Cambodia

Phnom Penh > Siem Reap > Sihanoukville > Koah Rung > Coconut Beach > Koh Rong Samlon

Whilst Traveling there will be things that you’ll witness that you will not understand. Ask questions. Don’t be judgmental about things that are outside of your own cultural norms, however horrifying, remember it is their culture. Just because something seems unfortunate, dire, or distributing to you does not mean that another person from the other side of the world will view it in the same way. I admit, I found it hard not to impose my opinions where they are not justified. Instead, I tried to be honored that I got to witness so many cultures around the globe, gather the good, and remember the bad as you create your own cultural views.

My journey started in the buzzing city of Phnom Penh. The mixture of modern and traditional elements of the city allows for an eclectic mix of experiences. From here I took a night bus to Siem Reap where I taught English in four amazing schools which was a truly unique and rewarding experience. Siem Reap is also the home of Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders of the world where the 4am wake up was worthwhile to see this amazing sunrise over such an important part of history. I also visited a waterfall which is pictured above and an elephant sanctuary which is although one of the highlights of the trip for me it also taught me a lot and opened my eyes to the cruelty which these beautiful animals face.

Although appreciating Asian culture the one thing that is completely unjust and unexceptionable is the riding of elephants which happens on any given day throughout south east Asia. Tourists pay to climb on top on these animals who have previously been tortured by a human being. Their subjugation is secured through beatings, stabbings with hooks and tight captivity, this gory process works best on baby elephants separated from their mothers. These poor elephants are forced to bear tourists on their backs all day where although they are big animals they are not built for riding so the process is extremely painful on top of the fact they are frequently deprived of rest and water breaks. It is not the fault of the tourists and I am in no way blaming them for their innocents towards the horror, but instead glossy holiday brochures and websites who glamorize riding pachyderms for the benefit of their own pocket.

But beyond ethics, there are safety considerations that should compel travelers to rethink elephant rides. Elephants that harm or even kill are often resold to new owners and renamed to obscure their identities, this recycling process back into the tourist trade is so new handlers can keep collecting cash from visitors — who are often more concerned with Facebook “likes” than animal abuse.

These photos were taken at the Save the Elephants organisation. This amazing foundation is a non-profit organisation which is dedicated to providing care and assistance to the captive elephant population. Through sponsorship they are able to rescue and rehabilitate the elephants where they can live a life free from suffering.