When Two Sources of Water Meet

Grace and I decided to head to the Tonle Sap Lake this afternoon, the biggest lake in Cambodia. It’s so big, it’s even bigger than Singapore. It not only houses many families living on boat or floating houses, there is even a church, a school, a library, fishing farms and even a boat repair shop!

But what’s more amazing about lake is that it floods to more than 12 feet high come the end of the monsoon period in October. Muddy waters give way to clear rivers as the waters from the Mekong River flow downstream from its source in Tibet to meet the mouth of the Tonle Sap Lake, only to push the waters upstream to flood the lake. At the end of the monsoon, the water flows downstream back to the Mekong River.

One would think this would cause an ecological chaos to the people living on the river. But no. They embrace the yearly cycle as this not only helps make the land fertile, it also brings in a bountiful supply of fish. And they just go with the flow come rain or shine.

We were lucky not only to be able to see the river and how the people by the river lived, we were also lucky to have missed the rain and best of all, we had such a knowledgeable guide who not only fought in the in war during the reign of the Khmer Rouge, he also worked closely with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt when they came to film The Tomb Raider, not to mention his experience in land mines, telling us which property in Cambodia is worth investing in, and the beautiful beach resorts in Cambodia! Here’s one guide who makes me wish I had more time to roam other parts of Cambodia!

As I reach the end of my trip, I can’t help but feel that this has been one really fulfilling journey. The best part of it all is that we didn’t even plan much, but just went with the flow. God had indeed blessed us with good weather, and nice people who had been with us throughout the way.

And maybe that’s what I love about traveling. It reminds me of the wonderful things in life I’ve taken for granted, and it reminds me that God always plants little angels along the way, no matter where you are.

Houses built on the river. The people live on the river, drawing their water for cooking, washing, bathing... all from the river!


Entrepreneurial locals selling their goods on smaller boats


When you reach the middle parts of the lake, it really looks like you've reached the sea. Some villagers live right in the middle of the lake, like a kelong.




A villager casting his net to catch fish. The greenery behind him will be completely submerged come October when the water from the Mekong River floods the entire lake.