LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/326616
Cambodia Having been stuck in "quarantine" at the Loa/Cambodian border, it did not take me long to see the corruption in this region. It was not until I agreed to pay 80,170 Cambodian Riel ($20.00USD) to the nice officer (who placed it directly into his pocket) that I was allowed to continue on my journey. This was a small price to pay for the reward of Cambodia's beauty. In this country, darkness still looms from the crimes of Khmer Rouge, and people still live with the memory of the secret war of genocide and terrorism that was conducted. The people of Indochina show great resilience in the face of these memories. With active landmines still hidden all across the land, it is impossible to visit here and not see, hear, and feel the grim history. But despite this, there is infectious optimism. Cambodia's greatest treasure is its people. We paddled past traditional scenes of rural life on the banks and into a wetland habitat known as the old-growth flooded forest in northeastern Cambodia. Unlike anything I have ever seen before, this area made a lasting impression on me. I know no more than a handful of people who have made this paddle. Imagine an archipelago of patches of trees in an old growth forest, centered in the middle of a huge espresso-colored river. And with a strong current, imagine trying to meander through a heavy growth forest without taking out an eye, or the kayak next to you. This is what living is all about, the moments when you are completely in tune with your surroundings. Some people call it living in the present, but I think of it as my drug. The one that makes me feel alive. It was a rush, and it is moments like this that you can find the most genuine smile on my face, at the border between having and losing control. This is my addiction: adventure. Unlike anything I have ever seen before, this area made a lasting impression on me. At this point in the game we had switched over to inflatable kayaks, which were much easier to maneuver in tight spaces and easier to 52 Summer 2014