Cambodian).  Most rural Cambodians speak about the same amount of English.  Our ability to speak each other’s language has absolutely no bearing on our ability to welcome one another or show a simple sign of respect. Throughout my 670km journey, I was the beneficiary of literally hundreds of smiles.  Little did I know that such a simple gesture could have such a profound and positive impact upon my own outlook.

Without a doubt, the smiles of Cambodian men, women and children gave me the motivation and strength to finish my days' physical commitments.

The reality is that most of the smiles I received during my journey came from people who earn less than USD$50 per month, who barely have enough food to survive, who work in harsh conditions more than 12 hours per day, who have little or no education and who have little or no access to even the most basic healthcare.  These kind people welcomed me into their communities and respected me in the process with genuine smiles.

Truthfully, most days I’m so “busy” getting from point A to point B that I walk around with a blank facial expression that is so unwelcoming you’d think I didn’t have facial muscles to form a smile.  What’s my excuse?  Clearly, there isn’t one.  Enough said.

It is time to smile.  It will welcome others within your immediate surroundings and show them a sign of respect.  And if you need another reason:  I promise it will make you much happier in the process.

My journey has just begun

While I have completed the physical journey of crossing Cambodia to benefit the students of Sala Bai, the emotional journey and my lifelong commitment to fighting human trafficking with education and employment in hospitality has only just begun.  You can follow and join this journey

by 'Liking' Touch Sala Bai on Facebook, by visiting the Touch Sala Bai website or by writing to me directly at smcgoun@touchsalabai.com.  We will ensure that you receive periodic updates from Touch Sala Bai about upcoming events, important developments on the fight against human trafficking and the progress of past, current and future Sala Bai students.

And while I have several more reflections that I look forward to sharing with you in the future, it's time to bring this chapter to a close.

I would like to thank the three people who have given a voice to this cross-Cambodia journey, and more importantly, the students of Sala Bai: Scott Woodward, Mike Rogers and Meghan Shea are the truly gifted professionals who lent their talents to giving voices to those individuals who do not have them. Through their still and moving images, they have told a story that connects not just our minds, but also our hearts, to something far more important than ourselves.  Without them, none of this would have been possible.  Scott, Mike and Meghan, thank you for following your own dreams -- you continue to inspire me, and others, to do the same.

And finally, on behalf of Jean-Paul and Emmanuelle

de Thomas, the students of Sala Bai and the members of Touch Sala Bai, I thank you all for making a difference.

- Sam

To help celebrate Sam’s journey and to support the fight against human trafficking, please donate to Touch Sala Bai today.  Donations to Sam's cross-Cambodian journey will close on Monday 7 May.

Did you miss our daily "Reports from the Road" during Sam's cross-Cambodian journey?  Catch-up on all of Sam's adventures and experiences here.

Kep to Sihanoukville

We spent last evening on the beach following a seafood barbeque, serenaded into dreamland by a local Cambodian wedding and a chorus of wild barking dogs.  Falling asleep after midnight did not keep Sam from setting out at sunrise on the final day of his cross-Cambodian odyssey.

Sam ran along the seaside in Kep, a sleepy coastal town once a glamorous resort destination founded as a French colonial retreat.  The town reached the height of it’s popularity in the 1960s, and today is dotted with the select few French-style villas which survived the Khmer Rouge regime.

Sam departed Kep with his sprits high, pounding the pavement and making great time as he arrived 16km later in Kampot, a small city renown in couture culinary circles for it’s pepper.

Stopping for our last lunchtime picnic just outside Kampot, Sam was fueled-up for the final stretch of his race by indulging in bologna, cheese and jelly sandwiches. Seriously.

Sam brought a deep reservoir of focus and strength to the final segment of this journey, which included 80km on his

mountain bike followed by a further 20km on foot. Somewhat ironically, the steepest terrain of Sam's entire journey was to be found in the final half of today’s trek.

Our crew expanded in the final hours with the welcome addition of Sam’s mother and father who traveled from the States to help watch Sam complete his race and support his venture.

We arrived in the coastal city of Sihanoukville just as the sun began to sink into the sea, casting the city in a triumphant golden hue.  Sam was single-minded in his focus to finish his journey at the exact beach that the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School students visit during their annual graduation celebration.  To reach this beach, Sam conquered seemingly unending inclines and deftly navigated streets packed with tourists, motorcycles, and touting restaurateurs.

