Vagabond Tales: Lunch on Guilty Beach, Cambodia

by Kyle Ellison on

Lunch on Guilty Beach was a tough meal to swallow.

If you look on a map of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, you’ll find beaches such as Victory Beach and Independence Beach, but you’ll find no such place as Guilty Beach. Regardless of what a map might say, unofficially, every beach in Cambodia is Guilty Beach.

Guilty Beach is not just a Cambodian phenomenon, but rather a global destination that can be found along coastlines the world over. It’s in Los Cabos, Mexico, in the shadow of the famous Cabo arch. It’s in Jaco, Costa Rica, backed up by sagging palm trees and world class surf. It’s in Asilah, Morocco; it’s in Mabul, Malaysia. Guilty Beach is every beach in the world where those unfortunate individuals living well below the poverty line–many of them children–work the beach in the hope of squeaking out much less than a living; most likely, they’re just trying to make that night’s dinner.

While beach merchants and scam artists can often be viewed as hawkers selling goods you would never want, Guilty Beach, Cambodia is thusly labeled because here it is different. Children don’t prod you to buy some fake sunglasses–they simply ask for a bite of your food. Men don’t sell knockoff jewelry for extra beer money. Rather, children sell bracelets while carrying their infant brother in their arms because their parents are too sick, or worse, dead.

Guilty Beach is thusly named because I no longer want that $2 plate of fried noodles, or that $1 can of beer. How can I accept that $2 plate of food when I just told an 11 year-old girl I didn’t want her $2 bracelet? Then to eat it in front of her, as her eyes fail to flinch from the fried fare before me.
So why not buy the $2 bracelet? Why not donate my meal? Because the sad reality is knowing you cannot help them all; that there are no amount of bracelets that will heal this heart wrenching dilemma. Furthermore, the precedent set by rewarding begging can be far more disastrous than the apparent problems you’re trying to prevent.

Finally, it’s a somber truth knowing that these innocent faces, with bulging stomachs and bulging eyes, are merely working for someone above them, whether it’s family or otherwise. The average tourist won’t buy sliced mango from a fully grown man, but they’ll open up their wallet for a child. And sadly, everyone knows it. These are merely conscripted child soldiers in a brutal reality of poverty and survival.

“They tell us to say that,” the little girl confesses. She has just asked us to “open our hearts by opening our wallets.” It’s a heavy line that’s been proven to work.

How do you deny an 11 year-old girl of $2 while she holds an infant and tries not to cry? How do you not look at all of them, 20 or 30 deep, wishing you could buy all of their bracelets so they can go play in the water like all 9 and 11 year-olds should?

Even if you buy them from two, three, or eight different children, eventually you have to tell one no, and is their pain dampened any by the fact you just helped the eight previous? The guilt is nonetheless the same. A line intrinsically must be drawn somewhere, but that line never gets any less painful, or justifiable. We gave the girl $1 for a smaller bracelet, and she left despondently, a sense of failure in her face. Nobody wins in this game.

Even more, who am I that you should even feel the need to beg to me? I don’t deserve this phony pedestal you place me upon. I don’t deserve this plate of food you lust after. I don’t deserve to sit on this beach, in this comfortable chair, and lead an easier life than you.

Lunch on Guilty Beach was a tough meal to swallow.

Weekend trip from Sydney, Australia: Pambula

by Jessica Festa on

Pambula is located on the Sapphire Coast of Australia and is a great weekend getaway for people who want to get out of the big city of Sydney for a few days and explore nature. The name Sapphire Coast stems from the areas clear, sparkling oceans, which you will be able to experience first-hand through adventure sports like surfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, and diving.

Getting in

When I went, I took a Premier Motor Service coach bus from Sydney Central Station right to Pambula, which takes about 6-7 hours. Another option is to take a Regional Express (REX) airline to Merimbula, which is also on the Sapphire Coast and only about 10-15 minutes away.

