Angkor Wat - The Wonder of the Khmer Civilisation

Angkor Wat at sunrise on day 2

It’s difficult to write about Angkor Wat and keep it interesting.  Basically it is an ancient site with a load of old temples dotted around a huge area in central Cambodia and unless anyone has a real interest in this type of thing it will all seem a bit dull and little of what I have to say about our experiences here will hold anyone’s attention for very long.

However, for personal reasons we would like a record of how we spent our time here but friends and family (and anyone else) can be forgiven for glossing over this particular chapter although anyone who wishes to visit may find some useful information on how to tackle a visit there.

Siem Reap - Gateway to Angkor

The Spirit House at our hotel

We travelled by minibus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and it was probably the most uncomfortable, not to mention terrifying, journey we have had so far.  It took about 5.5 hours, the promised air conditioning an exaggeration, but the most memorable aspect was constantly living in fear that we were going to crash at any given moment because the driver was handling the vehicle like an absolute lunatic.  It was exhilarating if nothing else.

There are few transport options available in Cambodia, none of them particularly safe (and that includes walking) and most involve travelling by road.  We were quickly beginning to realise that we really didn’t like any of the road options with the notable exception of tuk tuks.  Tuk tuks are, as Paul continues to remind me at any given opportunity, the mutt’s nuts.  But at this point we were yet to discover our love affair with this mode of transport so I’m jumping ahead.