Cambodian Chronicles. Too warm water

 

This morning, my wake-up call wasn't the chirping of birds or the gentle rustle of palm trees. No, it was the unmistakable sound of locals raking leaves right outside our window. Within a short time, a collection of little leaf piles appeared, but suddenly the Khmer leaf-raking squad was nowhere to be found. Stepping out, I discovered the entire leaf-raking team had taken a break and was lounging in hammocks. Clearly, leaf-raking is a serious business around here.

While I put effort into choosing our perfect travel destination, Scott had one non-negotiable condition: warm water. As he likes to remind me, he had a chilling encounter with the waters of the Caribbean in the Dominican Republic, leaving his certain body parts frostbitten. Here in Cambodia, the water feels like a bath, but one day Scott had the nerve to tell me it could be a bit more cool. So, if anyone knows of a beach where the water is precisely 26.8 degrees Celsius for our next vacation, feel free to share!

Our beach and resort is on the narrowest part of the island. Venturing to the opposite shore, where Lazy Beach awaits, involves approximately 30 minutes walk on bumpy, dusty roads. Unfortunately, the beach resembled more of a garbage dump than a tropical paradise. Safe to say, we swiftly returned.

For lunch at the local backpacker's hostel, Scott's burger arrived without bacon and cheese. Since they couldn't adjust the price, because it was already "in the till" , they compensated us with a complimentary Oreo cheesecake. A sweet culinary mishap.

The rest of day unfolded in its customary rhythm - a dip in the warm waters, a leisurely stretch on the beach, and losing ourselves in books.

We later enjoyed a delightful dinner of Khmer cuisine - Scott's beef salad was as spicy as it gets and my sesame beef was anything but what I expected. Really delicious though. And since I don't consider a meal a full meal without a sweet bite, we walked next door and had some apple cruble and homemade ice cream. Turns out that you can mix powder and water and call it homemade.