We reached the top of Pre Rup temple catching our breath and taking in the view
It was only a moment before a thick black cloud screamed across the sky
And began tipping buckets of rain down on us
There wasn't time to climb down, my eyes darted around, what should we do
It was then that a group of monks ushered us
Into a small shrine at the top of the temple
Looking down the sheer face, the steps had became a waterfall
I don't know how long we were all huddled in this tight space with the monks
Probably just a few minutes, but it was an exciting time
When the rain eased a little we all made our way down the temple
Water still gushing down the steps
We jumped on the back of motorbikes and headed to our next destination
A theatre in Siem Reap, to watch this Cellist play a set of classical pieces
He was actually a Doctor raising money
And collecting blood donations for his hospital
I was seated with my best buddies
Who were on the back-packing trip through Cambodia with me
The theatre had air conditioning vents under every seat
A luxury we hadn't experienced anywhere else on the 5 week venture
But we were all drenched from the storm
And hadn't had any way to dry off and
I started to notice myself shivering before the concert was over
Sure enough, a fever set in late that evening
We were booked to take an 8 hour bus ride
Back to Phnom Penh the next morning
On the trip I remember becoming increasingly floaty and lucid
In my thinking and movements
I struck up a conversation with another traveler
He had this strong south african accent
I had this cassette-tape dictaphone
And I began interviewing him and others on the bus asking their take on
What is the meaning of Love? and What is your Greatest fear
If only I could find those tapes now
Anyway, long story short, when we reached the destination
I kinda fell over when I got off the bus
My other dear friends Bess and Holly who'd joined up for part of the trip
Took me immediately to a hospital on the back of a Tuk tuk
As the boys went to the next resort with our bags
Bess told me later I was deliriously ranting on
About 'gods and spirits and the temples' and
I was kinda freaking her out
When we arrived I was quickly admitted
Then hooked up to an IV and given fluids
The doctor had said if the blood work comes back as Dengue Fever
I might have to be air lifted to Bangkok
That's when the fear really shoulda kicked in but for some reason
Maybe the fever, or the fluids, or just the shock
I felt my mind becoming strangely calm
Maybe the idea of dying wasn't so scary anymore
Flash forward to the end of the day and
The doctors couldn't find anything conclusive
And said, It must have just been something bad in the water
In the months before going on that first overseas adventure
To Vietnam and Cambodia
I'd written this finger picking Riff based on the Travis Pick
A constant rhythm, one two, one two, one two
On the low strings with the right hand
And then with the left hand I had the fingers slide up the neck and then
Descend down the fretboard in a classical like way
When I returned from Cambodia the lyrics came to me one morning in the shower
The sound of water cascading down took me back to that day
A top of that temple in Siem Reap
Meant as a gesture of support, an outstretched hand to a lover
The song, Water's Clear Here Dear
Which originally featured on the Blood Thinner album
Has always served as a therapy session for me
And now with Lollies on the reimagined version
It's a confession of one's greatest fears, but this time
With someone there to listen