At the brink of total exhaustion, Sam arrived at the waters' edge and dove into the Gulf of Thailand, still wearing his running shoes, Sala Bai shirt and a newly-born feeling of exaltation.

For Sam, diving into the ocean completed his circle: he had followed the actual journey taken by one recent graduate,

Khatna, from her floating village in Mechrey on Tonle Sap Lake to the sandy beachfront of Sihanoukville.

It was an emotional few moments after Sam emerged from the water and embraced his parents on the beach, remarking with conviction, “Anything is possible. We can do anything we put our hearts to; all we need is a little support from our friends and family”.  Sam is a proof that a committed individual can accomplish anything.  After these brief and eloquent words, Sam hugged each of his parents and left the beach for a well-deserved hot shower and comfortable night's sleep.

Over the course of seven days, Sam cycled 503 kilometers, ran just over four marathons, swam in one lake, and crossed one river.  Sam has completed his journey.

To help celebrate Sam’s journey and to support the fight against human trafficking, please donate to Touch Sala Bai today.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Takeo to Kep

We fell asleep last night in a Takeo ricefield to the hums of the resident farmer tending to his fields perched atop his tractor (at 1am).  Joy.  Sunrise came quickly, and Sam took advantage of our auspicious location next to a pagoda by finding a moment to kneel, pray and reflect on his journey before setting out on day six of his cross-Cambodian adventure.  Following this brief spiritual reprieve, Sam bounded out of the campsite and into the town of Takeo. Scott and Mike were equally spry this morning and dove out of their tents to take full advantage of the beautiful golden hour sunlight.

After departing camp we explored Takeo, a lakeside city that was a stronghold for the Khmer Rouge Regime until 1996.  Sam’s route took him past the grounds of one of the most infamous residents of the city, former Khmer Rouge Commander Ta Mok.  Ta Mok served as the Khmer Rouge’s Chief of Staff in the 1960s and constructed a chilling Brutalist residence in Takeo surrounded by a moat and accessed only by a long, wooden footbridge.

Sam ran across the bridge and circled the property, now decaying and currently employed as a police training facility.  Behind Ta Mok's home we watched women

gracefully gliding across the property’s moat in their palm boats collecting lotus flowers; it was difficult to reconcile this serenity with the horrific atrocities committed by the home’s former resident.

Sam left Takeo, heading for the ocean village of Kep, biking in (literally) asphalt-melting conditions.  After nearly a week on the road, unrelenting heat, and countless kilometers, Sam has developed severe saddle sore on his backside.  It required immediate (and agonizing) attention at lunch to prevent infection.  We were in disbelief that, following a brief lunch break, Sam was ready to pedal for another 20km.

We took our question to the source, asking Sam where on earth his energy came from, to which he responded, “Honestly, I‘m not entirely sure where [it] is coming from.  It’s just kind like [I am] on a mission now; it’s uncomfortable but [I] just do it.”

We tipped our hats to Sam as he strode in Kep; six days down and one to go.

Our goal is help Sam raise USD$15,000 for Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School before his adventure is over.

As we write this, Sam has raised $10,245 with 24 more hours to go.  If you haven’t yet donated, please do so today.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Sa Ang to Takeo

We picked-up where left off last night, grateful to be hosted in a local (and active) pagoda in Sa Ang.  Upon our arrival late last evening, Sam explained to the pagoda’s head monk that he was running across Cambodia to expose the risks of human trafficking, after which the monk promised to accompany Sam to the river's edge when he embarked on his swim across the Mekong River this morning.

We awoke at dawn amidst the hum of monastic rituals; the night rain had purged the air and for a few splendid morning hours we were dust-free, and the countryside was bathed in ochre-colored light.  We set-out early to meet the river that was our current-laden foe mere hours earlier. It was a quite a team that stood on the shores of the muddy Mekong, ready to support Sam’s swim: a scruffy-looking documentary crew, seas of curious onlookers, vans and pick-up trucks waiting in the wings, and a lone monk cloaked in a glorious orange robe, offering his blessing to Sam's journey.  Sam dove in and crossed the Mekong, keeping pace with a rustic plank-style barge, emerging on the other side strong and prepared to begin running, biking, and sweating.

