So I put this video together, consisting of some, not all, of my favorite moments captured on my phone alone. I'm sure as the other girls post their photos, I will find many more that I adore and love, but heres this in the mean time:
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
A video review:
So the other morning, while everyone slept, I was up and wide awake with time to spare. I ended up going through my pictures and putting together this tiny video. While abroad, I took COUNTLESS photos, and am in countless more on other peoples phones/cameras, and I realize that thats an insane amount of photos to go through, even for people who are interested in the trip.
So I put this video together, consisting of some, not all, of my favorite moments captured on my phone alone. I'm sure as the other girls post their photos, I will find many more that I adore and love, but heres this in the mean time:
So I put this video together, consisting of some, not all, of my favorite moments captured on my phone alone. I'm sure as the other girls post their photos, I will find many more that I adore and love, but heres this in the mean time:
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Last day in Cambodia...
So, my last thoughts on Cambodia. I spent all day thinking, "noooo, I am so sad to leave this place!"
While I more or less got the tourist blow through, I had an incredible time here. The life style is very different, but it is the differences that make it enjoyable.
The temples were everything I hoped and more, and thanks to Sothik, I felt like I got a lot out of my time here. Not just with the temples, but having the chance to eat at local markets along the way, and try the food the way they do. I know for certain that is not something that would have happened had it just been left to me (hello, I ordered a pancake for my breakfast the first day) and while it may seem silly, I look at Sothik as a friend.
;Sothik and I exchanged contact information, and i hope that I can keep in touch with him. I also hope that he and his family do well in the future.
Maybe if he ever comes to the States, I can show him around some, as a friend.
It felt odd giving the two of them the envelopes of money, mostly because it felt odd to have to say goodbye in that sort of fashion, but I was more than happy to pay them for their services. I'd spent all three days saying 'no' to the people selling tourist goods so that I could give both Mr. Driver and Sothik a decent tip. It wasn't nearly as much as I would have liked, but I gave what I could.
If you are in Cambodia in the Siem Reap area, and find that you need a tour guide, please contact Sothik.
He was amazing and I promise you you will not be sorry.
Next time, I believe I will do some volunteering here in Cambodia, teaching at the orphanages or the schools. And trust me, there will be a next time. There is simply no way I cannot come back.
In fact, if I did not already have commitments in Thailand, I would probably try to stay longer.
Truly, it breaks my heart to leave.
While I more or less got the tourist blow through, I had an incredible time here. The life style is very different, but it is the differences that make it enjoyable.
The temples were everything I hoped and more, and thanks to Sothik, I felt like I got a lot out of my time here. Not just with the temples, but having the chance to eat at local markets along the way, and try the food the way they do. I know for certain that is not something that would have happened had it just been left to me (hello, I ordered a pancake for my breakfast the first day) and while it may seem silly, I look at Sothik as a friend.
;Sothik and I exchanged contact information, and i hope that I can keep in touch with him. I also hope that he and his family do well in the future.
Maybe if he ever comes to the States, I can show him around some, as a friend.
It felt odd giving the two of them the envelopes of money, mostly because it felt odd to have to say goodbye in that sort of fashion, but I was more than happy to pay them for their services. I'd spent all three days saying 'no' to the people selling tourist goods so that I could give both Mr. Driver and Sothik a decent tip. It wasn't nearly as much as I would have liked, but I gave what I could.
If you are in Cambodia in the Siem Reap area, and find that you need a tour guide, please contact Sothik.
He was amazing and I promise you you will not be sorry.
Next time, I believe I will do some volunteering here in Cambodia, teaching at the orphanages or the schools. And trust me, there will be a next time. There is simply no way I cannot come back.
In fact, if I did not already have commitments in Thailand, I would probably try to stay longer.
Truly, it breaks my heart to leave.
Golden Temple Villa : Cambodia
So while here in Cambodia, I have been staying at the Golden Temple Villa. The hostel is off a side street close to the day market, and within reasonable distance of the night market as well. Once inside the entry way, you are greeted with lots of plant life and statues, with resting areas to your right, and the restaurant to your left, where you can get free water, tea, coffee and bananas, or order from their menu. Everything is reasonably priced, and of good quality. You can also purchase LARGE bottles of cold water if you like for seventy five cents. You also get free massage for thirty minutes if you like, and an additional 3/hr after that.
The staff, from my experience, are all very friendly and helpful. They do not push tours on you, so if you would like to arrange for one during your stay, you approach them. There is a computer room to the right of the desk that has multiple computers for use, all with web cam, head phones, and there is a printer for use as well, though I think that has a small fee.
