After over thirty-years of searching, Ravuth at last feels hopeful. 
Recalling the last time he saw his parents and mischievous younger brother at his village, when the Khmer Rouge herded them off like animals, along with the rest of the villagers, he can only imagine what they have been through. 

This thrilling, unpredictable, yet sometimes hilarious quest, takes you from the fashionable London restaurant scene to the wild, untamed jungles of the Cardamom Mountains, where an English baker helps a Cambodian refugee searching for his missing family and an elusive plant, the source of an exquisite spice.

The Spice

Cake’s body ached and moving his head from side to side he felt his necked click several times. The three Cambodians chuckled. “Sleeping on a wooden floor isn’t normal and bloody uncomfortable,” said Cake, moving his shoulders back and forth. “I ache all over and I can feel splinters in my arse,” he moaned and asked, “What’s the time?” 


 Ravuth looked at the sun and said, “It’s about 5:00 am.” 


 Cake groaned as the four ate the remainder of last night’s feast as the sun radiated its morning light over the village. 


 After eating, they put their backpacks over their shoulders and headed toward the dense jungle. Ravuth led them to the start of the tror bek trail, which he now recognised, and with their arms still aching from the previous day, he and Cake hacked through the foliage. Cake felt relieved, as the morning didn’t feel as hot as the afternoon, but he soon dripped with sweat. 


- Deceit and Betrayal-