For the second part of day, the photography and video teams split from Sam and headed back into Phnom Penh to

learn first-hand about the realities of human trafficking from survivors themselves.  Thanks to our friends at the Cause Effect Agency, we were able to connect with some incredible women who are part of the Voices For Change program with the Somamly Mam Foundation and AEFSIP.

As explained on her website, the Somaly Man Foundation is “modeled after Somaly’s life example...[and] Voices For Change is designed to give survivors an opportunity to help themselves by helping others, to have their voices heard in the courts of law and public perception, and to have influence and impact on effectuating change...Each one of these women has lived through horrific conditions, and has emerged as young leaders, for Voices for Change.

“Co-founded by sexual slavery survivor, Somaly Mam, the foundation works to eradicate human trafficking, liberate its victims, and empower survivors so they can create and sustain lives of dignity."

We were honored to have the chance to interview such courageous and strong women.  They have lived through unimaginable atrocities and have survived to inform and educate others on the realities of trafficking.  These interviews will feature in the forthcoming documentary by Persistent Productions about Sam's cross-Cambodian

journey, articulating why this cause is important and why Sam wants your support to help prevent sex trafficking before it starts.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third, fourth and fifth installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Skun to Sa Ang

Sam began his journey early this morning by running through the small village of Phao Chum in An Lon Chey Commune.  Local residents were curious about the blonde man jogging through the center of their kampong, but no one more than the community children.  Sam collected a small entourage of 4, 5 and 6 year-olds who joined him for a mid-race stretching session, followed by a heated foot race.  Arriving at the Mekong River midday, the wide water vista was a prelude for this evening's face-off with river.

We rolled into Phnom Penh at lunch hour and Sam was quickly bobbing and weaving through the web of urban traffic, running past grand French colonial architecture, local markets, Independence Monument and The Royal Palace, all the while encircled by the buzz that is Cambodia's capital.  It seems that every new day usurps the traffic insanity of the previous ones: exhaust, haze, dust and smog abound, causing Sam to exclaim mid-run, “I think I’ve eaten an engine today.  At least a V8.  On second thought, make that a V12”.

Today Sam’s shirt reads “Stop Human Trafficking Before It Starts”.  He chose to wear this shirt while running through Phnom Penh as it is the destination for many

trafficked women.  Organizations like Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School aim to help prevent trafficking before it begins by giving young women and men the opportunity for an education and employment.  ECPAT Cambodia (End Child Prostitution, Abuse and Trafficking in Cambodia) reports that as many as one third of the trafficked victims in prostitution are children.  Learn more about the severity of human trafficking in Cambodia here and here.

The latter part of the day was spent battling the rain as Sam cycled out of Phnom Penh and headed for the river crossing where he planned to swim across the Mekong.  The showers were relentless, and soon it was thundering and the crosswinds were howling.  It was 7pm by the time Sam arrived at the river, and the mighty Mekong's currents were strong and the water was inky black.

Sam was determined to swim, but the risks were immense. Local boats refused to cross because of the strong currents, and the crew appealed to Sam to reconsider, expressing our concern for his well-being.  After a long and painful deliberation, Sam decided to postpone the swim.  The team will resume the river crossing tomorrow morning at dawn; this evening we are happy to report

that Sam is safe, and we’ll be counting our blessings as we make camp at a local pagoda in Sa Ang District.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second, third and fourth installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Prei Kuk to Skun

We awoke by the river in Sambor Prei Kuk in northern Kampong Thom and spent the morning exploring 7th century pre-Ankorian temples before Sam hit the road.

He cycled through town, keeping a strong and steady pace, while the menagerie of traffic barreled past him.  Sam shared the road with apathetic cows, mobile farm equipment, scooters piled sky-high with bamboo and 8-seater vans carrying more than twenty people, including a half dozen travelers perched precariously on the roof.  In the midst of this controlled chaos was Sam’s bright orange shirt emblazoned with the words "Front Office", paying homage to the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School student group he ran for today.

Following a brief respite at a local restaurant, Sam hit the pavement.  Steadfast in his commitment to the Sala Bai students that his running segment be at least 20km a day, he began his run at 7pm and was guided into camp by the beaming headlights of a motorcycle escort glowing softly through the dust.

