A breathtaking wonder of the ancient world

Intricate carvings cover the walls of Angkor Wat.
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Having spent the previous day doing nothing but sleeping in and drinking with a couple of Aussies who had just arrived from Perth, I awoke fresh and relaxed although my shoulder was still quite sore. My only tasks for the morning were to book a bus ticket to Siem Reap and to find a replacement mirror for the bike. Unfortunately I had put a small crack in the right mirror during one of my descents to the pavement a couple of days ago and although I was sure I hadn't done any real damage to the bike, I was reluctant to return it with a cracked mirror just in case Lucky! Lucky! decided that the bike needed an overhaul on my account.

The ascent to heaven isn't as easy as it looks.
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The ticket to Siem Reap wasn't a problem and I was booked on an afternoon bus in no time. I was having a lot more difficulty finding somewhere to buy a mirror though. After trying a few promising stores I was running out of time to return the bike in time to make my bus. Walking back to the hotel I noticed the familiar clutch of moto drivers waiting for a fare and it suddenly occurred to me that there was an easy solution to my problem. Once we had established that yes, I did want to buy his mirrors, the bargaining process took only a few seconds and I was the proud owner of a new(ish) pair for five dollars. Back at the hotel I made a quick switch and headed back to Lucky! Lucky! to return the bike. Although the ride was ok, I was still in a reasonable amount of pain and was happy to hand the keys back and receive my passport in return. The lady at Lucky! Lucky! was very happy to tell me there were No! Refunds! for early return of the bike.

Hey Mister, you wanna know why you no have a girlfriend or wife?

One of the enigmatic faces of The Bayon.
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The bus trip down to Seam Reap was reasonably uneventful, although I was sitting next to someone who looked like he'd just been discharged from the Special Forces so we were rather wedged in together. The bus actually started to leave the mid trip food stop while he was in the toilet and although I did toy with the idea of a comfortable second half of the journey, I couldn't bring myself to leave him there without telling the bus driver.

On arrival at Siem Reap, a representative of the bus company boarded the bus and told everyone that there were company supplied tuk-tuks and taxis waiting to take everyone to their destinations. Although I was slightly suspicious of the arrangement (the ticket itself was something like five dollars), I got in a tuk-tuk and headed out to the hotel I had booked from Phnom Penh. True to Cambodian form, the tuk-tuk wasn't supplied by the bus company. It was merely an opportunity for the tuk-tuk drivers to spruik for business for the following days at the temples. By the time I arrived, we'd settled on a one day trial for the following day.

This little show pony came out around 5pm every day.
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As I'd had to cancel my first night in Siem Reap due to the extra night I'd spent in Phnom Penh, everyone at the hotel seemed to be aware of who I was and why my arm was in a sling. Lots of questions followed, everyone was really nice, but as one of Helen's friends in Saigon later pointed out "After going through what's they've been through, if your arm is in a sling, they probably think you've had it stitched back on".

The following three days were spent in pretty much the same way. A reasonably early trip out to the temples, returning at about eleven am for a bit of R&R by the hotel pool, then out again around three for a bit more late afternoon temple action. There isn't really so much I can write about the temples, they really are something that has to be seen to be believed. I do however have three of pieces of advice. Firstly, you will get "Templed Out". Just go with it, take the afternoon off to do something else then return with a renewed vigor the next day. Secondly, get up early enough to see a sunrise at one of the temples. Try to pick one that is a bit more out of the way and hopefully you will have it entirely to yourself (don't forget to take a torch). Thirdly, you will feel the intense desire to punch a small child at some stage during your visit to Angkor Wat, take a deep breath and go to your 'happy place'.

The Angkor complex mixes old traditions with new.
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It was one of the small army of children aggressively selling everything from cold drinks to statues around the temple complex that provided me with one of the biggest laughs of the trip up to that point. Trying to sell me a wicker bracelet, the discussion went as follows.

Small Child: Hey Mister, do you wanna buy a bracelet?

Me: No thankyou.

SC: Why you no wanna buy bracelet?

The spooky overgrown temple of Ta Prohm
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Me: I don't wear Jewelry.

SC: You buy bracelet for your wife?

Me: I'm not married.

SC: You buy bracelet for your girlfriend?

Relaxing on the way back to the hotel.
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Me: I don't have a girlfriend.

SC: Hey Mister, you wanna know why you no have a girlfriend or wife?

Me: ok...

SC: Because you no buy them bracelet.

Sunrise.
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The nightlife around Siem Reap was quite good, although I did start to find it slightly annoying that everyone assumed that as I was traveling alone, I would be requiring all sorts of "entertainment services". The longish days and lunchtimes spent beering around the pool usually meant I was in town for just a quick drink and a bite to eat.

All in all, Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples are an amazing place to visit a definitely worth a side excursion during a trip to Vietnam.