Catharsis in Cambodia

It was dangerously close to the side of the road, among the constant musical beeps and toots from hundreds of scooters and Tuk Tuks, that I had a quiet moment of reflection in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The place amazed me - it was organised chaos. Bikes weaved spidery webs from their exhaust fumes, store keepers called out to the wandering tourist, their eyes trained to spot an outsider in a crowd of chaos.
In the city centre I led myself through windy lanes and hidden streets to find hand-woven clothes, pretty trinkets and hidden treasures in traditional market places, but the real treasure in Cambodia is, by far, the people.
Constant smiling faces greet you at temples, in market places, at hotel doors. A friendly hello never goes astray, even a giggle as I try in vain to say hello in Khmer.
It is my first day in Cambodia and after exploring the city centre I bypass the tradition temple tourist pit stop (for the first day at least), and embark on a 40 minute Tuk Tuk ride to Kompong Khleang, Tonle Sap's largest and most authentic floating village.
Dust and wind whips past my face as I take in the very remote communities along the way.
When we arrive at our destination, no locals greet us with bits and bobs to sell, and that's why I instantly like Kompong Khleang. We're taken out by boat to the floating village, which is full of Vietnamese nationals. The local driving the boat talks little but seems at peace on the water. It is quiet in his part of the world.
On the way home my Tuk Tuk driver pulls over in a tiny village after a polite request so I can jump out of the car and explore a little.
I take out my camera to photograph an old stone bridge over looking a pretty stream and I noticed five or six kids peering nervously at me from their straw thatched home. The youngest (around 3) and only girl bravely ventures out to me speaking in Khmer and pointing at my massive camera.
She wants me to take a picture of her. Within minutes I'm overwhelmed by around fifteen kids all scrambling to pull the funniest face.
I'll never forget their big smiling faces and their laughter as I showed them the final product.
Cambodia is definitely the land of smiling faces. That moment, on the side of a dirt track in the middle of nowhere, is one I'll treasure forever.
It might not be magnificant or major, but it is definitely a moment that sits very high on my list of travel treasures.