After weeks of non-stop movement, our first stop in Cambodia was The Beige eco-lodge, where we prioritized two things: rest and food. Though we only stayed three nights, we somehow managed to eat and sleep enough for a week—effectively undoing any lingering health benefits from SwimTrek. Tranquility was the theme, punctuated by nightly celebration music from a neighboring event venue that reliably kicked off at 8 PM and lasted until midnight.
The real stars of the lodge, however, were a rescued elephant and a water buffalo who visited us morning and evening. I’m usually cautious about animals kept for tourism, but after years of grueling labor hauling trees, this elephant’s scars and stiff gait told a clear story of hardship. Now, in his well-earned retirement, he spends his days bathing in a nearby stream and charming tourists with his love for whole pineapples and sugarcane.
The staff were so accommodating it bordered on suspicion—how many times can someone refill your water or offer you snacks before it feels like performance art? Despite all the luxury, we found ourselves missing one essential: Japan’s space-age toilets. Glamping has its limits.
Humbling Lessons at a Local School
One unforgettable experience was a visit to a local school that the lodge owner helps sponsor. Here, one heroic teacher managed two classrooms for 85 children aged 3 to 12—a feat that left us both humbled and inspired. Despite her exhaustion, she worked tirelessly to keep the kids engaged.
We gave her a brief respite by reading one of the few books available to the children. Since we don’t speak Khmer, our animated flair turned into a bit of a comedy act, with the kids giggling, mimicking along, and even teaching us a few words. We followed this with a game of “Duck, Duck, Goose,” ensuring every child had a turn as the goose before wrapping up. Their unfiltered joy amidst such challenging circumstances was both humbling and a powerful reminder of their unyielding spirit.
Cooking and Art: A Taste of Cambodia
From The Beige, we moved on to Siem Reap, where I (with some enthusiastic prodding) convinced Bryan to join a cooking class in the home of a local resident, through something I randomly found online. Here was our google review following the class. We learned the core ingredients of Cambodian cuisine: palm sugar, soy sauce, vegetable stock, and oyster sauce. The result? Sauces that are delightfully simple yet packed with flavor.
With our culinary skills sharpened, Bryan finally mustered enough patience for shopping. We found our first “non-gifted” piece of art at The River Gallery, a space supporting a local art school and showcasing works by Cambodian artists. The painting we chose now hangs in our home, carrying the story of resilience and beauty from this incredible country.
Biking Through Cambodia: Sweat, Schools, and Survival
Our next adventure was a Grasshopper bike tour through rural Cambodia. A highlight was visiting a library built from funds that Bryan had raised, and dedicated to his cousin Diane a decade ago. Diane had gifted Bryan a kidney nearly 20 years ago, saving his life, making this stop profoundly emotional.
The library, part of the Room to Read program, exemplified what a well-supported rural school can achieve: healthier kids, dedicated teachers managing just two grades instead of nine, and half-day schedules that make the most of limited resources. During our visit, we learned that the Room to Read literacy program is now being adopted by the Cambodian government as the gold standard for schools nationwide. With continued progress, perhaps in another decade the program will be so well integrated into Cambodia’s education system that the organization can shift its focus to other countries in need. For me, the most powerful testament to the program’s success was meeting a teacher at the school who, 10 years ago, had been a student there, helping to paint the walls of the very library that was donated. Seeing her return as an educator to the same school where she once learned was nothing short of inspiring.
But not everything was inspiring. Just next door stood a brand-new, elaborately decorated temple, built with local donations and government support, while the school relied on a bamboo lean-to for a kitchen and a small concrete slab as a playground. The disparity was both striking and infuriating.
The Road to Vietnam: Thrills and Spills
The tour concluded with a journey toward Vietnam via bike, van, and ferry. Recent rains forced us on to more populated routes, transforming the biking experience into a chaotic blend of pothole dodging and playing chicken with oncoming traffic. It was far from relaxing, but we survived (just barely) and made the crossing into Vietnam by boat.
While we were inspired by the resilience and optimism of the people we met, the limited vegetarian options (or perhaps a guide with a shaky grasp of basic nutrition) left us eager for a change of scene—and hopefully some better food. Next and final stop: Vietnam!
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