'SunSan' ( Henning Wessel) has passed away
I started reading his posts on the now lost to time Two Dragons forum. Last time I was in Cambodia we tried to meet up but he was heading into VN and came back when I had to leave, so alas, we never met.
Maybe it's not for me to suggest but I think such a notable figure should be memorialized somehow. At least in an annual food and drink fest where memories of times with him can be told. I feel like there ought to be an award to the poster who most exemplifies his friendly, helpful nature. Maybe next flood someone takes up his banner.
I like to think maybe, just MAYBE ppl will attempt to carry on his "work". Who is the foremost knowledgeable on all things Khmer person in the group now? He was always helpful to me when I messaged him about some question and I'm going to remember that and try and do so in the future if I can. I encourage everyone to take more food pics and share them.
Maybe it's not for me to suggest but I think such a notable figure should be memorialized somehow. At least in an annual food and drink fest where memories of times with him can be told. I feel like there ought to be an award to the poster who most exemplifies his friendly, helpful nature. Maybe next flood someone takes up his banner.
I like to think maybe, just MAYBE ppl will attempt to carry on his "work". Who is the foremost knowledgeable on all things Khmer person in the group now? He was always helpful to me when I messaged him about some question and I'm going to remember that and try and do so in the future if I can. I encourage everyone to take more food pics and share them.
- vladimir
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An absolutely EXCELLENT idea. Lonestar has pictures of Paul and Russell up on the wall, does anyone have a decent picture? Perhaps his family would be willing?Gasser wrote: Maybe it's not for me to suggest but I think such a notable figure should be memorialized somehow. I feel like there ought to be an award to the poster who most exemplifies his friendly, helpful nature. Maybe next flood someone takes up his banner.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
- nightmare.believer
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I’ve been coming to Cambodia two to three times a year since 2004. Besides my landlady, he is the only person in the kingdom who knows my name. A long time ago, he and I and Andy made plans to meet up one weekend late afternoon. I met Andy on the corner of St.104 and the riverside, where we waited several minutes for Henning to pull up in his car. Henning drove us out by Toul Kork, where we had BBQ and beer towers on the table. It was a Khmers-usually-only kind of place. The kind of place that most tourists would never see. Playboy and his GF showed up as well.
Henning was an instantly likeable person; the kind of person that everyone likes. He used to lean in towards you like he was telling an inside joke, with a smile on his face and say something amusing or relevant to the conversation.
We drove around to a few places drinking…ending up at Cheerleaders. It was an epic evening.
The next time I was in Phnom Penh, many months later, the hotel that I used to stay at near the Garage Bar was full, so with big backpack I walked past Garage Bar (which I had never been to before) when a voice called out my name. It was Henning. He was seated outside the bar with a couple of friends. I was surprised, and impressed, that he remembered me. He bid me sit down and have a drink, but I was tired from the flight, sweaty, and didn’t want to go out looking for a hotel half-drunk, so I declined.
We subsequently met several times to drink together at Garage Bar. Henning was a great conversationalist and someone that you wanted to drink with. Last year in August, I stayed in Phnom Penh for a few months whilst recovering from a nasty broken leg. We had beers together at Garage Bar and he insisted on giving me a ride home. I agreed. When I walked next door to the minimart to buy some Beer Lao to drink at the apartment, he ran out of the bar to stop me, maybe thinking I was pissed and going to walk home. It was this kind of great consideration for other people that I will remember him most for.
Plus he had great hair.
The world is darker without you, Henning. God bless your soul.
Henning was an instantly likeable person; the kind of person that everyone likes. He used to lean in towards you like he was telling an inside joke, with a smile on his face and say something amusing or relevant to the conversation.
We drove around to a few places drinking…ending up at Cheerleaders. It was an epic evening.
The next time I was in Phnom Penh, many months later, the hotel that I used to stay at near the Garage Bar was full, so with big backpack I walked past Garage Bar (which I had never been to before) when a voice called out my name. It was Henning. He was seated outside the bar with a couple of friends. I was surprised, and impressed, that he remembered me. He bid me sit down and have a drink, but I was tired from the flight, sweaty, and didn’t want to go out looking for a hotel half-drunk, so I declined.
