Dear U,

The immaculately clear water laps languidly on the white sandy beach, the sky is threatening rain as some menacing dark clouds inch closer to my paradise. Today is my second day on Koh Rong island a.k.a. Monkey island (about an hour boat ride away from the Cambodia coastal town of Sihanoukville), I have no plan besides lounging around the cozy area of my hostel, which is like a gigantic hut with 3 open fronts, knee-high tables with cushions and pillows for me to laze around. Nursing a cup of hot chocolate and doing some catching up with my reading, this is my down time after spending almost a month in Cambodia.

After sitting in the lotus position for half of the morning, I decide to take the 10 steps to the beach. Just in time to see these kids walking their buffaloes from one side of the island to the other (they will walk back the other way in the afternoon). I never get to ask them where they are going or what they are doing. They seem to be doing some work but they seem happy to be doing it. It’s so refreshing to see kids not having their faces glued to a console. I wish I could speak Khmer so that I could talk to them. I wonder they crave for xbox and computer, or are they content with this simple life…

Wish you were here,

Noel