After another long day on the road, Sam will curl-up under the stars, bedding down tonight in a rice field in Skun.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first, second and third installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Kampong Kdey to Prei Kuk

Today day was filled with dusty roads, rural villages and a significant serving of determination.  We began the morning with breakfast overlooking the idyllic 12th century Kampong Kdey Bridge.  After dining in front of this ancient architectural structure, Sam set out on his bicycle.

Today’s ride took us past lively vignettes in the village of Khoum Damrey Slap: baths with water buffalos, rice farming, volleyball games and a most cinematic scene of village women and girls schnok-ing where they plunged fully clothed to the bottom of a muddy river, throwing down their nets and bamboo traps and, moments later, dredged-up their catch of trey phtok, a local freshwater fish.  This all-women group flowed rapidly down river and we found ourselves racing to keep up with this delightful cacophony of laughing, catching, and swimming.

Today’s physical journey was a testament to Sam’s will and resolve; a mid-morning routing faux pas had Sam riding an additional 30km in oppressive midday heat.  With temperatures high and a profound amount of dust on the road, Sam had to work hard for each kilometer.  Resolute in his commitment to physically power himself the entire way,

Sam pushed on until well after dark explaining, “What’s important is that I do the journey no matter what happens. Mistakes, incorrect [routes], it doesn’t matter.  Not everyone can just jump in a car and go.“

Sam was unwavering in his commitment to the students of Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School and is determined that this race help fundraise for their program.  He was on the road today for 140km over the course of 13 hours.  It was a powerful thing to behold.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Did you miss our previous posts?  Read the first and second installments of Sam's adventure.

- Meghan Shea

Mechrey to Kampong Kdey

The team awoke this morning on a floating crocodile farm to the cock-a-doodle-doo's of the resident rooster; and from there, the day got increasingly colorful.

The reason for our aquatic overnight was because Sam began his race at Mechrey, a floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake, and the hometown of Khatna, one of Sala Bai's graduates.

After a ceremonial visit with Khatna and her parents, we said goodbye to her family, and Sam set out to take the first plunge of his cross-Cambodian challenge.

Sam bravely dove into the cloudy snake-filled waters of Tonle Sap and, as the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, he had the tall task of negotiating it's strong currents. Thankfully, there was only one casualty from our nautical morning: Mike’s Nikon AW 100 camera sadly plunged to the bottom of lake during a rogue inflatable kayak incident.

After conquering the swim, and following a quick change on the boat, Sam stepped foot on dry land and began his run for, and to, Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School, where more than 50 students lined the street and energetically cheered him on.  After greeting him, the students became a

bicycle entourage and joined Sam for the rest of his run, cycling by his side through the streets of Siem Reap. This lively entourage journeyed from Sala Bai to the Angkor Wat Temples, dotting the dusty roads with their bright orange shirts and even brighter smiles.  It was a striking and emotional scene: Sam running, students cycling, all against the backdrop of some of the world’s most spectacular ancient temples.

For most adventurers this would have been enough action for one day (month, year, etc), but not for Sam.  After the temples, Sam bid adieu to the students, hopped on his bicycle and, battling the sandy back roads of rural Cambodia, pedaled another 70km to Kampong Kdey. Nearly 17 hours after he began, Sam successfully completed the first day of his adventure.

Did you miss yesterday's post?  Read the first installment of Sam's adventure here.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

- Meghan Shea

About Sala Bai

For nearly ten years now, Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School has been offering tuition-free hospitality training to 100 impoverished young people annually.  Sala Bai's mission is to provide their students with the capabilities and experience necessary -- in one of four disciplines: restaurant service, cooking, front office and housekeeping -- to secure gainful employment in one of Siem Reap's numerous luxury hotels, guesthouses or restaurants. These skills, and the resulting economic independence, not only improves the students' quality of life, but those of their families as well.

About the Adventure

In the early morning hours of Saturday 31 March, Sam McGoun -- a Detroit-area native and current resident of Singapore -- will begin a seven day journey, swimming, running and cycling 625km across Cambodia in an effort to raise awareness for, and help fight against, human trafficking.  Inspired by the challenges overcome by the students of Sala Bai, Sam’s route will follow the actual journey traveled by one recent Sala Bai graduate, Khatna, as she gained an education at the school.  All funds raised by Sam will directly benefit Sala Bai, an organization that stops human trafficking before it starts.

