So it has been a few days since you have heard from us as we have been rather busy and a place far from a computer but I will get to that soon. We arrived in Ban Lung on Saturday at around 1pm after the bumpiest and crowded bus trip so far. The mini bus we were on was a twelve seater but in Cambodia they get as many people as they can into one trip, so we had seventeen people aboard the good ship Bumpy Road! We met an Australian bloke called Jace on the bus and struck up a friendship straight away. We had been recommended a place called Tree top guest house to stay at and all agreed that we would check it out. We got picked up for free straight from the bus to take us to Tree top. On arrival we knew straight away that this was the place for us with its tree top views and its rustic wooden structure. After checking in we sat with the moto driver who picked us up and started chatting about what we wanted to do for the next few days. He organized treks through the jungle ranging from one to three days. After a short chat about what it would entail we signed up to leave the next morning for a three day trek costing $60 each. That included all food, admission to any attractions and him and his friends total time for the next 72 hours to act as our guides. So the next morning at 8.30am we put our backpacks into storage at Tree top for the next few days and the three of us boarded our chariots for the adventure ahead. So I will break it up into days....

DAY 1

We collected the food we required for the next fee days and our hammocks that would act as our welcome beds at the end of the day. We were driven on the back of the motorbikes 20km north of Ban Lung to the start point of our trek and as soon as we were there, we loaded ourselves up sharing the load and headed into the Kalai jungle. Trekking through the heavy undergrowth was tough at first but you soon get used to it and your legs prepare themselves for the onslaught ahead. We trekked for a couple of hours and emerged at one of the tribal houses for a quick rest. By this time the sweat was already poring out of us and I had to wring my top out onto the ground. During our quick rest our guide took off his shirt to reveal scars across his stomach and Ashleigh asked the cause of them. As a child he had suffered from stomach pains so his grandmother and the local medicine man held him down and using a large hand rolled cigarette and leaves, burned him in the area of his troubles. He said it hurt like hell but has had no trouble ever since.

So after a quick drink of water, we saddled up and continued our trek. At around 11am we came to a stream with a small water fall flowing at the top of it. As we were all drenched in sweat we thought it would be rude not to take advantage of it to cool down. So me and Jace stripped down to our undies and dove straight in. Ashleigh opted to take her boots off and let the little fish in the water nibble at her feet. After splashing around we pulled on our sweat soaked clothes back on for the short trek to where we would stop for lunch. It took about another hour to get there and as soon as we arrived, our guides had a fire going, veg and meat chopped and in the pan and served all within 20 minutes. The first meal was great and the first of many great meals to come. We allowed our food to settle for a short while as we chatted and then moved on. We carried on with the trek until we arrived at a place were the guides collected large sections of bamboo that they would use to make us bamboo tea on the evening. Some of the spiders that we seen throughout the trek were as big as or bigger in span as my hand and I promise that I am not exaggerating. We finally arrived at where we would camp for the night at around 4.30pm and what a place it was. A small opening in the jungle canopy right next to a small waterfall and lake that was great for swimming in. Nature was very kind to us and had provided us with a vine to use to swing into the lake. This gave a good hours worth of entertainment and some great action shots on the camera. As dinner was cooking away in the pot, the sun went to bed and we sat next to the fire and chatted. After filling our bellies that had been cooked in a pot and also a curry cooked inside the bamboo we collected earlier, we were treated to Cambodian tea. Basically you fill a section of bamboo with water, push leaves into the top to create a seal and place into the fire until

boiled. It's a really fresh clean taste that left your mouth feeling brand new. But the fresh feeling was short lived as our mugs were filled with rice wine that has the same sort of taste as vodka. As we drank we chatted to our guides about Cambodian village life and marriage. Turns out if you want a wife in the village you give the family two chickens and two bottles of rice wine and you're a married man! We had a few more mugs of rice wine and climbed into our hammocks for a good night's kip.....at 8pm! We were totally bushed and our beds were a very welcome friend. We were woken around 11pm to the sound of rain hitting hard on top of the tar pollen and it continued well into the early hours. Wet season was defiantly here.

