Day 67 - Sunrise and Angkor Wat

My 4:30 am game face.

Day 67 - 29th August

My first full weekend in Cambodia. Another day, another dollar as they say - well it is here as everything is literally a dollar!

It was 4:15 am, a time I knew only too well from my travels around Asia. Instead of greeting it like an old friend, I stuck two fingers up and rolled over with my duvet, until my alarm eventually woke me at 4:30am.

The younguns.

I met Dan and Abigail outside in the dark at 5am and Mr Barang, our Goobalteer Tuk Tuk driver collected us for the day. After a brief five or six kilometre drive, we arrived at the Angkor Wat ticket station. An exchange of $20 dollars and a photograph for ID on the ticket was the price to pay to get in.

Stunning place. No wonder it's claimed as the 7th wonder of the world.

Shortly after, we went to Angkor Wat, the main temple on this mammoth 400km2 site and waited with hundreds, even thousands of others for the sun to come up. It was quite a sight, perhaps not as spectacular as my hot air balloon over the Nile at sunrise but definitely something I will remember from the trip.

After sunrise.

Trying to be artistic. I think it works.

It really is amazing to stand before this place. The picture do it no justice.

We walked through the temples, marvelling at the architecture and the sheer scale of some of the rooms and corridors. It really was something to behold. For the first time, words cannot describe this site so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

It's a huge, complex maze of corridors, courtyards and towers.

The back entrance to Angkor Wat temple.

After visiting Angkor Wat, we went to Angkor Thom and the stunning Bayon temple, which was a larger site and we were able to climb to the top for some awesome photos. 

Group shot!

At Angkor Thom site at the Bayon Temple. Look at that tan!

The bridge entrance to Angkor Thom

Again, incredible and mind blowing stuff at the Bayon Temple.

The smiley face.

The incredible Baphuon Temple.

From inside the courtyard.

View from the top of Baphuon Temple, it was quite the hike up those steps.

Mr Barang, our loyal Tuk Tuk driver. What a great guy!

Ta Prohm was another magnificent site, the detail on these temples is beautiful.

The 'Tomb Raider' temple and me!

Now the group picture!

The famous tree on the other side.

When we returned to Siem Reap around lunchtime, I went to work on more sports articles. What should have taken an hour took six. I was so engrossed I lost track of time. I managed to write the articles to a standard I was happy with. Just six more published and they start paying me! 

Abigail, Dan and I headed out and found Little India, a nice spot on the Main Street for curry. My non-vegetarian Thali (I assume that is just a meat Thali then) was delicious and at only $5 with a drink, it was a bargain.

We all headed back for a night swim before getting an early night. It had been a truly long day.

Special note - Mr Barang, our Tuk Tuk driver: thank you very much for an awesome day, you really did make it much easier and convenient to get around and your patience in waiting hours for us was much appreciated. A definite recommendation to anyone going to Siem Reap.