The Adventure Begins: Singapore to Siem Reap

Sam and the team began our cross-Cambodian adventure early Thursday morning, departing from Singapore and bound for Cambodia laden with camera equipment, bicycles, energy bars and flush with excitement for our week ahead.

Soon after landing in Siem Reap, Sam dove headlong into his triathlete responsibilities, playing the role of bike mechanic as he assembled and prepped his rides after their flight.  Thanks to the ever-supportive staff at the Heritage Suites Hotel, Sam's bikes were roadworthy in no time.

Later in the day we touched base with our friends at Sala Bai.  Sam addressed a sea of smiling young students at the morning flagpole ceremony, explaining that his inspiration and motivation for his journey is in fact the students themselves.  Their commitment to creating a better life and future for themselves and their family has clearly left a very deep impression on Sam.  As a physical manifestation of this inspiration, on every day of the adventure Sam will wear a different shirt -- one for each student specialization at Sala Bai -- connecting each of the student groups directly to one segment of his race and showing his solidarity with the students of Sala Bai.

In the final throes of trip preparation, the crew gathered for an epic pre-departure meeting where we got a preview of what to expect on our week-long trek.  We’ll be camping at abandoned temples, waking before dawn to monastic chants, sleeping in pagodas, encouraging Sam and finding showers whenever we can.

As the documentary photography and film team chronicling Sam’s odyssey, we will be doing our best to keep pace with him as he dives into the rivers, runs through the villages and pedals across the countryside of rural Cambodia.  And if Internet gods smile upon us, we will bring you a daily Report From The Road every evening, sharing a few snapshots and the daily headlines from Sam's journey.  We are in for one fantastic adventure...

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

- Meghan Shea

With the help of my good friends Licheng and Andy, late last week Issue #8 of my SCOTT eNewsletter rolled off the virtual press and landed in thousands of inboxes around the world.

This issue was a long time in-the-making, but it was worth all the hard work.  It features four new photographic collections, including: a fantastical fashion project I photographed in collaboration with an amazing team of creative partners, a series of candid black and white portraits of Tiger Woods, and a collection of luxury lifestyle and travel reportage I made in Cambodia for The Telegraph's Ultratravel (UK) and Condé Nast Traveller (Russia) magazines.

If you (or someone you know) would like to receive future issues of my quarterly SCOTT eNewsletter directly to your inbox, then please take a moment to subscribe to my mailing list.

The previous seven issues of my SCOTT eNewsletter -- showcasing a variety of my travel, portrait, fashion, lifestyle and advertising photography over the past two years -- remain online and you can peruse them here.

Not long ago, I received an email from the editor of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia; he was looking for a photograph to appear on the final page of his March 2012 edition, in a section called "Last Look".

The editor had seen a collection of pictures that I made at Bambu Indah, a small boutique hotel in central Bali, and he was interested in one of them as he felt the imagery would fit the March issue's "style and design" theme.

I subsequently learned that part of "Last Look" includes an interview with the photographer.  My recollection of that morning, which appears underneath my photograph, reads as follows:

I took this photograph at Bambu Indah (which means “beautiful bamboo” in Balinese) in Ubud.  The resort consists of four 150-year-old teak houses -- each, apparently, the former residence of a Javanese nobleman -- relocated to the site on the Sayan Ridge, surrounded by rice paddies that line the edge of the Ayung River.  I shot it just before 8 a.m. as the bright Balinese sun crested the horizon and burst through the palm trees behind Minangkabau (the Minang House), a common area for yoga, dining and celebration, constructed from black bamboo from the forests of Java.  The angle of the sun significantly affects

the warmth, contrast and texture in a photograph, so I am always looking to shoot in the warm ‘golden hours’ of early morning and late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky. In this case, I was waiting for the sun to rise and filter through the swaying palm trees, straight into my camera.  I like the effect of shooting directly into the sun and allowing the light to flare in my lens.

As I mentioned in a post a couple of years ago, I am drawn to the ethereal effect that is created by pointing my lens straight into the sun; it's a technique I employ often, integrating this photographic style into much of my travel and fashion editorial work.

