Pleasure & Pain

Day 74: Sihanoukville (K) – Koh Kong Conservation Area (K). The laws of nature promote balance in everything they govern. Hot & cold, darkness & light, ying & yang. And usually it's the same with pleasure & pain: Take chocolate for instance: Eating chocolate is pleasurable, but to enjoy it you must also endure the pain of the calories. Similar thing with beer – makes you feel good but can give you a hangover. And that's what we expecting from Rainbow Lodge: One of Cambodia first eco tourism sites situated on the banks of the remote Tatai River, built using local labour and materials. Its electricity is generated by solar panels and its water is provided from rainfall. The ingredients for its food are purchased at a fair price from local farmers and all of its waste is recycled. To get all of this goodness, there had to be some pain. Would it be the cost? The standard of accommodation or the quality of the food? Try as we may, Karen and I couldn't find any down side. Was this utopia?

Leaving Sihanoukville, we took the bus northwards towards Koh Kong and jumped off at Tatai bridge in the heart of the Koh Kong Conservation area in the Cardamon Mountains; an area of breathtaking beauty and astonishing bio-diversity. These remote peaks and river valleys are home to over 60 globally threatened animal species including tigers, elephants, Siamese crocodiles, pangolins, tortoises and turtles. With no other way of access into this, the second largest virgin rainforest in South-east Asia, we took a boat up-river taking us in to the heart of the jungle – our home for the next few days.

Apart from its admirable environmental credentials, Rainbow Lodge is a fabulous place to stay. Conceived and built by Janet; a single British lady, originally from Watford with a taste for hard work and adventure, who despite having a successful legal career back in the UK, gave up everything to come and work in this jungle wilderness. Each of the seven bungalows are individually themed around the colours of the rainbow and finished with natural ethnic furnishings. Extras came by way of rechargeable mosquito bats (essential), families of termites on the patio (entertaining), tree frogs and spiders in the bathroom (unwelcome)!