New Year's Eve Sihanoukville

As I recall, the 31st was the day I went to Ream National Park on a day-long excursion. I booked it with a travel agency down the street instead of with my guesthouse, because usually the hotels charge more. In this case, I was wrong, though, and it ended up being a mistake to book elsewhere. Not only was it all the same three excursions everywhere, but they were all the same price everywhere, too.

I was supposed to be picked up at 8:00, I think, but after 9:00 the tour bus still hadn't come, so the hotel called for me. It turns out they had forgotten to pick me up, so I had to go down the street to the travel agent, who brought me across the street to where everyone else on the tour had just finished breakfast and were loaded in the van. Breakfast was included in the fee, so they gave me a baguette with little butter and jam packets, and I ate on the bus. It was kind of disappointing. I would have liked some coffee or something.

Here's the dock where we started:



There were several boats leaving at the same time, with several groups. Because everyone was already loaded on the van by the time I got there, and I was concentrating on eating my baguette for most of the trip to the park, I didn't get a good look at anyone on my tour. Consequently, I had a little trouble figuring out who to follow and which boat to get on. It all worked out in the end, though. Luckily our tour guide was wearing a bright yellow shirt with a little handkerchief tied around his neck. How very Fred.

Our boat:


I'd like to think my boat-boarding was a little more graceful, or at least balanced, than some of the other tourists'. Maybe not, though.


Leaving:


No one told us how incredibly long the boat ride to our destination would be. It was two hours, and we saw a lot of water, mangroves, and fishermen:







The boat took us to this really nice, almost deserted beach, with clean sand and clear blue water, where we only spent an hour. I could have stayed there all day.





After the beach, we took a half-hour walk through the woods to our lunch spot:




We passed by a home or two, where easily the best part of the trip happened:


These kids started doing that as soon as they saw the first few people in our group come, and they kept starting back up every time more people came. It was awesome. I actually didn't even notice that that one boy was banging the sticks together until I watched the video just now. It's funny how much you miss from behind the camera.

Our lunch was fried barracuda with salad and fruit, and sweet, sweet Coca Cola. I don't drink Coke much because of all the sugar, but sometimes it's just amazing, especially in Asia.

We lunched with some of the local wildlife:


This cat allowed people to pet her, so I got in my kitty fix. I tried to pick her up, but I noticed a bulge on her stomach when I put my hand under her, so I figured she was pregnant and I shouldn't do it.









After a little while, the guide told us we had to go quickly, since the tide was going out and we needed to ride out with it or be stuck there for the night.

We got stuck on sand dunes a couple times in the beginning, and one of the boatmen had to hop out in the back and another had to use a pole to guide the boat back to deeper waters.


More fishermen:


In fact, the water was so shallow, there was at least this guy walking around in the middle of it.



On the way back I listened to my iPod since I knew it'd be a while before we got back. All in all, I guess it was a worthwhile trip, since I had a nice swim and a nice lunch, and I saw those boys singing Hello. But if I'd had to pay more than the 20 bucks I spent (plus $4 in tips to the boatmen and tour guide), I'd have been kind of pissed.