We subsequently met several times to drink together at Garage Bar. Henning was a great conversationalist and someone that you wanted to drink with. Last year in August, I stayed in Phnom Penh for a few months whilst recovering from a nasty broken leg. We had beers together at Garage Bar and he insisted on giving me a ride home. I agreed. When I walked next door to the minimart to buy some Beer Lao to drink at the apartment, he ran out of the bar to stop me, maybe thinking I was pissed and going to walk home. It was this kind of great consideration for other people that I will remember him most for.
Plus he had great hair.
The world is darker without you, Henning. God bless your soul.
Sorry to hear it. His posts were always great value.
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I remember that evening very well J
To a poster above: I don't think anyone can really take up Henning's bat - he was such a phenomenal mine of information; sure he was uniquely generous with it, but I've never met anyone else with half of his knowledge of travel.
Sorry for the hiatus - I've been moving today and am without internet for a couple of days. Just found a wifi place. I have an update re. Henning's 'wife', Mint.
My wife called her earlier (as an aside, I'm astonished how fluently my wife speaks Thai - never been to Thailand, never had a lesson - picked it all up off the TV!). She's actually not in a great situation. Whilst Henning's family have been calling and offering valuable emotional support, and his work colleagues have been doing the same, she has no money. It seems there's no insurance to be had, they had to spend the savings treating Henning and getting him to Europe, and the car belonged to the company; there's nothing else she can easily sell to support herself. The company tried to negotiate with the landlord so she could retrieve the deposit but the landlord insisted the contract was broken. She actually only has just enough money to get a bus back to Bangkok. Since she's lived in Phnom Penh she's never made any friends so is really quite alone.
To a poster above: I don't think anyone can really take up Henning's bat - he was such a phenomenal mine of information; sure he was uniquely generous with it, but I've never met anyone else with half of his knowledge of travel.
Sorry for the hiatus - I've been moving today and am without internet for a couple of days. Just found a wifi place. I have an update re. Henning's 'wife', Mint.
My wife called her earlier (as an aside, I'm astonished how fluently my wife speaks Thai - never been to Thailand, never had a lesson - picked it all up off the TV!). She's actually not in a great situation. Whilst Henning's family have been calling and offering valuable emotional support, and his work colleagues have been doing the same, she has no money. It seems there's no insurance to be had, they had to spend the savings treating Henning and getting him to Europe, and the car belonged to the company; there's nothing else she can easily sell to support herself. The company tried to negotiate with the landlord so she could retrieve the deposit but the landlord insisted the contract was broken. She actually only has just enough money to get a bus back to Bangkok. Since she's lived in Phnom Penh she's never made any friends so is really quite alone.
I came, I argued, I'm out
- violet
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Andy,
You know that I have already offered to chip in to help Mint with her finances right now. If others are interested in doing the same, those of us out of the country would need to know how to get the money to her.
Is anyone willing to help coordinate this and provide details? The sooner the better. A person does not need to be stressing over finances while dealing with a loss.
Could something be done utilising Choice's paypal details (if they are in agreement)? Or is that an inappropriate use of a charity's resources? I've no clue. Just want to find a solution.
Edited: If she is going to base herself in Bangkok, then money needs to get to her in Thailand, so Choice is of no use. I have friends in Phuket, but no one in Bangkok I can get money to. Anyone able to provide a solution please?
You know that I have already offered to chip in to help Mint with her finances right now. If others are interested in doing the same, those of us out of the country would need to know how to get the money to her.
Is anyone willing to help coordinate this and provide details? The sooner the better. A person does not need to be stressing over finances while dealing with a loss.
Could something be done utilising Choice's paypal details (if they are in agreement)? Or is that an inappropriate use of a charity's resources? I've no clue. Just want to find a solution.
Edited: If she is going to base herself in Bangkok, then money needs to get to her in Thailand, so Choice is of no use. I have friends in Phuket, but no one in Bangkok I can get money to. Anyone able to provide a solution please?
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.
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I'm prepared to collect donations and get them to her if people out of the country want to send to my bank account. Mint's leaving for Bangkok on the 2nd of next month.
Sorry, got to log off - restaurant's closing. Will be online tomorrow eve or Thursday.
Sorry, got to log off - restaurant's closing. Will be online tomorrow eve or Thursday.
