Hannah’s Weblog

So, as I think I may have already said I had the week off school so decided to join Ruth in Cambodia. Surin is in such a great location to travel to neighbouring countries, and it only too us an hour and a half to get to Chong Jom, the Cambodian border. The visa cost 1000 bhat, and it took a while to negotiate a price for a car to take us to Siam Reap. This isn’t a popular route into Cambodia, as the roads are really bad, so ther were no buses, we had no choice but to take a private car. This cost us another 1800 bhat Once again, crossing the border into Cambodia, the landscape dramactically change… The earth reddened and the foliage became more reminicent of a jungle. Over grown and dence the churned up road took us deeper and deeper into the widerness….2 hours into the jorney I discovered that they drive on the right. The off road dirt track that took us the majority of the way didn’t have a left or right, just a who’s driving fastest in the biggest car mentality!

So it was only 3 hours to Siam Reap….So close to Surin, yet an entire world away… Siam Reap didn’t feel like the real Cambodia I was yet to discover… Due to the world class temples and the infamous Angkor Wat Siam Reap has transformed from a sleepy town to a spralling tourist trap. Unlike other places I have been this wasn’t just a backpackers destinations, this was somewhere people could fly into and out off. Therefore there were families, and couples on romantic holidays…this is not to say that I didin’t fall in love here, but it wasn’t what I expected at all. 5 star hotels lined the dusty dirt main street. Gucci shops competing with petrol carts, street children with rich boutique style living, French restaurants with local $1 noodle shops. Reminiscent of Bombay, the way that the rich sit comfortably side by side with the poor. A coexistance, and crazy juxtaposition that makes this place pretty unique.

So we settled into our lovely guesthouse. 24 hour free internet, a nice relaxed bar and restaurant on the roof, and a sociable open planned entrance. We dumped our stuff and went to explore.We spent 7 days here in total. Two of which we dedicated to exploring the temples of Agkor. Angkor Wat was simply breathtaking, and everything I had hoped for. James and I spent hours exploring the nooks and crannies of the largest religious building in the world. We enjoyed sunrise there, and also sunset. It was incredible, and way bigger than I could have imagined. So we hired a tuc tuc for the day, and he waited patiently for us to explore one temple complex before he drove us to the next. Highlights for me were Angkor Wat, the famous Ta Prom, where Tomb raider was filmed, Bayon, where the four devine faces of Avalokiteshvara VII face north souh east and west in their majestic state of meditation, Elephant terrace and Prasat Preah Khan. Another thing that I loved about this place was the amount of wonderfully mature trees, and areas of open green parks. It was enchanting zipping around by tuc tuc through this ancient wonderland.

Ruth and I spent the next week chilling Cambodian style. We met some really cool people which included some lovely Cambodian guys. They showed us a really good time at Mr Grill and one day took Will and I to a remote village. It was truely magical. During rainy season you reach this village by boat as it is completely swallowed by the water. But as the river has retreated this month, we had to try and make it along the incredibly delapidated road. Seriously, ‘road’ is a generous word. I am greatful we were on mopeds, as no other means of transport could have crawled along the dirt path. It was as if a giant mixer had churned it up, and them the sun had set it solid….crazy times. The village was also an amazing sight. As the river wasn’t near, the houses stood 3 metres up in the air. I would have loved to see it in rainy season, when boats are how you get around. Will, T Narith and I enjoyed a lovely relaxing day with one of their dear friends. We drank beer, and I took a nap after luunch. I even took a shower as the heat was crazy crazy! It was a once in a life time experience sitting with these people of this truely Cambodian village. I was so happy to have had the chance to see the real Cambodia…..