Day 21 23.12.2014
Sad to leave this idyllic spot ! We were lucky to be able to leave our luggage at PuraVita in the personal care of the owner and just take a small overnight bag, daypack, handbag and snorkeling gear formour 4 days on the other "deserted" side of the island ...Sok San. We decided to walk to the main village - normally an easy 20 minute walk along the beach, and leave our water transfer for our bags to be sent to the ferry terminal on departure day. The wind was also up, and I was less than keen for the bumpy and wet ride in the small bath tub ! The tide was up (seems to be never-ending high tide here !) and only when we got to the lagoon opening, which had been a trickle on the beach the last time we walked this way, we realised, that the crossing would be the odd bit tricky. Long story short ...we ended up walking through chest deep fully clothed, bags above our heads. Luckily the water is warm and with the wind and heat the clothes dried rather quickly.
We met up with the rest of the crew at the TreeHouse Bungalows...caught up a bit on contact with the outside world via wifi there ...and then decided that Clint and I would trek to Sok San Village ...as we were not sure whether the boats would run due to the wind. We left the overnight bag with the others, who were confident that the boats would go in the afternoon. After a very steep ascent (up a steep ravine cut by he river, that luckily only runs in the rainy season),then lovely walk through dense jungle and a very steep descent ( aided by some strategically placed ropes) we got down onto the famed Longbeach ...named one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The water in the bay was like glass and an aquamarine colour ! Amazing...and yes the boats would be running ! We started our walk down the 7.5km palmfringed beach on squeeky silica-rich white sand. Looking out to sea was the most idyllic island environment...comparable to Whithaven Beach in Australia, which we had visited in the worst possible weather. Felt that this walk really made up for it ! Half way I realised that I had left my costume in the overnight bag ...so, being far from anywhere and anyone ...skinny-dipping was the only and most wonderful option ! Heavenly ! And no ... The chap who crashed his bike in soft sand along the beach could not have seen me darting across the sand to retrieve my clothing !
Unfortunately...as with all these island paradises,and I suppose life in general, it all depends which way you look and turn your gaze. Looking out to sea is the most idyllic island paradise. Looking at the jungle side of the beach one's eyes are drawn to the infringing debris of civilisation which has cluttered the shores - the many plastic bottles,plastics of every sort and variety and the endless single shoes, mainly plastic slip slops. Single shoes of the world unite ...with the single socks of the world !!
Nearing Sok San Village my heart was descending ever faster. The closer we got, the more I had that sinking feeling that this is it....this is the accommodation horror that one always worries about. Oh my...and this for Christmas !!! The little bark shack with neglected palm frond roof, and less than basic bathroom, looked more rudimentary than rustic - and "clean" must have an alternate definition here. Shock horror - the kids bungalow is not much better, but at least it has enough accommodation for 5. Far from being "secluded" - the bungalows are in the middle of the local fishing village ...with all the accompanying smells and noises. Again ...looking out to sea ....idyllic...beautiful sand and beach and palm-fringed outcrops.
This was not what I was expecting for our "secluded island family christmas". We thought, let's give this a try...can't be all bad...but little did we know. After a good dinner, after the kids had arrived by boat and stared with disbelieving eyes at our bungalows (and an immidiate frisbee game in the sea to leessen the shock !), the real entertainment started. The light switch in our shack did not work. The minute the generator went on, so did our lights (attracting every mozzie and sandfly for miles around) and we would not be able to switch them off until the generator was shut down at 22h30 (after much ranting and raving !). Then ...as the cherry on the top...about 1 meter behind our shack a TV blaring local programmes started at 18h00 and then the local karaoke bar started blaring from 20h00 and did not stop until after 24h00 ...in spite of Clint's serious sense of humour loss. Not even earplugs helped against the Cambodian karaoke onslaught ... I should have joined them, that would surely have shut the down.

Day 22 24.12.2014
The morning was taken up by finding new accommodation on Sok San beach. The young crew managed to get a good night's sleep ... at least they had a rat-free night. We were lucky, after some begging and pleading and the help of the most amazing front-office manager, to get a room at the Sok San Base Camp ....real luxury ! The Base Camp was built and is run by a french film production company, who has produced the European Survivor Koh Lanta series on the island, and who now rents out the facilities to other production companies. Clint and I were just happy not to have to spend another night in such terrible accommodation.
Speaking to the owner regarding a refund went well, although he felt that the standard of the cottages was more than good enough. At least the karaoke gave us an objectivie reason to move to another hotel.

For Christmas Eve we treated ourselves to the huge buffet at base camp - tables set out in the sand on the beach and an extensive buffet of seafood of meat. Great excitement about all this amazing food and idyllic setting. The youngsters definitely showed their buffet stamina ! Clint and I are certainly rank amateurs by comparison.
The luminous plankton on the shore and in the sea with its blue glow made the evening even more magical. What a magical natural phenomenon ....like millions of fairies dancing in the water. Looked like something out of the Avatar movie. Magical Christmas eve.

Day 23 25.12.2014
After a slow start to the morning we explored the Sok San side of the island a little. We walked through the little fishing village, which consists of rickity wooden buildings on stilts, on a thin strip of sand between the lagoon and sea. Grime, dirt and refuse seem to be part of basic life ...as do the many puppies running around. The fact that dogs get eaten here, makes me feel a bit different about all the dogs running around. We walked over the most rickity little wooden bridge I have ever seen. We struggled to walk over it, but I am sure that the villagers ride their motorbikes over it. Dylan had brought his machete along and Jedda and he became the Coconut Hunters and organised a huge stash of fresh coconuts. Snorkeling along the rocky outcrop was not as good as on the other side of the island unfortunately. Again it was sad to see the huge amounts of litter, mainly plastic, that had washed up on shore. It is also sad to see so many remnants of the survivor sets, that seem to have been discarded, adding to the litter. Looking at the island from far it looks like a pristine paradise, but as one gets closer, the litter destroys this image. Litter not only from the locals, but from passing ships and the mainland. And ...as no-one seems to have any interest to clear it away, it will continue to accumulate. Sad !
The evening of Christmas Day Ricki-Leigh arranged a Christmas picnic on the beach at Sunset ...with lots of candles in the sand, silver plates, Christmas decorations, yummy snacks and fresh coconut juice directly out of coconuts. A real tropical island Christmas. We were hoping to enjoy the luminous plankton again, it was much less this time around, glowing liike white fairylights when we swam and splashed in the water.

Day 24 26.12.2014
The young crew left on the early water taxi for the main village on Koh Rong, to do the ZipLine Park and enjoy their last night of partying on the island. Clint and I enjoyed the loungers and the warm aquamarine water at Base Camp - and our interesting books. Really lazy day of relaxation to soak up this magical environment. Lots of new guests were arriving, so the peace and quiet was getting lost a bit. Good time for us to leave the following day.
For dinner we went to New Bungalows for a drink and then to,Sok San Bungalows for dinner. Needed to settle our bill there, enjoyed the chicken kebabs and the chat to the owner, Julian, who gave us some insights into doing business in Cambodia. Not for the faint-hearted ! Cambodia seems to have earned top spot on the Corruption index ...interesting how that happens when a Communist party is in power. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely !