Siem Reap

It's been a while since my last entry, as I've been held hostage by Thailand island resorts charging ridiculous internet rates for slow connections.

When I was traveling in Vietnam I met a girl from America and we seemingly had a lot in common in that we were both Americans in our early 30’s, both traveling alone, both professionals back home, we were reading a lot of the same books and we were both getting tired of being surrounded by 20 year old backpackers. We also shared a similar itinerary, so we decided to meet up together when we were in the same cities and specifically for Siem Reap for the Angkor Wat Temples. We could split costs of hiring our own taxi to drive us around with an English speaking tour guide, and they really aren’t something you want to see alone. As a bonus, she had a connection to a local who worked in a 5 star luxury resort who got us a dirt cheap rate that we split. So after months of staying in $8-10 a night cheap guesthouses around Asia, being pampered in luxury was a very welcome change. Plus, the pool was phenomenal. Like a ridiculous Disneyworld-resort, Las Vegas Casino pool with cascading waterfalls and Angkor Wat architecture everywhere. It almost got to the point where we were reluctant to go to the Temples because we were enjoying the pool too much. But we somehow managed to grit our teeth and endured yet another ancient marvel of the world.

Theoretically you could probably see most of the main temples in a day, but realistically you need to get the 3 day pass. Trying to fit everything into 1 day wouldn’t even be remotely enjoyable, plus you have to allot yourself afternoon breaks because you’re in the middle of a jungle and it is absolutely sweltering hot. The first day we saw most of the smaller temples in the morning and the magnificent Angkor Thom in the afternoon. The 2nd day we caught Angkor Wat, the crowned jewel and the biggest tourist trap, at sunrise. We were thinking that if we woke up at 4:45 a.m. and got there for sunrise we would miss most of the crowds…. Apparently hundreds of other tourists had the same idea. Angkor Wat took all morning, so we decided to spend the afternoon by the hotel pool The third day we drove out to the remote Banterey Srei, which is a 2 hour tuk-tuk ride outside of Siem Reap .. .and, yet again, the afternoon by the pool. The Temples share much of the same themes and carvings, but every one seems to have it’s own little nuance. Some Some were royal palaces. Some were crematoriums for deceased royal family members. Some were monasteries. Some are majestic. Some are remote. Some are overtaken by jungle. What the pictures don’t convey is the intricate carvings that cover almost every square inch of the temples. The temples were all built from 1200-1300 AD. While Europe was going through the dark ages, SE Asia was thriving. I'll spare you my 500 pictures of temples.

So this marks the end of Cambodia. The end of traveling with my American friend. And really the end of my “to do” must see checklist for my entire trip. Now there’s nothing left to do but go to the beaches and islands of Thailand and hide out in a bungalow for a month, soaking up as much sunshine, waves and good vibes as I can until it’s time to go back home.

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