Blogs from Tonlé Sap, North, Cambodia, Asia

Day 6 Pursat. 106 km. flat ride. Hot today. Two pieces of great news today are that I got my jacket back, since it was collected last night by our guide Channi. Also the rice paddy rat population is being controlled. The weather was a bit overcast, yet warm this morning and I thought it would be a cooler day. I got that wrong as it became 38 degrees in the sun and 34 in the shade at 2pm. - a sizzler. The journey was a long straight journey on Highway 5 down to spurs at. If there were any bends on this road I never saw any. All we got was an endless dusty view with very slight deviations now and again. Heavy goods traffic was encountered all the way and almost every configuration was ... read more

We drove into the countryside this morning for a village visit on Tonle Sap Lake. Noy asked the driver, Phol, to take back roads so I could see country life. Along the way there were villages and towns with settlement in-between. Cambodia has fifteen million people, and later I learned that almost half a million live in floating villages on this great lake. Siem Reap has 130,000 residents. Traditional houses are built on stilts; the one large room is a sleeping area for families of about 10. The stilts are at least one storey high, some almost two storeys. The days and evenings are spent in this shady and cooler area. Casual furniture, goods and motorcycles share the space with the family members. Some newer traditional houses have about half of the lower level built into ... read more

The day began with the worst breakfast so far. The only thing that was hot was the tea as even the coffee was stone cold. As well as the stir fry and slices of cooked eggy type things. Ah well, you can't expect the best every day. The praying mantis on the back of a dining chair was the highlight of breakfat and no I didn't try to eat it. The cockroaches in the bathroom hadn't bothered me in the night but whatever was making the chirrupping noise last night was still at it this morning. Somehow I'd slept right through so that was good. And then off to the jungle we went. Everyone was very keen on mine and Andy's rendition of the 80's classic Tight Fit hit The Lion Sleeps Tonight and kept shouting ... read more

Since seeing documentaries about Cambodia many years ago, featuring the floating villages, I have wanted to see them. It was one of those dreams that I didn't really think would come true. But it did, yesterday. And it was absolutely amazing. I loved every minute of it. I'll try not to bore you to death! The tuk-tuk driver from the hostel was great, again, and took me to Tonle Sap, near Sim Reap; it was a bumpy journey and when we arrived I was greeted by a long line of boats. Some big, some small, but all of them had a smiley happy owner with it. The cost to go to the village was just $1, I am sure that was wrong, but that is all he charged me at the ticket office near the boats. ... read more

The people of Tonle Sap Lake do not have land to live on. They have lived on the water for decades moving when the water level changes. The extremity of the poverty experienced here has led to aid projects including a floating hospital, floating school and a fresh waterline from the city. From the river you can see a lot. It feels like you are ease dropping into the lives of the people. Some are cooking, some are washing clothes, or washing themselves with water from the river. One boat that approached ours had a women and her four children. The oldest daughter carried a python which she offered to us to hold in exchange for a dollar. The oldest son jumped in the river to look for frogs to sell. The women placed her baby ... read more