Kep's Hidden Charms?

Jeremy and I spent Memorial Day relaxing in Kep, one of the beach towns of Cambodia.  Aside from the beach, pool, and afternoon cocktails (all of which were good!), a highlight of the trip was our hike in Kep National Park.  

The local Led Zep cafe and its expat staff have appointed themselves caretakers of the park. They have cleared trails, created a trail map, and marked the park with bright yellow signs to guide our way.  This was ingenious because all we had to see was a yellow sign or even a yellow dot of paint on a rock to know that we were still heading in the right direction.  If all your hiking has been in the western world, then clear trail signs might not seem like much, but in Cambodia, it's quite impressive!

Lep Zep's bright yellow trail signs 

After reviewing the map, we decided to take the "Stairway to Heaven" trail (why not, right?).  The trail started out with actual concrete stairs, but quickly moved to fun, switch-back trails through the jungle.

Jeremy at the "Stairway to Heaven"

As we climbed higher, we came upon a small cluster of houses.  I was surprised to find people living this far into park; my best guess is that they were the maintenance staff for the nearby cell phone towers.  We also saw a familiar face:  a poster of Britney Spears covering one of the windows!

Britney Spears poster in Kep National Park

Our trip on the "Stairway to Heaven" ended at Sunset Rock.  Although it was not sunset, it was a bit heavenly, with a beautiful view of Kep, including the well-known Crab Market, Kep Beach, and the Pacific Ocean.

View of Kep from Sunset Rock

After taking in the view, we explored around, following other short trails.  As we entered one clearing, I almost walked right into Jeremy as he stopped dead in his tracks.  I peered around him and saw the thick tail of a snake slither away, less than 10 meters from us.  Jeremy turned to me and said "That was a cobra!  It reared up and spread its hood at us!"  Suddenly aware of the danger of venomous snakes around us, we looked around at our feet, back up at each other, and quickly made our exit out of the park!

Elusive Happiness

I was walking home from the gym yesterday, thinking back on all the frustrations of my work day and hoping for a stress-free holiday at home today.  (It is a national holiday for the Cambodian King's birthday.)  Along the way, several tuk tuk drivers hailed me with hopefulness:  "Tuk tuk madame?"  Even though I replied "No," they all nodded kindly in return.

It got me thinking about "my" tuk tuk driver, Pros, who drives me to and from work every day.  Pros always greets me with a large grin and kindly acknowledges my boggled efforts to speak Khmer (the Cambodian language).  On average, Pros receives about $100 a month from me, depending on how often I call him for additional driving on the weekends.  I hope he has other customers, but I honestly don't know.  Either way, he's making more than the Cambodian garment workers, who earn $80 a month.

I make more money than that in a DAY, as do the majority of middle-class Americans.  I'm healthy and able-bodied, evidenced by the fact that I was walking home from the gym.  I have a comfortable home with generator-backed air conditioning, very welcome in this tropical climate.  I have secure employment that lets me see the world.  Yet, here I was brooding about the petty inconveniences of the day, even as Cambodians - likely with far larger concerns - took the time to give me a kind smile.  I even passed a cute little boy who spontaneously called "Hello!" and cheerfully waved as I passed by.

So, today, I will strive to enjoy my holiday.  I will tackle my to-do list, but try to be easy on myself if I don't finish it.  I will endeavor to be kind to those around me, even if hiccups arise to test my patience and understanding.  Mostly I will attempt to be grateful for all that I have and find that it is enough for me to be happy.

Tuk tuk driver Pros driving my friends Jess and Kim

Journey into the Jungle

After enjoying the luxurious conveniences of the first world in Australia, we returned to Cambodia to take a trip into the jungle.  From Phnom Penh, we drove eight hours to reach the far northeast province of Ratanakiri.  There we met the guides who led us on our adventure.

Our first stop was the island village of Koh Pheap, where we observed the huts and daily activities of rural people who live along the Sesan River.  We were also invited to join in an ongoing funeral celebration, where we danced with the villagers around the burial totems.

Dancing at a Koh Pheap funeral

From the village, we took a one-hour boat ride.  That sounds relaxing, but unfortunately it's not.  The boat was similar to a canoe, with a loud, vibrating outboard motor.  Imagine sitting for an hour on a hard, vibrating piece of plywood with an annoying, unending buzzing all around you.  We were quite glad to reach the shore!

Boat Ride on the Sesan River

After leaving the boats, we hopped on mountain bikes and rode for two hours along bumpy, dusty trails.  In some places, the trail was so dry that the dirt had literally turned to sand, in which case we had to walk our bikes through.  Although I'm not a skilled mountain biker, it was fun to conquer the rough terrain.  All of our butts paid the price though.

Jeremy and Erin showcasing their biking skills

Our reward at the end was the camp, where we ate dinner and rested for the evening.  We also got to sleep in hammocks, which were surprisingly more comfortable than I thought they'd be.

Our guide Sam with Erin, Erica, and Jeremy

The next morning, the guides woke us at 4:00 am.  After quick cups of tea and coffee, we set off walking into the jungle.  Our goal was to see gibbons in their natural habitat in the jungle.  Our guide eventually slowed, listening to the jungle around him.  Then he set off quickly in a new direction and we scurried to follow him.  For the next half an hour, we were literally tearing through the jungle, getting tangled in vines, snagging our pants on the thorny brush, trying to keep up with the guide as he went deeper and deeper into the jungle and closer and closer to the gibbons.  Finally, the guide stopped and pointed up into the trees.  I saw nothing except branches and leaves, until eventually my eyes captured movement and registered the shape of a gibbon high up in the canopy.  For at least 30 minutes, we watched as a family of gibbons - mom, dad, baby, and two adolescents - played, groomed, and swung in the trees.  It was really quite a sight, and worth the journey into the jungle.

Gibbon mother with baby