After a much needed day of rest sampling the delights of Cambodian television, we take a trip out to Tonlé Sap Lake. The area is completely removed from the booming tourist town we’ve been based in, and so it’s more of an authentic glimpse into how locals live – and for many of them that means water villages during wet season.

We walk out over dug up muddy fields to reach the shore, and cast off on a little ’sightseeing boat’ with just one other tourist – a Korean student, and our very casual Cambodian guide, who is also taking his girlfriend along for the voyage.

Gliding gently between the colorfully painted makeshift homes, a scene of unconventional artistry unfolds. Children play in the serene waters, as adults of the community go about their daily hunt for food and a living.

We later anchor at a floating cafe and souvenier shop, where crocodiles and irate pirannas are enclosed for viewing. We then set sail again to a more open area of the lake which stretches as far as the faint horizon.

Finally, we board a much larger, stationary ship called the ‘Tara’ where ants and other insects crawl over every inch of the hull and each decaying wooden fitting. Ignoring the invasion, we sip on some lemonade and have the simple pleasure of watching the sun set over the lake.

It was an uncomplicated and most enchanting day.

To Angkor Wat