Kampot, Kep and Koh Tonsey

Saturday, March 3rd, 5+3 hours of bus rides with literaly one minute between of Phnom Penh experience (which is enough for now. I need to go somewhere quiet) brings me all the way from Siem Reap to Kampot, a town on almost South-Eastern tip of Cambodia, some 60 km from Vietnam. The town has handful of accomodations and restaurants, virtually no bar(except a cozy garden of Blissful guesthouse can indulge you with nice bottles of chilean wine), and many roundabouts each of which radiates roads in six or eight directions; this would make it easy to get lost in your direction but don't worry, the town is still so small, if you're lost you still can't go that far. I just want to be away from all the experiences in Siem Reap, be in peace for a couple of days.
On a balcony of Mealy Chenda guesthouse I meet Helene, a traveling writer/French teacher, whose quiet quality pulls me into bringing up my social noch. After three large bottles of ever-consumed Angkor beer however, I am once again into taking about me, me and me, while the lone French beauty remains quiet and makes me dying to find out about her...

So I am quite pleased when she says she can come to Kep, then to Koh Tonsey with me the following day. Koh Tonsey is a small island on a remote shoe near Cambodian/Vietnamese border. The name means Rabbit Island for its shape. Sunday morning after I find a temple in town where i can meditate, i rent myself a moto and two of us are off to Kep, a posh harbour town with many abandoned buildings from French colonial era. From Kep we take a small boat to Koh Tonsey, which has no pier, the boat just rides up right onto the shore and we are on the sand. This is my first beach experience since last year in February, on Koh Samui, Thailand. I can't believe I didn't go to beaches all summer long. After swimming and hiking and drinking more Angkor, the full moon has risen and everythings is peaceful. There are only 12 families on the whole island, not many tourists, maybe dozen of bungalows, three or four boats resting on the shore.

The following morning Helene and I don't do much on the island, some reading and writing a letter while waiting for the return boat on the beach. By 2pm we are back in Kep, which is known as the cheapest place to enjoy fresh crab.

Kampot (and Kep and Koh Tonsey) is great. I really love the contrast from booming tourist town of Siem Reap. It really makes you not have any plans, just stroll small streets and sit by the river and read, etc. And you keep running into the same people during your few hours of walk. I find this school of traditional Khmer music for orphans and disabled children.

Tuesday, March 6th, although I would love to stay in Kampot more, spend more time with Helene, meet more quiet and slow people, and continue on the philosophical talks which me and young monks at the temple started, I really must move on. There's a promise to reconnect with Patrick (he had left Siem Reap on Feb. 16th, out to Thailand) and to start my annual fasting/cleansing meditation retreat. I book a mini-bus to Thai border for the next day. Helene contrally books her way up to Phnom Penh, then to Siem Reap. I sit and watch (and take a picture) of sunset over the river, my head heavy and heart exhausted. Later on I again run into Helene on the street and we got to spend the last evening together over Crab and Pepper dinner, two products this area of Cambodia is so proud of.
Travel well beautiful one. I'll see you in June in two years.