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Here we go, off to the jungle trek we travelled all the way to north easten Cambodia for. We had to be very careful as many tours were trying to take us, but they actually didn't go into the National Park. We ended up booking directly with the Park Rangers.
It started with a motorbike pick-up, to the market to select our food for 3 days, then a 2hour drive over potholes and damaged roads filled with dust and sand!! We arrived to the river with sore butts and dirty clothes and faces. Our boat arrived and we both looked at each other and laughed! What else could you do. It was a skinny long canoe with long tail engine. At first glance you would never think 6 people could fit on with their overnight bags and hammock (2 other ladies from Australia joined us). Well, we did, of course. Our guide had the grueling task of bailing water the whole way as we had more than a few holes. Yikes!! 30minutes up the brown, silt saturated waters brought us to a smaller river branching off and it was crystal clear!! Really neat to be able to see the exact moment it changes.
We made our way to the Brau minority village, arriving around 3pm. It consisted of 45 people and 7 different families. After setting up camp in a wood house, I took a dip in an untouched part of the river which was so peaceful and quiet.
The villagers didn't really pay much attention to us, they just went about their business. Not one person asked for money, or tried to sell us something. This was how we knew this village doesn't see many westerners. We drank rice wine with the chief, smoked some awful tobacco, then searched around a bit. We came to find they did not have many 'extra' possesions, and sometimes they had no food (very dependent on their crops). When darkness came, we heard children playing and went to check it out. We were quickly grabbed and put on teams, boys vs. girls. We laughed and played and time quickly faded. The language is no barrier when boys are chasing girls, screams and laughs are universal. The adults just relaxed in hammocks, drank rice wine and never once getting angry over the massive amounts of noise the children were making!!!
Now, sleeping in a hammock sounds awesome, but we found it's quite uncomfortable! Our first night we both got maybe 2hrs sleep. After breakfast, we hiked for 6 hours through the jungle with our machete wielding guide blazing the trail!! A 50 year old man from the village acted as another guide/porter. He couldn't speak any english, but smiled non stop. Even though it was dry season, there were lots of leaches on the leaves looking for a host! Monique got about 5 or so and I got a couple too. We walked along the historic Ho Chi Minh Trail where we saw old war guns and gernade launchers in piles collected by rangers from around the trail in the jungle. Kind of crazy knowing we were walking where there was lots of fighting/war.
Our guide was great. He cut us bamboo cups on arrival to camp and helped us with a fire. Our hammocks were set up under the stars this time!!! The guide prepared excellent food, always consisting of veggies and rice or sometime soup. Simple yet really tasty. We boiled river water for tea and drinking. With a camp fire, a hammock, and warm tea, Monique and I were both in paradise. Our surrounding were perfect.
On our trek out to the next day we both had smiles ear to ear, maybe more-so because we were going to a shower and cold beer. A great 3 days spent Trekking. When we arrived back to town, we spent a full day relaxing and realizing how untouched the whole area was. Only a handful of guest houses, and a crappy road in. Might not stay that way for long, though.
After Ban Lung, we made our way up into southern Laos. Our first stop is on '4000 islands'. It's a laid back life to say the least. Our time here consists of biking to water falls and catching up on our card playing and book reading!!
Pictures will be coming really soon but internet connection is really slow.
Cheers!!!
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