Our van came to a stop and one by one we crawled out of the bus. Tuk Tuk drivers awaited our arrival holding up their hands, shouting for passengers. I negotiated our price to Ocean Walk Inn for two dollars and then motioned for the girls to hop in. It was close to eleven o'clock at night when we arrived so the city was already pitch black. The roads were wider and all paved, much more civilized. We passed restaurant after restaurant with pizza, pasta and burger signs. I was thrilled they had more of a selection in Sihanoukville.
The Tuk Tuk came to a stop at an Italian restaurant. A man walked out and spoke Khmer to our driver as us girls exchanged confused glances. I read the Italian restaurant sign and then interrupted the driver. "Excuse me, we're staying at The Ocean Walk Inn." He pointed to the restaurant, "This Ocean Walk Inn." I shook my head after looking once more for any trace of our hostel name. The man from the restaurant walked up to take our bags and I resisted. I couldn't help but think this was a scam. Was our driver just taking four girls late at night to some closed down restaurant?
"I'm sorry," I spoke again. "This is not our hostel. It doesn't say Ocean Walk Inn anywhere." The man, nodded. "We changed our name, this is Ocean Walk Inn. I have your reservation." All I could see was a run down restaurant, I saw no indication that this even looked like a hotel. "What is the reservation name under?" I probed. "I don't know," he shrugged. "An American." That was still any easy assumption, the girls and I started to walk down the street, while Silvia began googling the address. The man spoke faster, "Julie! The reservation was under Julie!"
We stopped in our tracks relieved, I guess this really was our hostel.
The host checked us in and I read Ocean Walk Inn on the sign in sheet. What a deceiving name. The hostel lay in the back of a run down Italian restaurant. He gave us the full tour of the mosquito infested bathroom and the dorm of three bamboo unsteady bunk beds as he held up his hand, "Five dollars per night." Well, for five dollars, we couldn't really complain.
I climbed up the wobbly ladder to my bunk and exchanged glances with the girls. We all burst into laughter. We survived the trip down to the beach and had only one more leg to go. Tomorrow morning we would catch the ferry to Koh Rong Island.
In the morning, we packed up our room and headed to buy our boat tickets. In daylight, I could see why they might call our hostel Ocean Walk Inn. The street led all the way down to the beach. Restaurants, shops and tourist attractions lined the hill, right to the water. The clerk at the ferry stand informed us there is only one boat that crosses to the island and they were sold out until eleven. I shrugged my shoulders and suggested we go to a nice breakfast until we board. We heard a hello from above and it was a French guy from our hostel back in Phnom Penh. He waved us up to a two level tropical restaurant called "Black Grouper." The upstairs patio lined with wicker furniture with an view of the water. He filled us in that he took the bus here yesterday and was staying at this hostel. I guess every restaurant was a restaurant/hostel combo. We took a seat, ordered breakfast and a relaxed until heading to the ferry.
We waited in the dock and the sun was beating down. We got out our sunscreen and lathered it on our skin while watching the boat pull up and unload the passengers. Immediately after everyone was off, they didn't waste any time and boarded the next group. There was no ramp, as we hopped off the dock and unto the boat with our luggage. We found four seats near each other and the boat began the cruise over.
Leading us into the Gulf of Thailand, I was so excited. The boat ride was beautiful and I was so happy to be doing a relaxing weekend after all this running around the past week and a half. I watched as passengers ran up to the front of the boat and climbed up to sit at the bow. I missed my chance as I walked up to see every possible spot taken. I went back to my seat and admired the other islands we passed. I watched the sky turn from bright blue to black as the rain poured down with no warning. Everyone ran frantically from the bow of the boat back to their covered seats. The men on the boat, raced to the sides to pull down the plastic liners to block the rain from the seats.
After the rain passed, the sun peaked through the clouds again and I took my opportunity for at a seat on the bow. Not one person sat in the front, so I slipped through the plastic door and shimmied along the side until reaching the best seat in the house. I sat on the front of the boat as the island far away, grew nearer and nearer.
