After countless days of laying on the beach, it was time for some much needed activity in Koh Kong. This small town not yet developed for tourism was a great place to relax, explore the market and learn about the Eco issues related to the Cardamon mountains. Although there is still of work to be done regarding Eco issues in SEA ( ie: plastic bag overuse!!) hearing restrictions on exploitation of lumber is comforting, especially for the sake of the rosewood. To see the landscape and really get to appreciate the Cardamon mountains I got a motorbike taxi to visit Ta Tai waterfall. A great waterfall where you can swim in the collection pools all day and watch the different species of birds, butterflies and trees. My taxi driver even came down to the waterfall and enjoyed a swim with me. He didn't speak a word of English ( I was actually surprised that he understood where I wanted to go) but we had a great afternoon together as he taught me all the Khemer words related to nature that he could point to, what a sweet man. The day before I left he brought me to another waterfall where we had a small picnic, quizzed each other on the words we had learned a few days earlier, had ice coffee at his friends house and he brought me to the Thai border... still not sure why, but it was a nice ride. I also had an overnight jungle trek in the Cardamon corridor where we slept at a waterfall in hammoks. My guide was only 24 years old, an ex lumber jack and rubber havester who knew the area like his own back yard. He educated us on the plants and trees, survival tips and he got to show us how to use 'jungle medicine' when we got chased by black bees and a girl got stung over a dozen times. He walked for 2 minutes, cut some leaves off a tree, chewed them up and then rubbed them over the welts, within seconds the sting was gone and the redness and swelling was decreasing. Amazing! To top it off, he brought us for a night trek where two saw a two deers, one fawn and lots of scary spiders. The fact that we were only two in the group allowed us to be very quiet to actually have animal sightings, for once. I stayed a little longer then I should have in Koh Kong, just waiting till the day my visa expired, not wanting to leave. Having my noodle soup breakfast, waiting for the border to open, I was already anticipating my return. Just 1 1/2 months and I'll be back to see more of this great country. For now, back to Thailand.