It was already hot, but not unbearably so.
It was the humidity that was killer. Coming off the rainy season meant there was always a chance of a gnarly storm, but not this morning. I had started a strange habit, if it could be called that, here in Sihanoukville on the coast of Cambodia.
Nothing stirred on the broken down, or was it building up, streets. Pretty much everyone was still asleep. They had no reason to get up. Today was just another day to them. To me, it was something different. A time and a place to be savored and experienced. Travel in many ways can become habitual, if you're at it for an extended time, and it takes practice to kick yourself out of certain states. That's why I decided to take a swim every morning at sunrise while I was here.
It wasn't a long swim, more like a dip.
But it was before anyone else sullied the quiet. Some time to myself before plunging into new experiences. A moment to collect myself and just enjoy some moments. The water was lukewarm, like bathwater. And the waves were low, slow, and methodical. Like the breaths of an athlete before an event.
Occasionally the far off sound of a starting motor muted by the sea reached out to give accents to the stillness. People climbed into boats, heading to places unknown to me to do tasks I had likely never experienced or ever would. The same way I was here in an unknown place doing thing other had likely never experienced. To other people I was that person off in a boat...
Breath in, breath out, breath in.
The water lapped at my chest. Colors washed over my face. My ears tuned sharp relaxed in the peace. Cambodia...I was swimming off a beach in Cambodia watching a sunrise...how crazy is this, was this. Life, it's an amazing thing when you try to take part in as much of it as you can. Don't forget to take a 'morning swim' whenever you can. :)
Thank you for stopping! Ever been to Cambodia? Ever have moments like this? I'd love to hear about your experiences and what you think.
Michael
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