http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Cambodia , North , Angkor en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:10:27 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:10:27 UTC Everything was great until we got to the border... The ThaiCambodian border that is. The Lonely Planet guidebook we are using like everyone else here it seems warns you in no uncertain terms to NOT NOT NOT buy a bus ticket in Bangkok to Siem Reap gateway to Angkor Wat but instead to just buy a bus ticket to the border. We fell for their scams anyway. When we got to the border we were talke http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-351248.html We booked a flight from southern Laos to Siem Reap Cambodia since we just couldn't deal with the prospect of a long winding overland journey across the border. We had a great experience in Laos but we invested so much energy into every day activities e.g. finding food lodging and transport that we were totally exhausted after 17 days The airport in Pakse Laos was tiny with just 2 fligh http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-348990.html Day 33 November 11 2008Shop and Travel perfect comboOur flight to Cambodia is in the afternoon so we spent the morning shopping some more. Guess where we went Platinum Mall where else Gim said our shopping is getting out of control Maria says itrsquos just right. We had to buy an extra luggage too see Gim says.Then we went to Cambodia. Cambodia is just a 1 flight from Thailand an http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-347256.html Today was an early start we got on the bus at 4.30am to watch the sunrise over Angkor Temple. First stop on our bus stop was to collect our temple passes which involved a photo being taken....half asleep. It was pitch black and we were led by our leader and tour guide through the grass along a pathway through a temple and down some steps to be postioned for the view of the sun coming up. Misquit http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-343956.html Cambodia is boiling. On the dirty dusty Poipet border the heat rises in Siam Reap buildings are bubbling up from the jungle big shiny 5star palaces. Crowds steam and churn around the ancient towers of Angor Wat as the sunrises the noise is intense as voices from all over the world cackle and chat and click digital cameras at the sun brings its heat to the day.The TukTuk Touts in the town http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-340712.html It never fails to amaze me how much difference a country's border can make faces attitudes the food the voices even the actual ground here in Cambodia is a different colour. A harsh rusty ochre that settles on your clothes and skin and bakes on with the heat.My choice to head to Saim Reap and Angkor Wat was settled when the owner of Popular guest house in Trat offered it to me leaving the http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-338447.html Confession we're continuing our Places Angelina Acquired Children tour in Cambodia. Steve and I decided to rearrange our trip a bit because my friend Sue's work schedule didn't permit us to visit her in Thailand when we'd planned so now we're visiting Angkor Wat. I absolutely love this country. Despite enduring some of the worst human rights hardships in recent history the people here are http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-337970.html Wersquove been visiting Wats temples in Cambodia dodging motos in Hanoi breaking even in the Macau casinos living the Hong Kong nightlife and eating our way through Singapore. But letrsquos just recap Cambodia and Vietnam.Days 48 49 50 51 52 53 and 54 Siem Reap and HanoiWe had to depart Koh Phi Phi of the western Thai islands very early on day 48 in order to catch our flight from http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-336866.html Allow me to be frank. I'm not feeling it. This whole blog thing. The mood's just not there. My imagination's no longer running wild it's been caged in a zoo where it lounges on a log for 18 hours a day and only gets up to strategically lick its genitals when a nun walks by. I need new spark plug's in my brain to get my mental pistons firing. Blah Blah metaphore blah blah something in paret http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-336078.html Conquering the Thai islandsDays 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 45 47 48 Lots of beach daysWe left Bangkok to go to Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand to begin our island journey. This was a change of plans as we intended on going in and out of a western island call Phuket. We felt that it would be easier to start east and make our way west good things flights are cheap. This pl http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-334550.html Arriving in Cambodia we'd hit the 14th country on our travels not a bad achievement in the 5 or so months we have been goingWe managed to find ourselves a guest house pretty close to the river front close being a walk and not a Tuk Tuk Ride away. Unfortunately for us the riverfront isn't what it used to be or described as because the river isn't actually visable due to the massive boards tha http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-331684.html Ce serait un sacrilge de ne pas consacr un blog aux temples d'Angkor. Le parc archologique d'Angkor regroupe une quarantaine de temples qui ont prs de mille ans et qui date de l'Empire Khmer. Les rois faisaient construire des temples pour montrer leur dvotion spirituelle diffrents dieux. Les ruines sont aujourd'hui la fiert du pays qui peine se reconstruire aprs les annes de terreur p http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-331378.html After Phnom Penh I caught a bus out to Siem Reap to see the Angkor Temples maybe yoursquove heard about them. They are a massive group of temples which highlight the power and legacy of the ancient Khmer Empire. The bus ride there was only 6 hours which by this point in my travels I can do without even a wince. The girl whorsquos sitting beside me from London has troubles with the ai