The boat to Battambang

"The boat to Battambang" could have inspired a country song in the same great tradition as "the Dog on the Tuckerbox" and "the Cookaburah in the old gum tree".

the journey from Siem Reap to Battambang was an epic one indeed and although exciting, it was also excruciatingly slow for a good portion of it.

Aware that the trip could take between 3 and 8 hours based on water levels in the river bed, we did not expect it to take 10 hours or that for about 4 hours, the men working for the boat company would have to litteraly push the boat out at every turn, whenever it got stuck on one bank. At times,the water was about mid-calf deep and the sight of our boatload of westerners navigating a creek was an endless source of amusement to the locals.

The people living on the river were the definite highlight of the trip. Along the way, we were able to observe the way they live, all their daily activities centrered around the river. We passed entire floating villages where houses, schools, shops and churches are built on bamboo rafts following the level of the river bed, which would be at least 3 meters higher in the wet season. Later, the floating villages gave way to villages on stilts, perched high above the ground on the banks.

Every single moment, groups of children would wave and shout "hello"and "bye bye"with such excitement that it seemed hard to believe the same boat goes by every day of the year.

The contrast between these peoples lives and ours was very extreme. As well as playing and bathing in the river, it is also their main source of sewer, a thick muddy looking stream with an unmistakable stench. The banks of the river are covered in rubbish and kids start helping with the various chores from a very young age.

Still, experiences like those challenge our western notions of happiness very strongly. Despite living conditions reminiscent of the middle ages, the laughs and smiles of these children when they caught the waves made by our boat were heartwarming and unforgettable.