Kampuchea: Come for 4 weeks, stay for 7

The first stop on my journey to the northeast was Kampong Cham, set along the Mekong. There's not much to do, but it's a nice stop for a day or two. I went to see a pre-Angkorian (10th century?) temple, which was beautiful but I'm spoiled now. After the temples in Siem Reap, no others will ever compare. I also walked across the bamboo bridge, which is...wait for it...a bridge made out of bamboo. Apparently it washes away during each rainy season and is rebuilt entirely from scratch every December. I never really did figure out the logic here. It was cool to walk over the Mekong though. It's a bit rickety (mom, you'd love it) but incredibly stable. Cars and motos can cross it with no problem. 

Next town was Kratie. I've described many parts of Cambodia as "sleepy little towns on a river." Kratie (pronounced Krah-cheh) was instead, as my guidebook indicated, a "lively" town on the Mekong. After arriving I spent some time wandering the area and the market, staring at a map of Cambodia while in a hammock (trying to plan the rest of my time here), and watching a beautiful sunset over the river.

That evening I met Tom from England at dinner when the waitress randomly just sat me down at his table when I asked to be seated. Ok then. Luckily it tuned out that he had also just arrived to Kratie and was deciding what to do the next day. I told him what I had planned and we decided to spend the day together. The following morning we took a quick boat ride to a nearby island for a 9k bike ride through some beautiful villages. The bicycles were in horrible condition (ie the brakes on mine didn't exactly work) so we just took it slow in the hot hot hot sun and enjoyed the scenery. Later that afternoon after some lunch and beers by the water, we went to see some freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. These animals are incredibly endangered, I think there's only about  the left in the Mekong. It was a bit anticlimactic but we saw a few of them and had a nice sunset towatch from the boat. It was a really nice day.

After Kratie I kept heading north to Mondulkiri. I met some cool girls on the bus and ended up rooming with Kirsten, a social worker from Germany. We spent the next few days together. Also by "bus," I mean ridiculously overcrowded minivan where they shoved (at one count) 23 people inside. You have to pay more for your own seat, which I did not do. Lots of sweaty grossness and discomfort for a few hours, and probably my least favorite ride in Asia so far. Ooof. 

Before I left for Asia, one of my "must do's" was to ride an elephant, like a typical tourist. But I looove elephants and how can you not do it?! But since arriving here, I read up a lot on it and talked to a lot of people--it's a really abusive and exploitive industry, so after much deliberation, I was set that I just couldnt support it. Instead, I decided to volunteer at an elephant project in Mondulkiri that rescues abused elephants. You get to watch them in a natural habitat, walk and swim with them, help out with any needed tasks, and support a good cause. Cool beans, right? Not so easy.

I got to the area and learned about the massive controversy in the town. Long story short, the elephant project (Western owned, I should add) purports that all elephant riding is abusive, don't do the jungle treks with elephants because its horrible, done and done. But then the local side of the story is that the project is exploiting volunteers and the community, local guides are becoming unemployed, basically the project is a scam and instead support those who need the money. So what to believe?

I was super confused, but after talking to some locals (and learning that the dates I wanted at the project were booked), I ultimately decided to do a 2 day jungle trek that included elephants at the end of the last day. Kirsten and I, along with two folks from Australia, set off the following morning. We had a nice day of walking through the jungle, swimming at a waterfall, and staying in a local homestay in a village (the village  consisted of approximately 20 people, in 3 houses, and lots of pigs, chickens, dogs, etc). 

Day #2 started with more trekking to another waterfall, then more walking until we saw elephants waiting for us! They are such amazing animals and I was in love. Sadly, it did seem as though they were not treated so well, and we were all pretty uncomfortable with it the whole time. It was a nice experience riding them but I wouldn't do it again and can't recommend it with a clear conscience. My favorite part of the day was swimming with the elephants and washing them, which was unreal. At the end of the day, I hope my money went to the locals and that I made the right choice to do it. I have many complicated thoughts on this issue. 

Also, a local guy from town who opened the guesthouse I stayed in and helped arrange the trek told us that he "doesn't go fishing in the river, only in the pub." So that made me laugh. 

After Mondulkiri I backtracked for a few final days in Phnom Penh, including a trip to an animal rescue sanctuary/zoo. Lots of animals during this week! Now I'm back on track in the northeast, after an almost 12 hour bus ride to get here. It was supposed to be 9 hours, but whose counting? Lots of bumps and horrible but hilarious Asian music videos, bloody movies/action films, and game shows to keep me awake. Also a bag of undetermined contents that randomly moved by my feet. I'm guessing chickens? And this was one of the big fancy buses! Ah, Cambodia.

I got off of this magical bus ride in Ban Lung, a town in the Ratanakiri province. I met a guy at my hostel who was doing what I wanted to do the next day--and he has a bike, so he invited me to come with him. We rode out to a waterfall about 7k away, then to another one about 20k away. We got lost multiple times looking for the second one, and the roads are super bumpy and just completely covered in dust, so by the time we found the waterfall it was like seeing a mirage in the desert. Everything was completely covered in dust, my clothes and hair and face were just brown. And the ride was so bumpy that we lost our bananas and water bottles (my good camelback water bottle, :-(, RIP). So our swim in the waterfall was immensely enjoyed. Then we ended the day swimming in a volcanic crater lake and watching the sunset.

And now, after 7 weeks, it's my last day in this beautiful, warm, chaotic, often frustrating, always interesting, exciting country. I have loved my time here, but I'm feeling ready for what comes next. 

Tomorrow I cross into Laos, where I should be for the next month. I am expecting a long day of travel, full of bumpy rides, border mayhem and overcharging, and general confusion. But as long as all goes to plan, and by nightfall I am safe and sound on Don Det island with a beerlao in my hand, I will be happy.

Here's to the next step of the journey!