http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-329619.html Well here we are three more days until the long flights start....I hope those of you joining on the journey enjoy the ride. I'd like to thank Tim for the idea...I will write as often as I can and on days when I cannot make it to the cafe I will keep notes to make sure nothing is missed....Jeff http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-329508.html Segundo da de templos con nuestro chofer Gra.Empezamos por los antiguos Roluos. Sigue intentando ganarse unos dlares llevndonos a templos o cascadas ms lejanos pero tampoco nos apetece circular demasiado por estas carreteras.Nos para en un orfanato donde los nios trabajan la piel. Compramos dos cosillas de 15 y los nios que lo han hecho dejan de trabajar para darnos las gracias y lueg http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-328611.html Al fin los templos Hemos pillado un taxi en el hotel por 30 el da hemos pensado que si llova y para disfrutar del aire acondicionado entre templo y templo era mejor que un tuktuk hemos agradecido sobretodo lo del aire acondicionado Nuestro conductor de 32 aos ldquoGrardquo nos lleva de templo en templo vamos improvisando la ruta. Tal y como habamos ledo en algn sitio hemos http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-328608.html The move from Thailand to Cambodia was interesting the road to the border at Poi Pet was good but then deteriorates into a muddy mass of pot holes. Gary thought he was lucky to be able to sit in the front to get a good view but in hindsight being able to see the near misseswith cows motor cycles and gas trucks put his nerves on edge and at his age he has to be careful. Being at the back off http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-326535.html After the 6 hour bus ride from Phnom Penh we arrived in Siem Reap where we would spend the next few days and one exciting day visiting the Temples of Angkor. After hiring a tuktuk to take us to our hostel we arranged transport for the day to view the temples. We were told that sunrise at Angkor Wat was a once in a lifetime event.....so we signed up for it. Basically we would be leaving the hostel http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-324157.html Sept. 4 9 2008 We had a night back at The Okay Guest House in Phnom Penh after Sihanoukville and they booked us into their sisterrsquos Yellow Guest House in Siem Reap. Beautiful bus ride as we headed north from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap smooth paved road rice paddies bamboo and wood houses on stilts. We did get a flat tire en routehellipso got to stop in the beautiful country side http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-323694.html September 8th 2008 Where to begin We began our trip to Cambodia at the Hualamphong Train Station in Bangkok where we purchased our bus tickets. Curtis being the ever punctual man that he is had us showing up 30 minutes prior to our departure time. Sadly we forgot that all of Thailand is on Asian time and ended up sitting there waiting for nearly an hour before our bus showed. Not reall http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-322672.html Our earliest start yet today 4.30 We had decided that we wanted to get to the temples of Angkor early so we could see the sun rise over the Ankgor Wat. We had arranged the day before for a Tuk Tuk to take us there and drive us around the many temples to make sure we saw the best ones. We got a one day pass as we thought we would see enough in the one day and after seeing the main temples it mi http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-322663.html Arrived in Cambodia on the 1st of Sept and went to Siem Reap. When we arrived at the airport had to get our visa sorted and i had left my passport photos in my luggage which i couldnt get to fortunately however this is still a fairly corrupt country and an extra 2 dollars meant i could pass through without a photo Took a taxi to the town the driver was very friendly at first until we refuse http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-320410.html HelloSo this week I've had a few days off from helping in the Orphanage and made it up to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor temples. They're are astounding. See some pictures athttppicasaweb.google.co.ukheatherjpeckCambodiaTheTouristStuffI also today visited the war museum in Phnom Penh. It was quite an experience. It really brought home the reality of the suffering of this whole nation. During http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-317950.html I think we made it to Angkor Watt just in time. Driving up to our hotel you can see how quickly and how fast this place is becoming a tourist hotspot. There is luxury resorts being built one right next to the other. The main city is filled with international restaurants and clubs that pump out western hits but visiting the temples of Angkor Watt shows the contradiction of tourism and reality. T http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-314602.html My journey to Angkor Wat was a short trip. What can i say. Angkor Wat is just amazing http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-314093.html Cambodia. Itrsquos the end of my prolonged stay here in a country that I barely knew. There are a lot of things in Cambodia that I havenrsquot really seen. I have seen very little of it as a matter of fact. Siem Reap is one. The area around the temples of Angkor is another. These two places are hardly representative of what Cambodia is really all about because there are too many tourists and http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-313710.html Not a bad way to see in one year wedWow Not many people will be able to spend their 1st wedding anniversary wandering around the temples at Angkor so we were really lucky to spend a special day in such a special way. The temples are vast and definitely have a certain mystery about them that draws you in.From Kampot we had to head back to Phomn Penh for a night which we ended up staying in a http://www.travelblog.org//Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-312493.html