Everything we were hoping to find in Kep, we found!
For $3.50 a person, we caught the 7:30am bus from Phnom Penh, and four hours later we arrived in Kep—much to the relief of the gal in front of us...and us too, for that matter (what would a hot, crammed bus ride be without the token passenger who forgot their gravol?) Truthfully, the bus ride was one of my favourite parts. It was fascinating to see everyday life for thousands of people (and animals) in the villages. People bathing in lily ponds. Pigs, goats and cows chowing down on everything and anything. Half-naked children sitting and watching the world pass them by. Workers fixing tires. Women selling fruit, vegetables, and meat. Men wading through rice fields. Fisherman flinging fish into nets.
According to books we’ve read, Kep was the place to be in the 20’s, especially for the French. Vine-covered skeletal remains of colonial estates still perch upon hillsides. Today, most beach-seekers head to Sihanoukville for sun and sand, though Kep is all too quickly being (re-)discovered by the masses. And for good reason: clear, warm, turquoise water; an endless supply of fresh crabs to feast upon; and, best of all, motos to rent for $4. No credit card or passport or deposit required. Just four crisp $1 bills and you’ve got 100 mean cc’s that’ll take you to glory(!!!)...or in my case, it’ll take you to do a nose dive into a garden; lucky for me, the only casualties were a busted flower pot, a scraped leg and a very wounded ego. But memories. It’s all about the memories, right? And, I can proudly say: I learned to drive a moto. Cross another thing of the list of things to do life!
Another day we hopped aboard a boat and set sail to Rabbit Island. We did a lot of sitting, some reading, a bit of exploring, plenty of eating and drinking, a ton of chatting, and some of the best swimming we’ve done in a long time.
(Above: A man shimmying up the tree to harvest coconuts)
So. Kep was great! Most of all, it was fantastic to breath fresh air, be in great company, and see a bit more of this beautiful country we’re calling home (...for now).
(Above: Whose the stud in the photo? That's James. Who's the other guy? Meet Tom. One of the coolest yankees trodding the globe. He's doing similar work as we are in Phnom Penh. Thanks to Tom, we've had someone besides each other to hang out with and talk to in this country; he is fantastic!)
English classes went well—on Thursday (our last class of the week) students in each of our 6 classes had “ah-hah!” moments...the moments every teacher works for.
(Above: yes, that's a real baby on the back...)
And for those brave souls who prefer transportation by foot, crossing the street is a whole other adventure. In Cairo you’d budget up to 10 minutes before you could safely cross one its busier roads; in Kolkata, it only took an outstretched arm and a courageous heart before you ventured forth. Here, it’s a little combination of the two. I don’t think they’d actually hit you, but I really don’t have any faith in the drivers here (see above comment re. moto accidents).
Another thing you won’t wat to miss is the temples whose protruding golden rooftops litter the horizon; despite the heaping amount of debris that tends to clutter around these buildings, they are stunning. Around town you’ll see countless Buddhist Monks—clad in their saffron-coloured robes, with their alms bowls and umbrellas—meandering along the streets. Sometimes in pairs, and sometimes alone, they remind me of the endless row of ants marching one-by-one from my stove to the crack in the wall. Both seem bent on a very important mission...following the ones in front, leading those behind.
Another important fact of life to any major city is garbage removal. Back at home, it’s the rumbling sound of the approaching truck's engine that sends people to the curb with garbage and recycling in tow. Here, it’s a squeaky rubber toy and the sight of a man or woman walking their cart (often times toting their children and your neighbours’ empty beer cans). But unlike at home where if you miss your one shot you’re stuck for an entire week, here in Phnom Penh--where recyclables are traded for a few hundred reils (1 USD = 4000 rls)--these carts comb every street multiple times a day. What is one man’s trash is another’s treasure, right?
Another thing to mention is Cambodia’s take on telecommunication. Because of the Rhmer Rouge in the 1970’s, where much of Cambodia’s infrastructure was obliterated (including telephone lines), most Cambodians own cell phones. And like in many countries around the world, personal cell phones are quickly ousting public pay phones. In Phnom Penh, however, the people have devised a happy medium. Rather than a booth housing a public pay phone, people create their own booth on the street corner and offer their cell phones for use. A fusion between the technology and convenience of modernity with the habits from days of old. Users can make their calls as they need, and the attendants can earn a decent dollar.
Other sights, sounds and smells you’ll find here? While looking for a local substitute to fill the void from Tim Hortons' and Starbucks' absence, we stumbled upon Khmer coffee. A ladle of boiling water, a spoonful of Nescafe, and a dollop of sweetened condensed milk, all mixed together and tied within an ice-packed baggie with a protruding straw. All for about $0.30...Tim who? 
...which appropriately leads us to Khmer cuisine—a realm of sheer bliss that is fully deserving of its own entry.