On my second day in rural northeast Cambodia, I hired a 4x4 to tour local ethnic villages. I went with a guide who was different from the one on my first day, who took me to a volcano crater lake. This new guide operated the small internet shop next to the hotel where I was staying.
He spoke better English and was offering the tour "at cost," meaning he would not be earning a profit. I don't know why. The guide I'd used a day earlier said such a move was designed to "destroy" him.
I felt bad, but as I had no one to share the cost with, the difference was sufficient for me to go with the lowest bidder. I promised to buy my next bus ticket from the first guide, which he appreciated.
First, we stopped so I could pick up a new 2-gig SD memory card (my fifth). Then, I asked to visit the bank, expecting to exchange traveler's checks, only to find an ATM.
It arrived in town a year ago, and I was ecstatic to find that it had begun to accept Visa in the last month. With a fresh supply of dollars in hand, we set off on a two-hour 4x4 ride past villages and into the jungle.
4x4 Tour
The first big obstacle was a detour through a stream. The far end was the deep section, and we were under enough water for me to wonder whether my feet were about to get wet.
Thankfully, my driver handled it all like a pro, and the jeep never flinched (well, it did stall once over the 4-hour round trip).
Giant ruts from erosion and massive holes filled with muddy water hampered us the whole way. I was glad to have sprung for the more costly truck over a motorbike.
The 45-minute boat ride upriver to the first ethnic village was great, with beautiful views. On the subsequent boat legs of our journey, I sat in front. The boat was so narrow that it felt as though one errant shift in weight would capsize us.
Cambodian Village
The first village was settled about 30 years ago after the Khmer Rouge was deposed. It consisted of an ethnic minority of 300-400 Cambodians who practiced Animism, a belief system related to animal spirits.
The unusual cemetery was the main draw, which turned the village into a tourist destination. The rituals surrounding death require a lot of time and effort, and symbolism is used extensively in the construction and placement of the graves.
My guide carefully pointed out the exact spot where the buffalo are sacrificed. A few of their skulls hung on trees around the cemetery.
As we headed toward the boat, it began to rain, and we could wait it out in the home of one of the village elders. My guide/driver also acted as an interpreter so that I could ask a few questions.
Back on the boat, we returned to the restaurant where we had begun, which overlooked the river. There, we ate lunch before heading off on a shorter 10-minute boat ride downriver to walk through Chinese and Lao villages.
Chinese Village
The Chinese arrived after escaping the Japanese invasion during WWII. Twenty-five families accounted for about 125 people.
When I noted the many stores selling cell phones, radios, etc., my guide responded that the Chinese were natural businesspeople; thus, their village reflected their prosperity.
Lao Village
The adjacent Lao village stood out in stark contrast. It was filled with farmers who sold rice to the Chinese and also bought from their shops. The Lao people settled due to their proximity to Cambodia and past warfare.