DAY 2

After a night sleep that was broken up in 2/3 hours here and there, we climbed out of our hammocks at 8.30am to the smell of breakfast cooking. Breakfast here can be a bit different from back home. For example we had pork and veg noodle soup but it was delicious and just what we needed for another days trekking. So we packed up our gear that was wetter that the day before and made our way back into the mysteries of the jungle. We had set off a bit later than expected so we had to make up time and the pace was fast. Needless to say that within seconds my head was leaking like a tap with sweat. We walked up and down hills, across streams, over fallen trees and through thick vines that were no match for our guide's machete. We trekked hard without really stopping and we faced the mother of all hills. I would say it was at a 75 degree angle and thick with vines and trees. Our guide was cutting steps out of the earth using his machete for us to use but I was behind Ashleigh and Jace and was getting these footholds third hand. By the time my foot was in them they were pretty much falling away under my weight. Around half way up, my footing went and my heart jumped straight into my mouth. I managed to grab onto a tree and a tree root preventing myself from a falling and it took a good while for my heart beat to recede from my ears. Ashleigh said the look on my face was priceless. The thing that I could not get over was that we were wearing hardcore hiking boots and our guide was wearing flip flops and he practically danced up that hill.

After reaching the top we had a short break and our guide cut through vines so that we could drink the water stored within them. It was such a welcome and refreshing break and it was amazing how cool that water was that came out of the vines. Just as our legs got used to the rest we were off again. We arrived at our destination for lunch at 2pm at a small family hut within a rice field. It was great how the family just welcomed us into their home allowing us to take a load off and eat our grub. The father of the family laughed when he looked at Ashleigh and said something. Our guide translated what he said..."she is very tall, very white and has a long nose" and he found this hilarious. After lunch Ashleigh had to pop back into the jungle for a number one and on route got the shock of her life thanks to Jace. The farmer had a bamboo structure about 100 meters away from the house that when you pull the cord, two pieces of bamboo clatter together making a large echoing noise and this is used to scare the birds out of the field so they don't eat the rice grain. So as she past, Jace pulled on the cord and a large CLATTTERR rang out. Ashleigh nearly jumped out of her skin and we fell about laughing. Jace turned to me after and said "I'm going to do it again on her way back." I didn't think she would fall for it twice but she got a bigger shock second time round. It kept us laughing for ages.

We collected our things, thanked the family and made our way back into the jungle. We trekked hard again and arrived at a large water fall at around 4pm. With no messing we had our boots and socks off and climbed straight up for a well deserved shower and the chance to wash some of the mud off our clothes. After a few moments in a waterfall shower you feel human again after being caked in mud and sweat. We spent a good half an hour there letting the water wash away our aches and pains and felt re-energized for the trek ahead. At the base of the waterfall we had to climb another massive hill, not as steep as the other, but still a steep hill all the same. All the way up, my legs were screaming for me to stop but you have to keep on going. We finally arrived at the village that we were staying at for the night at 5.30pm just in time before the sun went down. We set up home in the village pagoda, a place that the villagers use to pray or to hold village meetings and is always used to accommodate guests. It was a great place as it had an indoor fire pit to cook dinner on and to help dry out or wet clothes. As we ate we sat around candle light and our guide let us into a little secret that he had kept to himself. The night before in the jungle whilst it was raining, he got out of his hammock to tighten the tar pollen and discovered a snake on the floor next to Jace's hammock. He took his machete and chopped through its head. He didn't name the snake but told us it was deadly. Good job he kept it to himself really. After a few rice wines, we climbed into bed and slept well knowing that our trekking for the rest of the trip was over. Not that bad considering that we had trekked about 35-40km in two days.

DAY 3

We woke around 8am feeling great due to the fact that we would see the rest of the sight of this trip via a motor bike escort. After breakfast we packed up our gear and hopped onto the back of the three bikes waiting. We were driven along the bumpy and slippy roads for about 35km to Cha Ong waterfall. What a place. It was huge and the water was rushing over the cliff edge and down at a rapid pace. The place was absolutely beautiful and I haven't seen anything like that before. After spending around half an hour there taking in the sights an standing behind the flow of water, we made our way back to the bikes to ride to our final destination. Another 10km ride and we were there. A volcanic lake that had blue still waters surrounded by trees. We had lunch here and looked out across the lake whilst watching kids wrestle and jump out of trees into the water. Our guide had bought some beers for us that tasted great after two nights of drinking rice wine. We sank a few and jumped straight into the lake for a long and soothing swim.

Well that is the last few days filled in now. We are back at our digs and have had a well needed shower. The only thing on our agenda tonight is food and beer. Tomorrow we move onto Laos and can't wait to explore a new country.

Love Peter and Ashleigh x