Day 3: Batad and The Never Ending Hike

Early in the blog I described the never ending bus ride that I took from Laos to Cambodia, well now we have the never ending hike. On our 3rd day of the trip we went to the small village of Batad, which is know for having the best rice terraces in the area, which is saying a lot because this particular area is known for having the best rice terraces in Asia. The problem, you can only access the village by hiking in, which means hiking up a mountain and then back down a mountain into the valley where the town is. And if that wasn't enough we then hiked around the terraces and to a waterfall on different mountain. All in the same day. At elevation.

Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful. But I thought I was going to die. With every step pain shot out from my joints and I was waiting every step for the time that my leg would give out. I survived, did I enjoy myself... its debatable, but I got some cool pictures.

The mountain we hiked up.

On our way down. This boy was hiking in a 50kg bag of rice into the town

We made it... sorta, there was still another 25 minute hike into the actual town.

Made it for real. 

Our hotel.

Starting our next part of the hike.

Trying my hand at separating the rice grain from the plant material. I was pretty good at it, I credit all my time at Nana and Poppa's farm.

Looking down at the valley.

Danwil and I on our way down the mountain.

Lauren: "Look Dana don't worry, we're almost at the waterfall."

Dana: "You realize we still have to hike back right?"

Relaxing before our way back up.

rest time

Post-hike in our super posh hotel. Note the weird red stain on the wall by my bed.