Divine inspiration from Angkor

The coach left for Bavet, border between Vietnam and Cambodia half an hour late than the planned 7am departure. 3 hours after leaving the busy streets of Saigon, we arrived at the border, which was surprisingly quick and straightforward. 2 quick stops, passport checks and we are off again heading towards Phnom Penh. The bus boarded onto a barge as we crossed the mighty Mekong river, a meeting point of many hawkers as they try to sell everything from maize to lotus stalk to fried locusts, all carried on the heads of men, women and kids alike. Couple of hours later, we arrived in the capital and waited for another hour for another connecting coach to Siem Reap.

An Australian couple was the only one aboard the 5 hour journey from Phnom Penh and was dark again by the time we arrived in the town. The locals at the stop were quick to play down the guesthouses that you have in mind, and suggesting others. If you are to go on their motorbikes to the accom, make sure you are happy with the rooms before you agree to stay, or pay for the transport. I managed to negotiate a free ride to one of the nearby guesthouse and paid $8 for a non-air con room. Siem Reap is a food paradise, especially if you do not mind sitting by the road to enjoy a local dish under the sweltering heat will only set you back by a couple of dollars.

I rented a bike for the day and headed straight for Angkor, spending an amazing day visiting many of the temples. The 25km around the main Angkor area can be intimidating for many, which you can hire a tuk tuk for the day instead, although I will definitely encourage all to try out the more adventurous route. To really soak in the atmosphere of all the temples, one probably need to spend a couple of days, so if you have limited time like me, be selective on which temples to visit and never try to overdo it. For me, Ta Prohm and Bayon were probably the most interesting ones, especially when one snakes through the crumbling narrow corridors of the former which seem to be devoured by the giant trees climbing all over the walls. I struggled to cycle back into Siem Reap by sunset and even had cramps towards the end!

Spent the night feasting on more cheap and excellent local food, and stocking up again for another long journey into Bangkok the following day.