Floating Village

Yesterday afternoon Kelly and I went to see the floating village built on the river that flows into the huge fresh water lake Tonle Sap. We had a private boat all to ourselves and a young man called Socra as our guide. Socra lives in the village and works incredibly hard to support his family and to study. His English is excellent and he is also studying Japanese and Korean to maximise  his earning potential   within the booming tourism industry.

Socra is a very humble, gentle boy; common virtues of all the Cambodian people I have met so far. It is his simple description of his people's way of life and hardships which made me feel absurdly grateful for the luxuries I take for granted.

The main source of income is fishing and the people are poor, everybody owns a boat as they are necessary for transport and livelyhood. Every year during rainy season the river and lake swell and become a treacherous place. Many lives are lost due to drowning, people just disappear or their bodies found days later trapped under their boats. Three years ago Socra lost his own father this way; it is now his sole responsibility to look after his mother and five younger siblings.

Infant mortality rates are very high, main causes of death are malaria and drinking bad water. Both so avoidable... It doesn't seem fair.

Food is sometimes scarce and so the locals keep a crocodile and snake farm; bigger crocodiles have been known to kill and maim humans.

The boat hire business is a community project and much of the money made supports the local people, funding the orphanage, school and other worthwhile causes. Tourists are asked if they would be happy to donate a sack of rice to the orphananage and get the opportunity to deliver it themselves. I was happy to do so for a mere 30 dollars, the money was worth the photograph alone.