A leisurely 10am departure provides a welcome respite from the previous few early morning starts and late evening finishes. Today we head to the river Mekong and board our luxury ship Scenic Spirit, home for the next 8 days. Our 6-hour bus ride was broken every 90 minutes with what is known as a Happy Room stop. Happy Room is the name given to the toilets as most people appear to be happier after a visit. Our first stop was a 1,000-year-old bridge and boy, did it look its age. We crossed on foot, passing those who had left the ship we were about to board. They only had good things to say, which was promising.
As our drive continued southeast, the scenery on either side gently passed, settling into a consistent blend of dry Paddy fields, since they have no irrigation and grow only one crop a year, dependent on the monsoon rains, which were still some weeks away. Thank goodness. As the land became more fertile, the crop mixture developed rapidly, alternating between rows of rubber trees, cashew nuts, tapioca, corn and a variety of fruits such as Pomelo, a cross between an orange and a grapefruit. Our new guide, Mao, who came from a farming family, explained the different crop yields and their values.
As is often the case the last hour of our journey felt like the longest, not made any easier by the heavy traffic and major road works that was between us and our ship. I deliberately did not say dock, as apart from one stop in Phnom Peng, access to and from our ship was via a river bank into which our ship had buried its bow. The crew then used an ingenious series of ladders and in some cases sand banks to provide us with access to and from the shore. The photo below is of one of the easier access stops.
The ship is stunning, with large rooms, high-end furnishings and fixtures, and even safe tap water. We had more crew than passengers, which made the service exceptional. Only surprise was the passenger numbers were down, as 10 people had cancelled because of the recent fighting between Cambodia and Thailand. What also helped was being greeted with a chilled glass of champagne, which you can get at any bar at any time your heart desires.
Our evening arrival provided us with an opportunity to enjoy a stunning sunset from the sun deck, a pre-dinner drink by the pool and then an amazing meal. Lots of choice from the set menu options, as well as cooked-to-order regulars. A wonderful start to what was clearly going to be an amazing cruise. Although we set sail at 6pm, which provided us with a tropical view gently gliding past every window, before we settled down to sleep, the ship dropped anchor in the middle of the channel, so the gentle throb of the engines did not disturb anyone’s sleep. Oh bliss.
Our first full day started with a hill climb to a small town that had developed around a monastery. Great views and a cool breeze made the 39 °C feel almost bearable. The monks provided an education, which, from what I understood, focused a lot on meditation techniques, which was clearly a benefit to the youngsters' mental well-being. Our guide, Mao, had trained as a monk and talked very fondly about how it had made him a much better person. We later discovered he went to the monastery as he was a bit of a handful as a child. The next photo is a view after our climb on a path through a cemetery, which was clearly being well looked after.
To finish our session, Mao had arranged for a novice monk to join us so we could question him about his life and studies. He was an impressive 12-year-old and able to explain why the monastery was the right choice for him and his family.
After receiving a blessing, we headed to what was described as the dining hall, where a senior monk was offering counsel to those seeking advice. The hall was large and a hive of activity as locals brought food for the monks and staff, which was laid out in pans across a large carpet. The locals clearly view supporting the monks as a privilege as more deliveries arrived as our guide Mao decided to sample some of the dishes.
It was nice to get back onboard and into the pool where “Dara” the keeper of the bar kept us well hydrated with chilled drinks. Worth noting we were told all the staff would know our names within 24 hours and they sure did. So nice when arriving at the pool bar to hear, “Barry, can I get you a drink.” Voice of an angel.
Our afternoon excursion was a tuk-tuk ride around the town, with a stop at another temple, where our guide, Mao, mentioned, for the one millionth time, that he had been a monk.
From the temple to a family farm run by a lovely couple who spent an hour with us showing us their farm and answering our questions. Very interesting afternoon and I learned a lot about the local power politics. A brief photo stop on our way back to the ship was an unexpected bonus: a bamboo bridge. At 25c a head to cross it is very busy during the dry season, but is washed away when the monsoon comes and has to be rebuilt again from scratch.
To finish as is usual a musical link. This one is based on 2 premise: the plural for monk is Monkee, and they are all believers. Enjoy!
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