Upon check in, you are shown to your room. My room is a small one bedroom with bath, no balcony. It does have a closet, a tv, and a refrigerator, and a bathroom with toilet, sink, and hot water shower. Add on air conditioning and fan option, and really its perfect. The bathroom is kind of fun as there is zero seperation between the sink, toilet, and shower, so make sure you have anything that could get damaged off the area before showering. It is a great space saver though, and something that I thought was rather crafty. They also provide toothbrush and paste, and a small cup waiting for you on the sink. There is also a small safe in the corner that I made use of. My bed feels amazing, and considering the price, I am quite happy. I've stayed at more expensive hotels in the States and have gotten less service and quality for my money, so I really recommend staying here. Plus, they set me up with a fantastic guide and driver, which really made my stay all the more enjoyable.
Each employee speaks a moderate level of English at the least, though I don't think anyone is fluent, not that that matters, as we are in Cambodia. The fact that they know any of my language is a huge plus for me and something I am thankful for.
The steps are slightly steep, but I think that is honestly the norm around here. Each level has a balcony terrace on the side if you wish to sit out there instead of downstairs in the entrance area. Whereas the entrance has a mixture of hammocks and chairs, there are only chairs for seating on the balconies.
The staff are very friendly from what I have experienced. Just earlier, in fact, a lady from the hotel surprised me with a cold towel, some tea, and peanuts, saying she noticed I had been sitting here for a while, so she brought me these to enjoy whilst I sit.
Later, I will certainly add a review to trip advisor and hostelworld for this place, but for the time being, I believe I am going to go upstairs, shower, and then go have some dinner.
The staff, from my experience, are all very friendly and helpful. They do not push tours on you, so if you would like to arrange for one during your stay, you approach them. There is a computer room to the right of the desk that has multiple computers for use, all with web cam, head phones, and there is a printer for use as well, though I think that has a small fee.
Upon check in, you are shown to your room. My room is a small one bedroom with bath, no balcony. It does have a closet, a tv, and a refrigerator, and a bathroom with toilet, sink, and hot water shower. Add on air conditioning and fan option, and really its perfect. The bathroom is kind of fun as there is zero seperation between the sink, toilet, and shower, so make sure you have anything that could get damaged off the area before showering. It is a great space saver though, and something that I thought was rather crafty. They also provide toothbrush and paste, and a small cup waiting for you on the sink. There is also a small safe in the corner that I made use of. My bed feels amazing, and considering the price, I am quite happy. I've stayed at more expensive hotels in the States and have gotten less service and quality for my money, so I really recommend staying here. Plus, they set me up with a fantastic guide and driver, which really made my stay all the more enjoyable.
Each employee speaks a moderate level of English at the least, though I don't think anyone is fluent, not that that matters, as we are in Cambodia. The fact that they know any of my language is a huge plus for me and something I am thankful for.
The steps are slightly steep, but I think that is honestly the norm around here. Each level has a balcony terrace on the side if you wish to sit out there instead of downstairs in the entrance area. Whereas the entrance has a mixture of hammocks and chairs, there are only chairs for seating on the balconies.
The staff are very friendly from what I have experienced. Just earlier, in fact, a lady from the hotel surprised me with a cold towel, some tea, and peanuts, saying she noticed I had been sitting here for a while, so she brought me these to enjoy whilst I sit.
Later, I will certainly add a review to trip advisor and hostelworld for this place, but for the time being, I believe I am going to go upstairs, shower, and then go have some dinner.
Final tuk tuk massage, Beng Mealea, and the Rolous Group.
Today is my last day in Cambodia, and I am personally very sad to leave.
We started early this morning at six am, heading out with Mr.Driver and Sothik to start our day at the temple of Beng Mealea, which was waaaayyy out in the country by way of tuk tuk. It took us a little while, but I enjoyed the ride and small talk with Sothik. For the first half it was chilly, and I found myself wishing that I had brought my hoodie. Sothik asked if I had had breakfast, and I told him that I ate my snack bar and such, and asked him if he had eaten, but apparently he had only had a small banana. He then brought up a traditional Cambodian breakfast, with pork or beef, and noodles, and I said I'd like to try that. Soon enough, we were pulled over at a stand and all of us were eating breakfast there at a local market. Sothik showed me how to eat it properly, cause I was poking at my noodles like the inexperienced chop stick person I am. I put some chili paste in there and ahhhh, it was so good. Really brought out the flavors, as well as made my lips burn a little (thats how you know its good.). The bowl was more than I could eat, but I was glad I got to try it. The bowl full of noodles, beef, and then iced tea was only .75. I was amazed at that. Something like that would cost at least $5 in the States.
While eating, Mr. Driver had to run off to purchase an e card for his phone. Apparently his children were sick and he needed to keep in contact. I did not get the chance to ask, but I hope that they are well. Perhaps I will ask tomorrow when he takes me to the airport. After having a nice breakfast with them, we got back in the tuk tuk and continued along. The trip was about 2 hours total, but again, I enjoyed myself. I liked seeing the different sights and talking with Sothik, especially since there was a breeze and it wasn't murderously hot. The every day way of life here is so different, with people riding on top of trucks piled with rice, or holding infants in arm while driving a motorcycle, but somehow they make it work. One thing I enjoyed seeing were the number of oxen and water buffaloes everywhere, something you just don't see in the States.
