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Angkor Watt
Friday morning I was up very early for a sun rise visit to Angkor Wat temple. So I was up for 4am and met the girls at 4.30am in reception. We'd organised to take a packed lunch to keep us going as it was going to be a long day. Kat came down at 4.25am and had only just woken up lol. I had to go and wake Elly and Liz as they had over slept! Only Liz came as Elly had seen Angkor before and was a little hungover from the night before bless her. So the 3 intrepid girls set off with their guide Kim who was a softly spoken man who talked at an easy slow pace. Kinda like you wanted to wind him up a little lol.
We took the mimi bus to the entrance and had to wait. Few minutes for the cashier office to open. We then had to stand and have our photo taken for our tickets for the day. After that we climbed back on Baird the mini bus and headed for Angkor Wat and the sunrise. When we got there the crowds had already
started to gather already. We found a space to the left of the pond in front of the monument and sat down to watch the sun rise. However the view of the sky wasn't that great so I just kept moving about taking photos at various intervals of the sun rise and from various angles. It was amazing!
After the sun had risen we headed for breakfast and had the most expensive omelette to date on this trip! Grrrr ripping off the tourists. After breakfast and a comfort break which I also had to pay for! We headed off with our guide to visit the Angkor Wat building. Kim gave us the history and back ground of the monument and lots of facts and figures and stories as we wandered around taking photos etc. Sadly we couldn't go up to the top floor as it was closed for cleaning as visiting digantries we coming as it was Buddha day which is a religious day and falls in line with the cycles of the moon. However we saw most of the temple and got some good views.
After spending a couple of hours at Angkor
we boarded the minibus and headed for temple number two. By this time it was only Bout 8.30am and very hot already and we were perspiring some what! We had up had to dress appropriately some had light weight trousers and a capped sleeved t- shirt on.
The second temple is famous for the face that appear on the towers, sadly there were some parts we could not visit as they were being restored. But we saw most of it along with hundreds of others jostling for position to take the best photos, it was all a bit crazy and the crowds were starting to get on my nerves!
After the temple we wandered over the road to see our next monument and had a little pit stop on the way to recharge our batteries and had some of our packed lunch and a cold drink as our juice boxes had been frozen so were still cold and welcome refreshment in the ever increasing heat.
Our next temple involved climbing lots if stairs which only added to the perspiration, heat and tiredness which was starting to take hold. The views from
the top were great but we had to climb and descend sone very steep and narrow steps which were a bit precarious.
From temple number 3 we had a walk through the woods to number 4 which we just looked at from the bottom as none of us wanted to climb up so we just listened to Kim telling us about it. From there we walked to the elephant terrace and then back to the mini bus and the joy of AC :-).
At this point I should point out that we had to show or pass at the temples in order to gain access, no pass no entrance. As we were heading to the last temple I decided to leave my back pack in the minibus and only take my camera and a bottle of water. When we got out Kim arranged to meet the driver at the far end of the temple where we would exit.
So off we went but when it came time to show our ticket I had left mine on the mini bus and I could not get in without it. Kim tried to call
the minibus driver but there was no answer. One of the staff checking tickets offered Kim his moped so we could drive up to the mini bus to collect my ticket, so that is what've dud lol. Kim drove and I perched on the back and we had a 5 minuet ride to where the mini bus was parked. Grabbed my ticket out of my bag and then we headed back again and then all was well. I did apologise to the girls for the delay and also to Kim and I thanked the ticket guy for the use of his moped. It could only happen to me lol.
So after all the drama my ticket was checked and we headed off to see the final temple which was the one used in the film Tomb Raider 3. It's one that is in need of some TLC as it was damaged by civil war and the Khmer Rouge. The key features here are the trees growing up within the ruins and entwined with the fabric of the buildings meshing in to one. Quite spectacular!
From there we headed back to the guest house where
i quickly got out of my sweat soaked clothes, had a shower and had a sleep for a few hours.
In the evening all the girls went out for food about half five. Liz and Ellie had found a Mexican restaurant which had had good reviews some cheated for there. However I have to say personally I have had better so not sure what all the fuss was about.
Ellie then wanted to find a book shop as she was in dire need of some reading materials. We found a second hand book store near by which gave it's profits to various charities. After making purchases we headed for the night market where again purchases were made, you know how girls love to shop lol. However we all decided to call it an early night as we had been up so long and Ellie and Liz were heading if at 8am the following morning.
Xxx
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