Where to stay

While there are a few hotel options in Pambula, my recommendation is to check out the Holiday Hub Beach Resort. What’s great about this accommodation is that it has something to offer every kind of traveler. For people who are looking for luxury and comfort, the resort offers villas, apartments, and cabins with full linens, televisions, and kitchens, as well as an on-site spa and heated pool. When I stayed here I chose the more rustic option of camping out right next to the beach in a tent. At night, my friends and I would roast marshmallows over a camp fire, play games, and stargaze while in the morning the salty sea air and scratching of kangaroos trying to get into our food would give us a unique wake up. While cabins and villas range from $100-$220, you can get a powered camping site for about $40-$70 and a tent for around $40. The tents are a decent size and you can comfortably fit 2-3 people inside.Eat

BBQ’s

Because you will be experiencing the best that nature has to offer, outdoor BBQ’s and beach picnics are a must. If you stay at Holiday Hub, they provide free BBQ’s, which I used for 85% of my meals. However, if you’d like to go out to eat, there are also some great restaurants in the area.

Wharf Restaurant and Aquarium

My favorite restaurant that I ate at was in the nearby Merimbula and was called Wharf Restaurant and Aquarium. My friends and I explored their basement aquarium, filled with beautiful as well as odd-looking sea creatures like moray eels, catsharks, and sea pens, before we sat down to eat. The restaurant has fantastic seafood and on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11:30 AM there is also a fish feeding you can participate in.

PB’s Cafe

PB’s Cafe is a waterfront restaurant that serves awesome burgers and fries, allowing for a laid back lunch in a beautiful setting.

The Original Fix

The Original Fix is well-known for its homemade ice creams and chocolates as well as their specialty teas and coffees. You can also order a filling lunch for under $10 with many gluten-free options. Their lasagna is delicious and you can even sit outside while you enjoy your purchase.

Other

There are a range of other specialty and budget-friendly options, like the Broken Oar Bar and Grill which is right in Pambula Beach, the Tura Beach Tavern which has delicious $10 pizzas, and the Cantina Tapas and Wine Bar for a drink and small plates in an ambient atmosphere.

Do and see

There is a lot to do and see in Pambula, especially in terms of exploring the outdoors. Here are some of my reccomendation:

Horseback Riding

I spent an hour and a half horseback riding through fields, forests, and rivers with Oakland Trails Rides. I had never been on a horse before, and although choosing one and climbing up onto its back was a little unsettling, the instructor was extremely helpful. Surprisingly, even when the horse decided to start sprinting, I didn’t fall off thanks to the tips and tricks she gave the group beforehand. Their number is 0428 957 257 or you can contact the Sapphire Coast Tourism Board.

Tour Ben Boyd National Park

Encompassing more than 25,000 acres, Ben Boyd National Park provides endless opportunities for hiking, fishing, canoeing, and swimming. There is a lot to explore, such as folded sandy beaches, lush forests, rocky outcrops, historical lightstations, and set trails, such as my favorite, the short coastal walk from Pambula River to Severs Beach. For those with some time and energy, there is a 3-day “Light-to-Light” trek you can do that stretches from Boyds Tower to Green Cape (about 18 miles). Although a bit long, the hike is very easy as well as scenic with a variety of landscapes and even opportunities to see migrating whales. Click here for more information on Ben Boyd National Park hikes.

Sea Kayaking

When I was in Pambula, I went sea kayaking with Ocean Wilderness Sea Kayaking. The day began with a lesson on how to paddle the kayak and what to do if it tips over before exploring Pambula Bar and Pambula River, enjoying mountain scenery, and stopping on the beach for lunch. One thing that I will never forget is at one point my group and I noticed some pointed fins sticking out of the water and swimming right towards the kayaks, cuing the “Jaws” theme-song to play in my mind. We all started panicking about the oncoming shark attack when all of a sudden the animals began jumping out of the water. Turns out, it was actually a friendly group of dolphins.

Scuba Diving

There are some great diving spots along the Sapphire Coast, and although not directly in Pambula, the town of Merimbula is less than 10 minutes away. Merimbula Divers Lodge is a reputable company that allows participants to do boat dives, shore dives, cave dives, and dives of historical shipwrecks like the SS Empire Gladstone, the Tasman Hauler Wreck, and the Henry Bolte Wreck. Divers will also get to experience some of Pambula’s unique and extremely colorful marine life, like enormous hot pink crabs, blindingly white sea slugs, and neon yellow weedy sea dragons, which look exactly like a cross between a leaf and a sea horse.

