In the morning, before our journey to Phnom Penh we took a trip to Tonle Sap Lake. During rainy season, the Tonle Sap Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia. On the lake is the floating village of Chong Kneas, home to millions of refugees. Like any other village it has schools, markets, houses, restaurants and other businesses.
We hired a boat and a guide to take us along the lake. We were witness to some sights that were completely out of the ordinary and worlds away from anything you would see at home.
Small motor boats with young children pulled up along side us and offered a snake, yes a snake, asking for $1 if we held it for a photograph.
Most shocking were mothers offering a hold of their sleeping babies for $1, absolutely heartbreaking to see, imagine being that desperate for money that you would beg tourists to pay to hold your child for a picture. Unbelievable!
On a slightly lighter note, we hopped off the boat to a market to buy food for orphaned children. We visited them whilst they were at school. They were probably between the ages of 4-10 and the most beautiful children you have ever seen. You couldn't help but fall in love with them!
Many children lost their parents during rainy season when the lake rises and becomes very dangerous to live on.
We handed them each a pack of noodles and they seemed very grateful, however in hindsight we could have bought them a lot more. After lots of photographs we left them to continue with their lessons.
On the way back we saw a cemetery which may only be seen in dry season. In rainy season it is immersed under water, bodies are then buried in the mountains.
We left the village feeling overwhelmed, what a culture shock!!!
We would be travelling for the rest of the day, a 7 hour bus journey. We quite possibly had the most annoying bus driver EVERRR, he hooted his horn approximately every 10.5 seconds. It made it impossible to sleep, nevertheless it was nice to just look out the window.
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