Otres

It’s been three days now on Otres beach, each one pretty much like the one before. We start with breakfast comprised of eggs, a slice of lunch meat ham, a hot dog, and a tiny dish of baked beans that someone must count out like a pharmacist to make sure the dosage is correct (which apparently is 12-16 beans). There is usually also a crusty potato clump called a hush brown on the menu, and a grilled tomato, neither of which always get consumed.

And because I’m still twelve inside, I can’t help but play with the butter. My fellow adventurer says my creation looks like Larry the Cucumber from VeggieTales, but in all honesty, I was going for something else.

From there we head across the street and take up residence at one of the beach shacks, testing the chicken fried rice and mango shakes at each one.

I mentioned the constant stream of hawkers being an issue here and they are still out it force, but just when all hope seemed lost, this vision appeared. A woman with a tray of doughnuts on her head – now that’s someone worth marrying (were I not already blissfully betrothed of course 😉 )

When things start getting too stressful, we mix it up with a massage, just a few feet from the water. The facility isn’t the most glamorous, but one of life’s great indulgences has to be a Thai massage with the smell of the ocean in the air and the rhythmic sound of the waves lulling you to sleep. Every time we come to Asia, is one of the things we most look forward to.

Around 4pm each day, we head back to the hotel and cool off in the pool. There is construction going on here (we see it pretty much everywhere in Cambodia), so not a great place to hang out during the day, but by this time they are generally wrapping up and things are a little quieter.

We finish up across the street one last time for dinner, again mixing up the location to convince ourselves we haven’t slipped into a rut. We have, but as ruts go, this one is pretty good.

Tomorrow we make one last change of venue before heading home. As tough as these last few days have been, when people here want to get away, they go to the island of Koh Ring Sanloem to relax. I can’t really image how you do less than we have at Otres, but we’re about to find out.