I came, I argued, I'm out
- violet
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Deleted due to Cambod's offer of paypal.
Last edited by violet on Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.
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violet wrote:Andy,
You know that I have already offered to chip in to help Mint with her finances right now. If others are interested in doing the same, those of us out of the country would need to know how to get the money to her.
Is anyone willing to help coordinate this and provide details? The sooner the better. A person does not need to be stressing over finances while dealing with a loss.
Could something be done utilising Choice's paypal details (if they are in agreement)? Or is that an inappropriate use of a charity's resources? I've no clue. Just want to find a solution.
Edited: If she is going to base herself in Bangkok, then money needs to get to her in Thailand, so Choice is of no use. I have friends in Phuket, but no one in Bangkok I can get money to. Anyone able to provide a solution please?
andyinasia wrote:I'm prepared to collect donations and get them to her if people out of the country want to send to my bank account. Mint's leaving for Bangkok on the 2nd of next month.
Sorry, got to log off - restaurant's closing. Will be online tomorrow eve or Thursday.
violet wrote:OK PM me with details when you are next online and I will transfer Thursday. At most a transfer takes ten days (can take as little as 4), so I think that will work.
Just to add....giblet wrote:Perhaps we could do a collection at Garage if jm's willing for those of us who are local? I am sure Henning would want us to make sure she is okay.
If she is still in Phnom Penh, I have a PayPal account (and i live here). If anyone wants to help her financially that is out of the country, I can give them my account details.
This will just make sure 100% of your money will go directly to her instead of having to pay $50+ transferring it here via a bank. I pay only about 2% to take the cash out here, and I'll gladly cover the fees and just give the cash to Andy to get to her.
The one and only time Henning called on me to help her out (not a huge favor, she just needed a tuktuk ride, but he was out of town and wanted me to sort out a ride for her since she only speaks Thai and I live on the same block) I was out of town as well.
If she's already on her way to BKK, then I guess my PayPal doesn't really help.
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If cambods idea of using his Paypal account to get her some money is used, I'd like to chip in.. PM the details to me if its sorted..
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Why not honor SunSan by setting up a fund for his wife? I can not think of a better way to honor his name. I would be happy to contribute to such a worthy cause. I would think based upon all the good SunSan did for our members that we should be able to raise at least 3,000 - 4,000. I trust "jm Garage Man" with the money.
If I knew for certain that a person was coming to my house with the intent of doing me good, I would run for my life HDT
Henning came to Amsterdam with one piece of hand luggage. It had a change of clothes in it, some medicine and 5 packets of lotus tea. Around April I had asked him to get me the tea in Vietnam and because it was too late for my mother to bring it back (she had just left Asia) Henning and I spent some time chatting on msn how to get it to Europe - there were quite a few options but no rush. In the end Henning brought it to me personally. Seeing the tea, I felt really touched that he had thought of me but also full of remorse and sadness that he had had that on his mind in his condition. That was Henning .
December 2009 my son and I visited Henning in Phnom Penh. We often drove around the city for hours in his car with him telling us about the sights we saw and what was generally happening in the city. It was on one of these occasions, when passing a temple that he told us of the burial rites. He said that one day he wanted to be burnt and his ashes to be scattered in the Mekong. So we will be doing this in mid to late March.
@ Gasser what is the two Dragon Forum? Do you have a link?
@vladimir what is Lonestar? I have pics of Henning, but I don't know which would be appropriate.
@ all I'd like to thank you all for your kind contributions. While I do know that this thread is for Henning, we, the family, have drawn a lot of comfort from it.
December 2009 my son and I visited Henning in Phnom Penh. We often drove around the city for hours in his car with him telling us about the sights we saw and what was generally happening in the city. It was on one of these occasions, when passing a temple that he told us of the burial rites. He said that one day he wanted to be burnt and his ashes to be scattered in the Mekong. So we will be doing this in mid to late March.
@ Gasser what is the two Dragon Forum? Do you have a link?
@vladimir what is Lonestar? I have pics of Henning, but I don't know which would be appropriate.
@ all I'd like to thank you all for your kind contributions. While I do know that this thread is for Henning, we, the family, have drawn a lot of comfort from it.
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