Author: susanhachey@gmail.com

Rabbit Island looks nothing like a rabbit. Not even an abstract artist could pull a rabbit out of this hat. The concensus seems to be that it was named by someone who’d imbibed too much palm wine, and I’m inclined to agree. The name aside, it is beautiful and exactly what I needed after the searing heat and humidity that is Cambodia.

It’s a 30-minute boat ride from the Kep pier  The boat drops you off about 9:30 and picks you up for the return voyage at 4, all for $8 including pick-up and return to the hotel.

I’ll let the pictures describe the day, but just want to add that as I was walking toward the mini bus that was taking me back to the hotel at the end of the day, I heard, “Hello Susan.” Looked over to see Miki, my tuk-tuk tour driver from two days ago in Kampot. Proof once again that having an affair on this planet would be ill-advised.

 

I’ve spent the last few days in Kampot, a laid-back river town not too far inland from the Gulf of Thailand. You can see Vietnam from Bokor Mountain on a clear day.

Kampot is a happening little town with a big personality. it claims to produce the best pepper in Cambodia, if not the world, and they are also surrounded by salt farms. Salt and pepper….aren’t those two commodities responsible for the “discovery” of half the world? Good thing the explorers didn’t find Kampot first… They also proclaim to have the best durian in the country but it will take a better woman than me to find out.

I spent yesterday on a private tuk-tuk tour. My guide Miki spoke excellent English and gave me a pretty good sense of what life is like for the average Cambodian. It has been less than 20 years since the death of Pol Pot, and it was only then that the Khmer Rouge gave up the last of their strongholds, one of which was a treacherous piece of land on the road from here to Phnom Penh. Two million people (out of a population of seven million)were killed by Pol Pot and his followers. These people still bear the scars, yet they are warm and sweet with a ready smile.

Today was a tour of Bokor Hill Station and tonight, my second river cruise.  Did I mention it’s hot? We can swim off the boat. I’m in!

 

The public section of beach that lies between Otres 1 and Otres 2 was the original Otres Beach a few years back according to Marcus. Then one day with no notice or explanation, the government announced that the restaurants, bars, guest houses etc. located there were to be bulldozed. And that’s exactly what happened. Some of the infrastructure still remains here and there, but mostly it’s just a gorgeeous white-sand beach lined at the ocean’s edge with huge trees that provide much-appreciated shade.

Otres 1 and 2, in stark contrast, are filled with establishments built up to the water’s edge, beach chairs sitting in the water. There are tourists everywhere and locals trying to sell the usual massages, hair removal, sarongs, fruit, jewelry, etc. I passed one place the other day with a big sign out front that said Blame Canada…

Not wanting to be held personally responsible for whatever it was that we did, I stayed away from the chaos, opting instead for a spot under a tree and several hours in and out of the green water in the secluded centre. Life is good.

I had my first swim in the Gulf of Thailand this morning! It’s a bit of a walk to Otres Beach from my guest house on the river and I wouldn’t change my location for the world! M&M (for Mangroves & More) or, more accurately, Marcus and Maik (owners), is everything I hoped it would be. They are German chefs who have worked all over the world and settled here when they fell in love with Cambodia. That love shows in the simple, well-appointed bungalows and more importantly in the food. Marcus whipped up a veggie meal that was not to be believed last night upon learning that I don’t eat animals. And for tonight he has prepared ratatouille! Hardly local cuisine but plenty of time for that.

Otres Beach is gorgeous! The public part between the two tourist sections was virtually deserted today and I’m hoping it stays that way. There’s also a national park next door that I will explore if I can haul my butt out of the hammock tomorrow…

 

They have a variation of good cop/bad cop at the Cham Yeam border. It’s called bad cop/worse cop, and they play it well. The stated $30 USD visa fee becomes 1500 Thai Baht or if that fails, $37 USD, and they show you a letter to explain why this differs from the official government website. Then they yell at you when you (politely) try to point out out how ridiculous that is. I surprised myself by displaying a bit more bravado than I expected to but they held all the cards. He really lost it when I asked if they had change for a ten, yelling at me to just give him the (damn) money and let them worry about the change (not in those words but that was the general idea). Then, perhaps in a moment of guilt, they gave me a $2 credit for having a photo and gave me back five crisp ones.

Five minutes later I was killing myself laughing, safe and sound on the bus to Sihanoukville. I was the last one on. Perhaps everyone else just paid… Now I’m wondering how much they make in the run of a day. Do all of the staff at that checkpoint benefit or only the crooks with the police badge on their arms? Is this their retirement scheme? Everyone should have one…

i would love to be able to post a picture of my tormentor but I so enjoy my freedom