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Published: November 14th 2013
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Wednesday morning we woke up at 4.30am as were getting picked up by Mice at 5am to go see the sunrise at Angkor Wat temple. Well let me tell you 4.30am should be no time for anyone to have to wake up especially after a couple of cocktails the night before!! I think I was still asleep the whole way there lol.
Matt and Alex met us at the hotel at 5 and the 4 of us headed to the temple. We had to stop for them to get their tickets for the day and when we got there there were loads of people!! We thought it would be quiet for some reason but there was obviously loads of people doing the same as us. Luckily the queue for a day ticket wasn't long so we got through quickly and headed to the temple. When we got there we were so shocked by the amount of people it was so busy!! There were lots of locals in there as well trying to sell breakfast and tea and coffee and others trying to sell themselves as guides for the morning. We had to wait about an hour or so for the
sum to rise but the views were just amazing the whole morning. It meant we got to take so many great pictures on Sonic, well, Brad did. I think he's found his new hobby taking photos! It keeps him amused though so that's find with me lol. Seeing the sunrise in such beautiful surroundings is something we will never forget seeing the sun come up behind the temple was like something you see on a postcard or TV and we are getting to live it :-)
After sunrise we walked around the temple for a while exploring everywhere, it was in the similar are to where Tomb Raider was filmed and it was so recognisable. We amused ourselves by finding statues without heads on and replacing them with our own heads, I'll post some picture so you can see what I mean. After our silly half hour we went back to Mice and asked him to take us somewhere for breakfast as we were all starving by this point! And he chose well, we went to a bakery/cafe (there are lots of bakery's here mum you would be in your element!!) we looked at the breakfast menu and they
had proper breakfasts bacon, egg, beans, tomatoes and toast!! We all ordered 1 I had to let myself have one naughty breakfast and it was so yummy and much needed!! After breakfast we stopped at a local toy shop because we were going to visit a local floating village and wanted to take colouring books and games to the kids. We stocked up (and had just as much finding them as we know the kids will enjoy them!) and headed off to the lake to then get to the village.
It rooks us about an hour to get there going along so tiny dirt tracks that were pretty bumpy and not exactly comfortable for the old backside lol but was worth it! Along the way entering the port the little kids were waving away at us all excited. Then we had to get on the boat, we didn't realise seeing the lake was combined with visiting the village at first so when asked to pay €25 per person we weren't too pleased. We managed to get the boat for the 4 of us down to $70 though and went to visit the floating village. The water was pretty filthy
and we were only in a tiny boat that didn't even start at first, so you can imagine how we were feeling but once we got going we were fine! Where the lake was in the dry season is actually just land however in the wet season the rain fall and tide come in making it part of this lake, which by the way is the biggest lake in South East Asia!
We went through the village, which was pretty similar to the other floating villages we have seen, people living in practically tin sheds on the water fishing and surviving on the simplest of things. We went last a school in the way which is for poor kids learning English and knew that's who we wanted to give our gifts too but we had to wait and do it on the way back. We got the the point of turning around but just before we stopped where we could have got on smaller boats and be taken around this tiny village by the locals however it was €5 each and we had run out of cash so had to give it a miss. It was heart breaking to
witness though, little kids working in these boats helping their parents, children that looked about 4 but their faces had so much sadness and worry in them it was the first time we had seen kids that really didn't look happy with their lives and was just such an eye opener. We didn't stay there though and headed back all feeling quite effected by what we'd seen to be honest. Then we reached the school and what can I say?! It was AMAZING!! The kids were gorgeous and so happy to see us, they all wanted to interact with us and practice their English, by speaking and reading to us. The books went down a test especially with the girls who were all so beautiful and the football, well the boys were at it straight away, Matt and Brad joined in with them too! We loved every minute of it chatting away to them and the teacher even asking us advice, we found it pretty hard to leave to be honest!! At the end they all stood up and said 'thank you very much' and bowed with their hands together. It was honestly an experience I will never ever forget
and we are so glad we got to do it and share it with Matt and Alex. We left all feeling quite emotional wanting and wishing we could do more, if we had enough time we would have gone back and volunteered for the day that's for sure.
Half way in on the way back Brad asked if he could drive the boat so the guy let him, so I'm sure you can all imagine at home how much he loved this. Even going you can all call me Captain nodding at passers by lol it was pretty funny!!! When we got back we had 1 football left and a game, the kids from the village saw and ran straight to the boys and no way were we getting out of there without giving them to them so we did, and they literally fought on the floor for them!! We couldn't believe and kept shouting to share but they didn't care they just wanted it to themselves!!
We eventually left and came back to the hotel where the 4 of us chilled all afternoon and had a few cocktails well us girls did, the boys had their beer
;-). We ate about 8 and by that time were all falling asleep at dinner lol it was one of our best days though experiencing such a heart warming thing and then just having a really lovely afternoon with Matt and Alex who really have become good friends to us, so thanks guys it's been a ball!!!
Love B&K xxxxxxxx
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Barbara
non-member comment
Nov 17th
Hi Kate and Brad, Really enjoying your blogs.thanks Kate for letting us share your experiences. I felt very humbled reading your last blog with the children. It was lovely that you thought to take presents for them. We don't realise how fortunate we are. All good here. I'm booked for Australia on 11th Feb. 1st / business class! Must go now - I'm a Celebrity just starting!!!! Take care. Love and God Bless. Nan xxxxxxx