Having Faith

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Okay so no photos on this blog. I think I really need to start taking a photographer with me I just hate taking photos and never bother to take my camera out. I always bring it, but never use it. If only I had some family member that was a professional photographer that could come along on one of my trips and record the journey. Wouldn't that be great? (hint hint)

I brought my computer along on this trip to write about my journey so the next few blogs will just excerpts copied and pasted from the manuscript I am writing.

START

Well here I go again, running off on some hare-brained, half-baked scheme to wander through some random part of the world. And, as usual, I really have no idea why. I’ve got it my head to drive up to check out Sen Monoram and Ban Lung, two areas in the east and northeast of the rural Cambodian countryside. I don’t know what’s up there or what it will be like, but I am fully expecting that whatever it is will be fun, frustrating, and fascinating.



I’ve got visions of hill tribe girls wearing bright colors decorated with intricate jewelry. I am even contemplating bringing a sweater, which may sound strange considering Cambodia is an extremely warm tropical country, but for some reason I am picturing mountains too. And in my mind, mountains are cold. You see 95%!o(MISSING)f Cambodia is ethnically Khmer, that’s the language they speak and that’s what they call themselves, but these two areas I’ve put X’s over on my map, these two areas aren’t all Khmer. It’s where the hill tribe people live. And because they are called hill tribe people I am expecting mountains. And because I am from South Florida, where the highest piece of land is the local garbage dump, what people call hills I think are mountains.



Now I do know that today is the age of technology and free information, so I could quite easily just pop open a web page and ask my good friend Mr. Google questions like “What’s in Ban Lung,” or “Is there any guesthouses in between Ban Lung and Sen Monoram,” or “What is the condition of the road,” etc etc. And all the answers will be at fingertips in second, but for the life of me, that certainly seems like it would take away all the fun and mystery. I firmly believe the best way to explore is in keeping with the traditions of previous historic world renowned figures such as Captain Cook, David Livingstone, and Christopher Colombus<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. Pick a direction, any direction and go that way. Believe with absolute certainty that you will make it to your destination, despite a multitude of reason why you can’t possibly, the least of which being you don’t exactly know where there is, and head off with illusions of grandeur in mind. It’s always worked in the past, so no reason to stop now.



This particular hare-brained scheme is centered on the jeep; absolute faith and belief in the fact that this little piece of shit Suzuki Cambodian frankenjeep that I drive will make it. That and a coil of heavy rope for the times we will most definitely need a tow from some friendly passerby who takes pity on our obvious stupidity.



While I am certainly by no means even the slightest bit surprised that I am ready and willing to wander off like this, I am once again amazed that I have actually found volunteers to come along. For some reason the fact that I have somehow wandered throughout a variety of random countries over the years with just a minimal amount of police or doctor intervention somehow seems to instill a sense of confidence in others. Or perhaps it’s that aforementioned unwavering belief and certainty that we will make it that is infectious. Either way I can tell you that it has all been luck and any confidence in my ability to provide anything other than an unforgettable adventure is most definitely misplaced.



As I sit here at the Sokha Beach Resort, what Cambodia considers a 5-star resort, on the deck sipping a glass of pinot noir and watching the sun set over the ocean, I can’t help but wonder how different things will be in two more days. Soon there will be no more spas, no more white sand beaches a srystal clear water, no more glasses of French wine served alongside delectable cheese platters. Soon it will be a collage of sweat and frustration punctuated brief intervals of “what the hell did I just eat?”



This trip was unplanned and last minute so I am not completely prepared. I was talking about it for the last two weeks or so, but wasn’t sure when I would do it. I’m not sure what happened but I just got some itchy feet a day ago, because I am ready to go now. My neighbor Dima and his friend Ellia are my unwitting fellow explorers who have no idea what they have volunteered for. Ellia has just arrived and he is, or maybe I should say was, here for a leisurely vacation.



Our plan is to try and leave by 11:00am tomorrow morning, but already that seems to be an ambitious plan. You see I would love to get my breaks fixed before leaving.....

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Comments

[Sebastian Crumple]

Photographer person?
Uh, ya NEED to bring the camera. Oh, and also use it. Not that hard. They don't call it point 'n shoot for nothing you know. As to bring along the professional in the family? Your plan is to feed him bugs, roots, and leaves? No pastrami?