February 6, 2015
After a great night’s sleep on board the junk, Roselie participated in a Tai Chi class to awaken her body and spirit while nurturing her back. I opted for something more aerobic. So I joined a group that went ashore to climb the 427 steps to the top of the island. The view from the top was spectacular. The fog gave it an eerie feeling……. I can imagine the faint sound of a ship’s bell clanging and the sound of a ship’s hull gently breaking the water. As the fog started to lift, it revealed yet more distant islands. The 360-degree view was fantastic. It was worth the sore leg muscles and high heart rate.
Roselie in Tai Chi class
Floating 7-Eleven
Many people live on boats that travel throughout the islands, surviving by fishing and selling commodities. Several floating ‘convenience stores’ tried to sell us stuff. They endure a hard life.
Now seems like a great opportunity to introduce the cast members of our docudrama:
Barbara and Mel
Barbara, Roselie, and Carolyn
Carolyn and Ned
Sue and Donna
Roselie and Andre
Late morning, we disembarked and bussed back to the Hanoi airport. Our 1 ½ hour flight to Siem Reap, gave us a chance to fill out all the necessary forms for entry into Cambodia. Getting off the aircraft felt like getting off on a tropical island like Hawaii – weather, temperature, humidity, and the chirping and singing of birds. That feeling was short-lived as we entered the terminal and found a sea of people, multiple lines, general disorganization, and people shouting and shoving everywhere. Fortunately our guide arranged for us to navigate smoothly through all of this chaos. A short ride later, we arrived at the Sofitel Siem Reap Hotel, which is similar to a Four Seasons Hotel-wonderful! Life is good.
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