As the boat, glided into the port I was awe struck by the sight of the island as it came into focus. It looked like paradise. The beach lined with bamboo huts leading to a huge jungle above. I had never seen anything like it. While we unloaded, I turned to the girls who were also in shock. We collected our bags and were guided down the wooden dock to a tiny village of hut after hut with bars, restaurants, shops all cozied up next to the beach.
Brooke led us to The Island Boys Hostel, where her friend from Australia was staying. After only a few bamboo huts, we arrived to a giant two story bungalow. The host met us in the beach and led us inside to the bar. "You will have two private rooms, the price is four dollars a night." We exchanged smiles as we turned to look out at our front door, a beach with bamboo chairs. She collected our passports and handed us our keys and tickets. "You get three drink tickets each day and we have a BBQ nightly. Power on the island shuts on and off daily. The times are undetermined. Let me take you to your rooms!"
We walked through the bar and climbed three large wide steps as she pointed to the right, "Community bathrooms are located here downstairs. Please limit your shower to one minute or less. Water on the island is limited." She guided us up steep wooden stairs to the second floor. Bamboo floors led us to room three and four. "Here our your rooms ladies. Always lock your door," as she demonstrated the padlock that simply connected to two iron loops bolted to the door. "All valuables must be stored at the bar downstairs in the safe, do not leave anything in your room. People climb in and steal!" She waved good bye and we pushed the door open to our private bungalow. The bamboo roof exposed, reaching high above us to the top of the hut. A mosquito net draped over our bed and a window opened to the jungle behind us. A fan stood in the corner of the room next to a little bamboo shelf.
I turned to Brooke and we both smiled and shook our heads in disbelief. We were truly in paradise. We dropped our bags, changed into our suits and headed downstairs to meet with the other girls and her friend Tom.
Walking barefoot down the strip of restaurants and hostels, I gasped at the turquoise water a few feet away. I couldn't help but love that fact that we didn't need to take a Tuk Tuk anywhere, be hassled to buy anything or smell the nauseating smells of the busy streets in the city. The island was very small and only had a half mile strip of huts and then a stretch of beach. The rest was one big jungle with another small strip on the reverse side of the island. I really had never seen anything like it. It reminded me of Never Never Land with everything you could possibly want in an island getaway. Hand made wooden signs propped in the sand along the walk reading, "Cheap drinks, BBQ, massage, snorkeling, plankton tours." Little puppies scattered along the village, playing and wrestling in the sand. A destination with puppies and massages? I shook my head as we walked up to a table in the sand to sit down for lunch.
Our server greeted us and we ordered the local beer, Klang and pizza. At lunch we learned more about Tom. He was from Melbourne and met Brooke while they were backpacking in London. He had come to the island just for a few nights and decided to stay a few weeks. He filled us in on the best massage hut on the beach for thirteen dollars and that the BBQ at our hostel was better than a five star restaurant and only five dollars. Our pizza was served and I was the happiest girl alive. I looked out at the beautiful white sandy beach and filled up on food I could finally enjoy. The island didn't smell like any Khmer food. It was mostly BBQ, pizza or sandwich shops. I was in heaven.
After lunch we walked down along the water and the girls set up the towels on the isolated beach. Tom pointed to huts tucked away in the jungle and informed me that Paradise Bungalows housed the best massage hut. I followed the path over the wooden bridge and into the jungle until reaching a tiny hut with a massage sign hanging above. Tranquil music playing in the background as I walked up and was greeted by two women.
She guided me to a wooden chair and handed me a menu. I pointed to the aromatherapy massage and she nodded her head and guided me up the stairs into the hut. "You take shower before?" She asked while opening the door into the wooden bathroom. I nodded and closed the door behind me. The showers in most places were combined with the toilet, all in one room. I stripped out of my clothes and rinsed off before wrapping up in a towel and walking back to the main room. She pointed to the table and I crawled on top and closed my eyes.
