At the stern, Mondulkiri maneuvers the boat out into the open channel, while Ratanakiri, Molly, and Money are busy mending the fishing nets on the middle deck.
Sitting at the front deck, Savanna takes out a handful of lotus rootlets from the bamboo basket and soaks them in a large bucket of water to keep them fresh so they can sell or trade them at the market in Neak Loung.
A warm breeze ruffles her hair as Savanna turns her gaze southward. She has been thinking about her father constantly wondering how long he would survive without the insulin. She tries not to dwell on these negative thoughts, but they keep coming back to her over and over again. Savanna pictures his ailing face and wonders how she would feel if something bad were to happen to him. She just wants to focus on finding the insulin and returning home to be with him.
Savanna and her family have no money. People in the village have donated many items for them to trade for insulin.
Back in Great Moat Village, everything is bartered and traded for. There is no need for money. For many centuries, people of Great Moat Village have existed as a community. They take care of one another when they are in need. No one dies alone. No family carries all of the burdens on their shoulders by themselves. No couple gets married without the help of the community.
For as long as she could remember, Savanna had never met a friendless or a homeless person in Great Moat Village. But in Phnom Penh, people seem less friendly. She has seen very little community involvement among them. People are too busy helping themselves, even a simple inquiry about insulin had cost them five kilograms of tobacco.
Insulin was a precious commodity even before the war. People in small villages often had to travel long distances to find it. For two days, they had searched for insulin and diabetic supplies in every hospital and pharmacy in Phnom Penh, but had been unable to find it.
Savanna does not understand much about diabetes. All she knows is that insulin has saved her father’s life. Without it he will die. About two years ago, her father suddenly became very sick. With a stroke of luck, they ran into a French missionary doctor in the village. The doctor gave her father insulin and taught him about diabetes. After that her father was doing very well until he ran out of insulin.
A pharmacist in Phnom Penh told them that the hospital in Neak Loung might have diabetic supplies. Without delay, they decide to strike out for Neak Loung on their motorboat and they travel at top speed in search of the insulin.
Three days have passed since they left Great Moat Village. It has not been long, but it feels like a month. Savanna hopes it is not too late to save her father.
Neak Loung is one of the major trading routes. Many foreign goods pass through the town’s busy port.
Savanna thinks if they can get to the hospital in time, they might have a better chance of finding diabetic supplies in the ferry town than in the capital.
As they move down the river, they pass by many small villages along the shore. From her position at the bow, Savanna has a clear view of the landscape. Almost every home is made of bamboo and thatch. There are boats in different shapes and sizes moving up and down the river.
Savanna looks at the water around the boat. Seeing its brown color shifts her thoughts to the climate of Cambodia.
The annual flooding of the Mekong River covers a large part of the land from June to October. The river replenishes the land with fertile soil, irrigates the fields, refills the lakes across the country, and provides means of transportation for villagers who live inland. Boats are the most common and convenient form of transportation for many people who live in the floodplain, especially during the wet season.
In addition, the Mekong River splits into numerous tributaries. The rivers are a major source of fish, providing an important source of food for the people. Many Cambodians get their daily supply of protein from fish. As a result of the climate that does not become extremely cold and the fertile soil, a variety of vegetables and grains thrive in this part of the world.
In some areas, farmers can grow and harvest rice three times a year. There is one strain of rice that can alter its rate of growth according to the rise and fall of the flood water. If the water rises, the paddy heads rise above the water line just enough to catch the sunlight. If the water level drops, the rice plants lower themselves, but manage to stay a little higher than the water line at all times. After the water has receded from the floodplain, the rice plants fall to the ground. Within a few weeks or so, the grains are ready to be harvested. This unique strain of rice is known as floating rice.
Regardless of the wet or dry season, the temperature stays very warm throughout the year, except for the month of January. The short winter is slightly cooler. Savanna has no need for thick clothes or heavy blankets—a thin, long-sleeved cotton shirt is enough to keep her warm in the winter.
But the heat can get very uncomfortable at noon under the direct sunlight. Along the shores of the river, people leave their homes very early to do their daily activities before the sun reaches its zenith. Here and there, she sees people bathing and washing their clothes on wooden platforms while their little children play nearby. Life here looks just about the same as life in her village.
They are making good time despite the rough water and bumpy ride. By mid-morning, they are near their destination.
Here, about sixty kilometers south east of Phnom Penh, three kilometers north of Neak Loung, far from the melting snow of the Himalayan mountains and the running streams that feed it, the mighty river has flowed over four thousand kilometers. Soon, it will drain into the open arms of the South China Sea.
In Great Moat Village, the river is much calmer. Savanna’s ancestors knew how to channel the water to irrigate the rice fields. They also learned how to hold water in reserve by building moats and ponds. Thanks to them, the village has managed to survive many droughts over the last two thousand years. But the river out here is rough, untamed, almost impossible to manage during the flood season. The swollen river seems to roar in fury, submerging everything within its path. In every direction she looks, water stretches out to the horizon.
In many places, especially where two or three major rivers meet, the waters mingle and flow in all directions, causing the boat to swirl around like a wooden spinning top.
The water in this region is no place for inexperienced travelers. In some areas, it is too dangerous even for skilled boatmen like Isan and Mondulkiri. These two men are like aquatic creatures. They have a keen sense of currents and squalls. They know how to maneuver boats through different types of waters. Savanna is very thankful to have them on board.
Up ahead, Savanna spots a cargo ship in the distance. It is moving closer and closer in their direction. The vessel sends big waves across the river, making their boat bounce up and down, forcing them from their planned course for at least ten minutes.
In the east, the sun peeks out from the clear blue sky. The morning sun warms her skin and stings her eyes. Savanna takes a deep breath and turns her attention back to her task.
Savanna pulls another handful of water lilies from a galvanized bucket and twists them into a circular shape. The flowers and the stalks of the lilies are edible. You can eat them raw, pickle them, steam them, or make hot and sour soup—you can consume them in whichever way you like. They stay crisp and fresh at least a week or more, as long as you keep them out of the sun and soak them in fresh water three to four times a day. You can also arrange them in bouquets of lilies for special occasions. They come in many brilliant shades—pink, white, yellow, and blue are common in Great Moat Village. The water lilies are so brightly colored that just looking at them hurts her eyes, but nevertheless she appreciates every single one of them.
Isan goes behind Savanna. He loops his arms around her waist and kisses her on the cheek. “You look a little pale today,” he