“Standing Buddha, 640 meters”. A Buddha, here, in the middle of the jungle? And “Standing ??” Usually, the guys sit or lie down, from plump to full-bodied, with a wise, sometimes simple smile on their faces.
The road takes a right turn before disappearing into the shade of the trees. The path to the Buddha, on the other hand, is a narrow path immediately turning into a slope that escapes the view between branches hanging down.
A long way
I am on the almost ten kilometre long hiking trail through the Kep National Park, and everything is fine. No sound can be heard, apart from the cheering call of an invisible bird. He is looking for his partner somewhere in the branches (or is he looking for a change?).
Although early in the morning, it' s already very hot, but exercise helps after so many days and weeks without any. The decision is difficult, but as always, when there's too much well-being, I try to do something unexpected, something to wake me up. So then the Standing Buddha ...
Kep
Kep basically corresponds to what the Lonely Planet promised, a small up-and-coming town, without an urban center. The houses, resorts, restaurants are scattered in a wide radius. From Kep Beach - a strip barely three hundred meters long that can in fact be called a beach - a wide, a very wide road leads inland and thus also to my hotel.
I emphasize the "wide" because parallel to the paved section, an unpaved strip runs along on both sides, leaving the whole road wider than a six-lane highway. Kind of strange, because this road, as wide as it may be, is just as empty as the one from the border to Kep. From time to time a Tuk-Tuk with a tourist chugs by or a motorcycle, otherwise you can confidently walk across the road without looking left or right first.
My hotel
With the hotel, however, I have made an almost supernatural good decision. It is an unconventional building, quite different from the others, and as it turns out later, designed and built by the owner, who works as a civil engineer. The rooms are large, bright, clean, with a wonderful balcony (where breakfast is served - like King in France).
The owner is sympathetic, friendly and helpful, and we find ourselves very soon in long discussions about how a new hotel might be promoted. In short, I feel really well, only it is a pity that I can only stay two nights, because as already mentioned, time is running out ...
A huge standing Buddha
The path to the Standing Buddha (I hope he deserves the effort) is – contrary to expectation – quite steep, narrow and a permanent up and down. It occasionally hides in the thicket and you have to find your way again, but you better not forget that leaving it is quite dangerous (remember the dwarves in Mirkwood – never leave the path!).
But in my case it's not giant spiders lurking there, but remnants of the war. The ridge seems to have played an important strategic role, and because of it whole areas were mined. Well then, I don't feel like suddenly being in several places at once, so I'll stay on the path. I gasp up and down, becoming more and more convinced that the goal will once again remain a mirage. But then a giant tree appears, embraced by another one that almost threatens to strangle him.
The trunk splits into an opening several meters in size, where indeed a Buddha stands. A true Standing Buddha, this time a slim version, including a wise smile, and even if I close my eyes, he doesn't measure more than thirty centimeters. For this tiny Buddha, I have sweated, cursed and gasped. I hope that at least one of my future lives will be spared ...
Very steep - only for experienced persons
Back on the trail in the National Park ... The way back from the Buddha is done, from now on it's back on the normal road. I explicitly say road, because it can also be driven on bicycles or motor-bikes and once I'm nearly run over.
Half an hour later another turn-off, the "Jungle Path". "Very Steep" stands there and only for "Experienced Persons". Of course an inner devil laughs about such warnings. Steep? On this puny hill?
Experienced mountain hikers like me cannot be meant here, but as the saying goes: pride comes before fall. In my case it's more likely pride before the ascent, because half an hour later red spots are swimming in front of my eyes. God in heaven, I landed on the steepest ascent ever!
It is not simply steep, it rises vertically, supported by ropes with a knot every few centimeters, where you can get a makeshift hold.
It doesn't take long and the wannabe mountaineer is gasping for breath, the heart rate is in the red zone. For God's sake, we are in Cambodia, not Nepal! The climb finally ends on a gentle crest, even a bench is installed, next to a trash can. Actually, the only thing missing is the oxygen bottle for exhausted mountaineers ...
The nightly love song of the cicadas
In the evening, a red curtain descends over the jungle. Cicadas begin their evening love song, the air loses its roughness, gets softer, cooler. And again it is time to say goodbye, this time with even more sadness than usual ...
P.S. Matching Song: The Beatles - Fool on the Hill
And here the journey continues ...
