Survival skills
A human being can survive an average of three to five days without the intake of water. The issues presented by the need for water dictate that unnecessary water loss by perspiration be avoided in survival situations. The need for water increases with exercise.
Miriam Stark
She proposed that the Mekong Basin was a watery world, which lead to distinct patterns that made up everyday life there. The land surrounding the area where the Mekong River meets the sea, flooded for as long as four months per year. This led to the flooding of houses, which required rafts to provide transportation for the 17 million people who lived there. Due to salt water intrusion, farming was made difficult and nearly impossible. The Tonle Sap, another one of Cambodia’s major rivers connected to the Mekong River, also experienced floods over both its river and lake components. Despite Cambodias monsoon filled climate, Stark claims that the discovery of speleothems are the first records of droughts existing in Cambodia. This discovery was long before the drought experienced in the present day region. Furthermore, the culture of these people considered water to be divine. They believed water management consisted of the belief that water came down from the source, and it was blessed by one of the gods (i.e. Shiva). Dr. Stark's research contains evidence that the Angkorian Khmers lived in, worshiped, and managed a watery world.