Just after getting off the bus in Koh Kong, during the usual scrum of collecting all the right luggage and fending off tuk tuk drivers who are trying to helpfully abduct your luggage before you've agreed on a price, one of my fellow passengers approached me. Would I be interested in going to the mangroves and Tatai waterfall with them? As these were two places I planned on visiting, we exchanged emails before being carted off to our respective guesthouses. After a restful day, a tuktuk arrived at 8 in the morning to collect me. Our driver was hired to take us to the arranged destinations, but also whatever side errands we could think up. He was entirely willing to drive us in search of coffee, bananas and bread. At one point, without being asked, he pulled over so that I could have a better look at some storks. We were fortunate to have such an excellent and patient driver.
The mangroves here are taller and more stately than the previous forest I visited. They are much more pristine as well. There is an elevated concrete walkway that meanders through the park to keep the visitors' feet dry and to protect the delicate roots. Were this park in America, there would be railings everywhere plastered discreetly with notices warning guest against doing every cloth-eared thing imaginable. As it is not, there is nothing but fresh air and your own sense to prevent you from joining the domino patterned archer fish wheeling below. Even over a quite deep channel where the path blocks shift alarmingly underfoot on the bridge, you are solely responsible for keeping yourself out of the water. Other than the sometimes untrustworthy path and the distant shrieks of the class trip bouncing on the swaying suspension bridge, it is tranquil and quiet in the mangroves. You can admire the jewel bright kingfishers and paper white egrets in peace. There was however, one dark spot on the day, an attempted mugging. My companion and I realized that that we were being followed. Turning around, we saw our stalker- a young crab-eating macaque. Once he noticed that he had been made, he placed his imploring hand on my calf and looked longingly at my water bottle. My churlish refusal to surrender the desired object was greeted with indignant bared teeth. He proceeded to follow us grumbling simian curses at our poor manners, kept at bay by my strategic loud coughs and sudden turns, which caused him to pretend to be fascinated by the contents of the nearest rubbish bin. This dance continued until we came near the shopkeepers and their dogs, where our would be felonious monkey was forced to retreat in frustration.
Tatai waterfall is clearly a fraction of its full size, but there is plenty of water in the stone riverbed to explore, swim or sit under a torrent for an invigorating massage. It is no wonder that this serene stretch of jungle is popular with tourists and Khmer families alike
It is becoming more apparent how different this country is in the rainy season. Right now the fields are baked grass brown and the roads are lined with faded terracotta dust. As you walk along dried sandstone riverbeds, you can see the pits, grooves and whorls carved by the force of the current and it is certain that in a few months it will be impossible to stand here. The dry fields will be verdant and the dust will become red gluey mud that renders some roads completely unpassable. Water shapes this land to the extent that you can feel its absence.
For the first time since I've been here, as we're preparing to head back, it rains.
When I return to my guesthouse, I mention to my host that I would like to see more jungle, possibly on some sort of river cruise. Beaming, he informs me that there's a day trek leaving tomorrow morning and he can fit me in it. Weighing my desire to further explore one of the finest rainforests in Asia against my inability to easily climb hills, I ask how steep the hike is. "Oh, no problem." I'm casually told "it goes up a little and then flat and then up and flat again". This sounds manageable.
You can probably already tell where this is going.
The next morning, after breakfast, I met with my guide -Mr. Han, a diminutive man sporting a bright pink sport fishing shirt and lavender snow boots- and the five other members of the party who were all French. We all piled into a long tail boat along with the necessary provisions and set out into the bay. As we slipped past the mangroves, Mr. Han pointed out some sea eagles, the peak where his farm was located and where we would be heading. It was one of the smaller mountains, so I felt slightly reassured. After about an hour, the mangroves closed in on either side until we were cruising up a river. We disembarked in a pleasant scrubby lowland wood where we were invited to take bottles of water equipped with a bamboo staff each, an set off into the forest.
For the first time since I've been here, as we're preparing to head back, it rains.
When I return to my guesthouse, I mention to my host that I would like to see more jungle, possibly on some sort of river cruise. Beaming, he informs me that there's a day trek leaving tomorrow morning and he can fit me in it. Weighing my desire to further explore one of the finest rainforests in Asia against my inability to easily climb hills, I ask how steep the hike is. "Oh, no problem." I'm casually told "it goes up a little and then flat and then up and flat again". This sounds manageable.
You can probably already tell where this is going.
The next morning, after breakfast, I met with my guide -Mr. Han, a diminutive man sporting a bright pink sport fishing shirt and lavender snow boots- and the five other members of the party who were all French. We all piled into a long tail boat along with the necessary provisions and set out into the bay. As we slipped past the mangroves, Mr. Han pointed out some sea eagles, the peak where his farm was located and where we would be heading. It was one of the smaller mountains, so I felt slightly reassured. After about an hour, the mangroves closed in on either side until we were cruising up a river. We disembarked in a pleasant scrubby lowland wood where we were invited to take bottles of water equipped with a bamboo staff each, an set off into the forest.
About five minutes in, the path began to gently slope upwards. Ten minutes later, it became more insistent about the point. The peculiar and irritating nature of my current ailment is that I can walk more or less indefinitely on level ground with no ill effects outside of a possible shortness of breath. On an incline, however, I am able to climb the equivalent of two flights of stairs before I need to stop and catch my breath. I've explained this to multiple guides and the response is always "Oh you'll be fine". Part of this is a basic misunderstanding of the nature of my condition. I am convinced however that people who book excursions like this tend to really undersell their difficulty so as not to drive away clients. If a trek organizer ever admits there is a steep portion, prepare to spend a considerable portion of the day rock climbing. Twenty minutes into the hike, I let the rest of the group go ahead of me. Panting and sweating like an overloaded draft horse, I reached one of the promised flat sections of trail.
It was three steps.
Dripping persperation all over the stunningly beautiful rainforest, I had to make a decision. The unflappable Mr. Han told me that the rest of the trail was much like this. I could either go back and wait on the boat or push onwards to the top where the view and lunch awaited. I pushed on. Slowly, pausing frequently to breathe I kept walking. Over rocks, tree roots and loose soil I climbed. Mr Han stayed by my side the entire time offering advice, encouragement and deeply massaging my sunburnt shoulders. A hike that usually takes an hour and a half took me nearly two, but gasping and having lost half my water weight, I made it. The path finally leveled off and the surrounding bamboo opened onto a ledge that would clearly be a spectacular waterfall in a few months. To the distant calls of gibbons below and the occasional passing hornbill, I sat down to my hard earned lunch of rice, stewed vegetables and chicken flavored leather.
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