Marilyn's Odyssey: Amalotus and the Tonle River

Due to the low water levels at this time of year we had a six hour bus trip through the countryside to the Tonle River where we boarded the Amalotus. With our guide on board it was a fascinating lesson on the history and current state of Cambodia. We travelled through many villages and observed the way of life and living conditions. The houses are built on stilts and many use car batteries to power their lights and TVs. Seventy percent of the Cambodians have no sanitation system and many literally just go out behind their home. Fin told us stories of when he was a boy and herding the cows he always had to walk ahead of them to watch out for the wires of the land mines. We have seen many who have lost limbs to this terrible scenario. Stopped at a fascinating market where they sold many varieties of fried bugs including crickets and tarantulas. Popular with the locals but we passed.

Boarding the ship at Prek K'Dam on the Tonle River we were immediately in the center of a very busy fishing culture. Seventy percent of the Cambodians protein and most of their calcium comes from fish as they eat he whole fish bones and all. Milk is not available in Cambodia so this is an important part of their diet.

We boarded local boats in Kampong Chhnang to go view the floating village. Fascinating sigh thousands of people living right on the water in floating homes that they move as the water level changes. Many of them had "fish farms" underneath their homes and they open a portion of the floor to harvest the fish. Floating markets and schools are included in this village and each home had their boats tied up alongside. Stilted homes and businesses lined the shore. Along the river bank you see many makeshift shelters belonging to migratory fishermen who move their whole family to where the fishing is good at any given time. Though education in Cambodia is compulsory until ninth grade the dropout rate is over 20% by grade six and in the countryside many never do go to school as parents do not have the means to transport them. Only thirty percent finish high school. Though the people are very poor in our standards this country has only a 3% unemployment rate.