Surfing and Stand Up Paddle Boarding

My friends and I took a surf lesson with Coastlife Adventures when we were in Pambula and found the experience to be really worthwhile. The tutorial we received before actually going into the water was thorough and the instructor had us all mimick the steps to get from laying on our stomachs to standing with our boards on the beach. Once in the water, most of our group of 10 made it the standing position while riding a wave, which is definitely an exciting feeling especially if it’s your first time surfing. The company has also recently added stand up paddle boarding to their list of featured activities, which is also a really fun and interesting water sport, especially while in the sparkling Sapphire Coast waters.

The national parks are fee-free this weekend

by Kraig Becker on

To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the National Park Service will host its first fee-free weekend of 2012 this week. Starting Saturday, January 14 and running through Monday, January 16, the entry fee for more than 397 national parks and monuments across the U.S. will be waived completely.

A number of the parks and monuments will be honoring the civil rights activist with special ceremonies and events throughout the weekend. The newly opened MLK Memorial in Washington, D.C., for instance, will have rangers on hand to discuss Dr. King’s pivotal role in seeking equality for all races, while the MLK National Historic Site in Georgia will host a special program on Sunday that examines King’s legacy.

Of course, there are always a host of other activities to do in the parks as well and the winter months often bring unique opportunities to these scenic places. I’d recommend snowshoeing in Yellowstone, hiking in Yosemite, or even paddling the Everglades. After all, without an entrance fee, there’s no excuse not to go.

If you can’t make it to your favorite park this weekend, never fear. The Park Service has a number of other free days scheduled for the year, with your next opportunity coming on April 21-29 in celebration of National Park Week.

For a complete list of the national parks that will be fee-free this weekend, click here.

Video of the day: New York City 1938

by Elizabeth Seward on

Today’s Video of The Day takes us all the back to the year 1938, when New York City was ‘The Wonder City’. Watch this video through to the end and take note of all the changes you see. Not only is New York City very different these days than it was back then (even more people, even more speeding cars), but, naturally, the people of New York are different these days, too. But the differences, after they have been accounted for, aren’t actually what I find to be so striking about this video. It’s the similarities that get me. Watch as the video guides you through the Statue of Liberty and Wall Street, take note of how easily you connect with the traffic on the streets. If you have ever lived in or visited NYC, this video takes you back in time but simultaneously serves to show that NYC is, as always, pretty timeless.

Four Seasons relaunches hotel websites in $15 million brand initiative

by McLean Robbins on




Four Seasons has today launched the latest upgrades to their brands hotel websites, a $15 million corporate initiative that places a greater emphasis on images, social media, special offers and destination “experiences”.

Looking almost Tumblr-esque in layout, the sites use real-time social media data from Facebook, Twitter and TripAdvisor to show reviews from visitors, both positive and negative.

Such a bold move could be risky for hotels, but, as we’ve noted before, Four Seasons as a brand excels at social media,training hotels and staffers in how to respond properly to individual messages.

Hotel expert Barb De Lollis of USA Today quoted the brand’s marketing chief Susan Helstab, who said that “there’s no room for smoke and mirrors in today’s socially networked world.” She cited a brand survey saying that 33% of guests rely heavily on TripAdvisor when making booking decisions, but that one person’s “bad” may be another person’s value-add.

“If you find that not every experience is equally positive, you will understand the framework for that experience. Maybe it was from a traveler who wasn’t quite like you,” she says. “Maybe you want an active kids’ pool with lots of amenities (unlike the writer of a particular review that complains about the pool scene).”

We’re happy to see the new website playing up the destination as much as the property – lush, vivid photos and an extensive “Destination” and “Highlights” page play up what there is to do in the area. Meetings and Weddings, while extensively built out, take a back seat in the main navigation for tiny, top-level tabs, indicating that this is a site that is speaking to the leisure consumer rather than the corporate one that forms much of the brand’s base. UGC content from sites like Flickr also gives a more personal touch, and fully-functioning mobile sites allow on-the-go travelers to book.

While there are still a few kinks to work out (not all room types load with images and we caught a few typos) the site looks impressive and modern, more like what we’d expect from a boutique chain rather than a big brand with 86 hotels under their belt.

We’re excited to see if other hotels follow suit.