THE ICE (Indochine Exploration) WATER FESTIVAL

‘Nick I’ve got an amazing booking for you,’ said Christian the GM of Shinta Mani. ‘That’s great, what do they want to do?’ I replied a little apprehensive knowing Christian. ‘Kayak,’ ‘Ok how many?’ ‘120’ ‘We can’t do it.’ ‘Why are you always so negative,’ Christian mocked. ‘Because we don’t have 120 kayaks. There aren’t 120 kayaks in Cambodia,’ ‘You’ll think of something,’ Christian reassured.

The Racing Platform

Every year Cambodia celebrates the reverse flow of the Tonle Sap River, which fills up the Tonle Sap Lake with a water festival called Bon Om Teuk.

The Welcome Committee

In Phnom Penh over 400 fifty man traditional Khmer paddle boats race down the river watched over by the King. The celebration is repeated on rivers and lakes throughout Cambodia including Siem Reap, with smaller twenty man boats. The inspiration flashed through my brain in bed that night, a light bulb moment! What say we organise our own water festival? Christian loved the idea and so the Indochine Exploration Boat Races were born.

Little Tee

Making the idea a reality was a little harder.

Where would we get the boats from? Buntha charged around the pagodas of Siem Reap.

Where would we race away from the covetous eye of the authorities? Buntha went to see the Maichrey police and commune chief.
What would we race from? Buntha arranged to tow the wedding platform across the lake from Prek Toal 20km away.

How would we get there? 3 big buses and 10 local motorboats.

Bill and Tiger
‘Oh and Nick we want muscle boys,’ added Christian so I had the onerous task of choosing 10 chiselled young men from my gym.

Getting Ready for the First Heat

Our guests were the 120 staff from the Bill Bensley design studios in Bangkok, who’d been on the piss the night before and were reduced in number to 80 and somewhat subdued excepting Bill, as I tried to explain what we were going to do. That most of them didn’t speak English might have had something to do with it. Our buses pulled up at the Maichrey boat station where our fleet was waiting. I sensed their interest start to overtake the collective hangover as we motored past the little hilltop pagoda still with its clutch of attendant floating houses. We chugged in convoy down the narrow channel that cuts though the vegetation while the lake is full. Storks wheeled overhead and kingfishers darted from overhanging branches.

The Pink and Blue Team Race

We spied the race platform tied to the trees near the open lake and as we came closer WOW!! whatever side of the sexual fence you sit, they were gorgeous. Clad only in shorts the full extent of the boys physiques were revealed much to the incredulity of the guests.

An Indochine Exploration Chauffeur

Chaos ensued made worse by me on the megaphone as we tried to assign all present into teams until I found out that they didn’t speak English and the message finally got through that they already had teams so Pink and Blue were first to race.

Making the assumption that an eskimo roll wasn’t possible in a Khmer racing boat an imminent capsize seemed inevitable as they boarded but amazingly settled 2 abreast and paddled the short way to where our Tony was waiting in a motorboat at the start point.

A few beers and some rice wine later

Meanwhile our muscle boys waited beside their kayaks until Bill bagged Tiger then Taylor took Little Tee. ‘I need to take photos Nick.’ ‘Hmmm I thought as she settled snugly behind his rippled back.

The races had started – oohps. I fumbled for my phone and clicked on the stop clock. They’d got it! A rhythm of ‘Oi Oi Oi!!’ to power their strokes drifted across the water. ‘Blue!’ I screamed through the megaphone. Then it was Orange and Green. ‘Green!’ I screamed.

Bill and Big Tee

The muscle boys lubricated with a few beers and a bottle of rice wine (we found out later) had started to enjoy kayaking with or without the guests and in and out of the water. The same guests had relaxed and were chomping their way through Rinna’s buffet laid out on the wedding platform.

Blue – the Winning Team

The time had come for the grand final so Blue and Green, captained by Bill (with kayaking paddles) made their way to the start and somebody gave the go. A primeval collective grunt echoed across the lake as sophisticated designers found their caveman inside and strained on their paddles. ‘Blue, Blue, Blue!!! Yeay, we shrieked as they edged past Green (despite the kayaking paddles) and nudged the virtual finish line. Oohps no bonuses this Christmas, Bill was Green.

Bill unnecessarily assisted by Tiger presented the winning team with 3 free nights at Shinta Mani and we bade them goodbye as they boarded the motorboats back to the buses and the hotel.

The grand prize – Tiger (presented by)

Blue – The winning Team

Indochine Exploration has kayaking adventures paddling in the stilted and floating fishing villages on the edge of the Tonle Sap Lake, kayaking through flooded forests home to the largest waterbird colonies in South East Asia. And will rise to whatever challenge we are commissioned with.