This was by far the best massage in my entire life. Hearing the waves crash just outside the hut, the beautiful, peaceful music playing softly and the woman who massaged me used a jasmine oil and did an amazing job. Maybe it felt extra good because of all the crazy travel and events leading up paradise island. Irregardless, I was completely relaxed and having the time of my life.
After my massage, I walked out on the front porch of the hut to find hot tea and dried mango on a plate. I gazed out through the jungle to the beach and finished up my treat.
I gathered my bag and walked over the bridge to find the girls at the beach. They too were in paradise and couldn't believe what an unreal island this was. We took a quick dip in the warm sea and swam around for a bit before heading to dinner.
We took a seat in the bar and cashed in our drink tickets as puppies played at our toes. Dub step music and my favorite band, Flight Facilities blasted through the speakers. Every thing about this island was fantastic. We watched the cook prepare fresh fish on the big grill positioned on sand in front of our big hut.
The girls and I bonded that night even more, drinking, laughing and getting to know each other more. You would never guess we were all from different countries and newly friends. We talked about anything and everything while sipping on Klangs.
Our server took our order and Silvia and I decided to split the snapper and barracuda. A few minutes later, the lights flickered off and the music cut out. Everyone froze in the dark, until the bartenders screamed with delight, "Candlelight dinner!!" The entire bar cheered and I exchanged confused glances with the girls. The bartenders popped around from the bar holding lighters while they lit the top of the red candles and the then bottom to melt it before gluing it onto the tables tops where we ate. They explained that the power goes out multiple times through out the day or night. The entire restaurant glowed and we ate in the beautiful candlelight ambiance over looking the dark sea.
Our fresh seafood dishes had unbelievable flavor, served with a big salad, potatoes and garlic bread. This was the best meal I had during my entire trip and it was only five dollars. We were eating like kings and having the best girls beach trip we could have ever possibly imagined.
After dinner, I used my cell phone for a flashlight and guided myself to the bathroom shack. While trying to open the metal latch, I tried several times but it was jammed shut. I finally gave it one more tug and it flew open while slicing my finger. Blood pouring out of a tiny cut, I rushed over to the table to tell my friends I was going upstairs to my room to get a band-aid.
Once I climbed the steep wooden stairs in the dark, I reached my room and fumbled with the padlock until it finally opened. I used my flashlight on my phone to find my tube of Neosporin and a band-aid. Just before opening the package, my phone died. It was pitch black in my room and I couldn't see anything. I couldn't even walk down the stairs because they were too steep. In the dark, I would definitely lose my balance and fall. I laid down in my bed deflated, I was stuck. I could hear all my favorite music playing downstairs and people drinking having a great time, but I had no way to find the path back in the dark.
An hour later, the power flicked back on and I jumped up to plug in my phone. I wasn't going to go back downstairs at this point. I would just go to sleep, it was late anyway. I hit the button to turn on the fan and it didn't work. I unplugged it and plugged it back in with no luck. I walked over to the room next to me and asked my neighbor if their fan worked. He said yes and I frowned. "Your fan doesn't work?" He asked. I nodded and he said, "Well, you're in luck- we have two fans! You can have one of ours." I thanked him and he helped me set up the fan in my room. We talked for a minute and his friend walked in while he helped. "Where are you from?" he asked. I told him San Diego and he said, "Oh cool, I'm from North Carolina." I told him I went to Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina and he nodded and told me two of his friends went there. I asked, "How old are you, maybe I knew them- it was a small school." He told me thirty one and I smiled telling him I too was thirty one. "Casey and Diane are their names," he said. "Casey and Diane were in my dorm hall freshman year! What a small world!" We both laughed at the chances and then I said goodnight to the boys and headed to bed.
I climbed into my mosquito net and tucked it around to ensure no bugs could sneak into my bed. The first night on the island proved to be my favorite day yet in Cambodia. Power or no power, it was the most exotic destination I had ever been to and I was so glad that we made the journey down to the Southern part of Cambodia. Tomorrow I looked forward to another day at the beach and maybe another massage.