Touring a Magnificent Lake

A worthwhile place to visit in Siem Reap is Cambodia's great lake, Tonle Sap. Here is a school built as I start on my fascinating but hot, journey towards the inside of this fishing village.

I hired a boat to take me inside and I explored the lake to see houses on stilts, giving me lots of opportunities for photo shoots. 

The water wasn't deep but it was rich in silt and sediment, chocolate like as we stirred from one area to the next. It was the dry season and I was told that visiting the area during the wet season is another story.

From a big boat to an unusually scarier small boat, I ventured into the mangrove and marvelled at the extent of the trees submerged in water. The boat lady was experienced enough as she manuevered the boat to some fairly wide passages.

After the short trip to the mangrove, I transferred back to my bigger boat and we went out to see the open lake filled with fishing boats and an immensely vast body of water. The sun was reflected by the waters of TonLe Sap and the photos spoke of its magnificence.

I returned and took photos of the other side while telling myself that such an experience won't happen again so I had to sink everything in. The lake itself gave me an opportunity to gasp and admire the beauty of God's creations. 

My Best Trip

One of the things on my wish list this year is to start travelling again in different places and as part of my birthday wish, I went to Siem Reap as a treat to myself.

The travel time was outstandingly surprising since it only took me forty minutes from Thailand to Cambodia. I was still writing on the arrival sheet when the pilot announced that the plane is ready for landing. 

There were confusions on my part and the people around me as the English language was not as understandable from a native point of view. It was quite a struggle to queue along the visa section, to find the hotel's pick-up car and to speak to the hotel's staff. I was quite happy that I landed safely and that I will be in the company of my two very good friends.

I met my girl friend first where she travelled from her hometown to the city proper of Manila by plane, then to Kuala Lumpur before settling in Siem Reap. The travelling hours were ridiculous, as with the changing of planes, but as she said, "It was all worth it!" My boy friend came later in the evening after a gruelling flight from Chicago, Manila, Singapore before reaching Siem Reap. Of the three, he sure was the most tired.

I'll spare the details of our trip but the exhilaration of meeting two great people was the highlight of my trip. We had been friends years ago and it was our first travel adventure together out of our comfort zones. 
The stories and the laughter shared along were simply priceless. It was one great experience.