Browse more of my luxury lifestyle photography on my website.

I am often asked what I believe is my best photograph. Without hesitation, I always answer that it is my image of the Bhutanese novice monks joyously careening down a hill at their Thimphu monastic school.  I love the spontaneity, emotion and movement captured in this single frame: a true moment frozen in time, and my favourite picture I've ever taken.

What was originally created nearly four years ago -- as a promotional still image for Persistent Productions' documentary film, Shooting For Democracy -- has become the most popular and commercially successful photo reportage I've ever made.

This image has been printed in the pages of the iconic National Geographic Magazine (USA), as part of a feature profile in National Geographic Magazine (China), and on the cover of GEOspecial Magazine (Germany).  It also appears on Adobe’s Photoshop.com website and was one of three photos from my "Thunder Dragon" collection that was selected by Luerzer’s Archive when I was honoured as one of the “200 Best Advertising Photographers Worldwide” a couple of years ago.

This month, my favourite young monks grace the cover of British Airways' inflight magazine High Life for a cover story on the enigmatic Kingdom of Bhutan.

Visiting Bhutan had long been a dream of mine.  And when that dream finally came true, exploring and documenting the ruggedly beautiful country exceeded even my highest hopes.  Truly, my time spent in Bhutan was the most amazing travel and photography experience of my entire life.  And I find it exciting and rewarding that imagery I created during that remarkable experience also -- and still -- resonates with others.

A fun post script to this photograph: one of the very next frames I snapped after this image was of friend and filmmaker, Mike Rogers, surrounded by the gaggle of young monks who had just run down the hill, as they raptly watched themselves come to life on the screen of Mike's video camera.  This picture actually appeared in The New York Times.  Indeed, the photography gods were smiling down upon us that afternoon.

This past December I was commissioned by The Daily Telegraph to photograph 'Homage to the New Cambodia' , a glimpse at Indochina's newest rising star, for the Spring 2012 edition of Ultratravel magazine.

I joined Johnny Morris, Ultratravel's creative director, at the beautiful Villa Romonea in the seaside town of Kep.  As Johnny describes, "[d]esigned by Lu Ban Happ, a key figure in the Le Corbusier-inspired New Khmer Architecture movement, [Villa Romonea] is one of the few intact private mansions of Kep’s golden era in the 1960s.  Fully renovated by its current owners, it is a shining example of how to mix Sixties interior design and contemporary furnishing within a striking modernist mansion.  Its bold white zigzags and organically curved atrium help make it surprisingly optimistic architecture."

We enjoyed ice cold Kingdom Beers by the villa's saltwater infinity pool as the sun set over the Bay of Kampot and then we ventured into town, accompanied by an American couple also staying at the villa, for cocktails at The Sailing Club by Knai Bang Chatt, followed by fresh crab and green Kampot pepper at Kimly's, "a classic example of the 'keep it local, keep it simple' destination restaurant that we all crave on our travels."

The next day we traveled to Sihanoukville, the jumping-off point for Song Saa, a brand new private luxury island resort

nestled 15 miles off the coast in the Koh Rong Archipelago. Johnny and I lunched overlooking the Gulf of Thailand with the owner, Rory Hunter, and his senior team before being whisked away on a tour of the two beautiful islands and the exclusive all-villa resort.

The final stop on my adventure with Johnny was Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh, a few hours’ drive from Sihanoukville.  As Johnny poetically recounts in the article, "Phnom Penh is [a] full-on live show with plenty of swagger and edgy improvisation...[a] million stories and a stream of colour from tuk-tuk and scooter lights."

This December assignment with Johnny and Ultratravel was my third shoot in Cambodia in as many months.  And next week I'll be returning to Phnom Penh to shoot a feature for a German-based magazine, followed shortly thereafter by another assignment that will start in Siem Reap and take me more than 600km around Cambodia in the back of a tuk-tuk.  Indeed, it's a beautiful country whose future looks bright, and I am privileged to be able to witness and document so much of this growth and change.

Read the full 'Homage to the New Cambodia' article online, browse my earlier Ultratravel work, 'Singapore Swings' and see more of my lifestyle and travel photography on my website.