Beng Mealea
We got to Beng Mealea around 8:30 - 9 maybe, after a stop to purchase the extra $5 ticket and restroom break. This temple was fantastic to view. Firstly, maybe two other tourist there. Some locals were sitting outside the temple resting, while the children played amongst the ruins. On our way to the temple, Sothik got a call about his sister in law going into labor and heading to the hospital. She was only 8 months pregnant, so he called a friend at the children's hospital as well to try and check on things. As he waited to hear back from his family, we wandered around the temple taking photos, him telling me about the history.
Beng Mealea translates into "lotus pond", and is thus named for the giant lotus flowers that grow in the canal surrounding the temple. It was built as a Hindu temple, but has some Buddhist carvings as well. The temple is the most "ïn ruin"state of all the temples i've visited (and I think of them all) as a joint effort of robbery and the natural progression of the jungle. For years it was extremely difficult to reach, as roads were littered with land mines that had to be cleared, that process in and of itself being an extremely dangerous one. The history of this temple is largely unknown, and we only know a rough guess of the age due to the style of the temple being similar to Angkor Wat.
We followed the wooden path for so far, Sothik showing me various spots where I can climb around and explore on my own for a bit as well. Its amazing to see these temples in the first place, but at Beng Mealea it almost feels like you're discovering it for the first time yourself. The sheer size of the blocks is impressive in and of itself, and somehow with the building falling apart you can really appreciate the work that was put into it more.
The trees growing up and through the temple are amazing as well, and its odd to think that something that is lending to the destruction of the temple can also lend to the beauty. That being said, I was saddened to see at all of these sites various littering from tourists and locals alike. While crawling around Beng Mealea, one of the few sites where you can honestly do so, I came across water bottles or candy wrappers, and I just can't understand why you would want to litter in such a place as that. Although from what I had seen, tossing trash aside was not so uncommon in the area as I may have hoped. In the future, I imagine they won't allow you to climb the way you can in the temples. Some temples already have rules set up for preservation obviously ( do not touch the lions, do not touch the faces, do not write on the stone-) but there's a general lack of reinforcement at the sites. If someone was scaling the wall of one of the temples and was four feet in the air, I'm sure someone would shout at them, but so far at Beng Mealea, that does not exist. So Sothik and I climbed over fallen blocks, under doorways and over trees to explore the temple. I did my best to cause as little damage as possible, though its a bit difficult to do in a temple that is already more or less collapsed. That being said, the climbing was certainly a highlight.
Rolous Group
Leaving the temple, we passed several large buses of people showing up to tour the site. Sothik had succeeded again in excellent timing, helping me to avoid the masses of tourists. In the tuk tuk on the way to the Rolous Group, I gave him some pecans and we chatted about the scenery and food in general. Ahhh, food. We took a 'short cut' down a red dirt road, which I don't think was a short cut because Mr. Driver seemed lost in places, but I enjoyed it all the same. The trees and plants lining the path were heavily coated in red dust, completely changing the color of the plants. Sothik called them highlights, lol, and I suppose they were. Occasionally we'd hit a bump and get knocked around the tuk tuk, prompting Sothik to go, "ahhh, tuk tuk massage, yesss." Sothik definitely added to my trip, and I kept thinking how happy I was that he was my guide. We passed rice fields, sometimes with people in them working away, sometimes dotted with oxen or birds. Sometimes it was nothing but trees. Sothik pointed at the palm trees, calling them Cambodian Christmas trees, they decorate and then big party at night, lol. We went through several villages in the countryside, our 'short cut' giving me the opportunity to see some more of the farming life style. We stopped once for directions at a stand, where they had fish skewered on sticks and roasting up front. All the stands we have passed in general for the trip are speckled with fresh fruit of varying types, or scarves, hats, and bags depending on where the shop is set up. Along the way, Sothik got a call from his family. He chatted on the phone for a bit, smiling and laughing, and then after he hung up he happily exclaimed, "A boy!" So now he is an uncle! He seemed happy and excited for his sister in law and brother. Maybe this evening he'll get to go see them.
After another short stop for directions, we wandered out of the rice fields and onto a main road, merging with traffic once again as we exited close to the first temple.
The Rolous Group is made up of three temples, named individually as Lolei, Bakong, and Preah Ko, the group name being Rolous for the village/locals in the area.
Lolei
Lolei was the youngest of the three, built around 893 and was dedicated once again to the god Shiva. This temple was built for the kings ancestors, with towers for his mother, father, and his grand parents. The front two towers are for the males, where as the back two are for the females. The temple has many false doors, decorative elements, and is today located next to a monastery, where the monks live and keep the site holy. Photos of the site are easier to take from the back half, where the back two towers are not blocked by the ones in the front. The tops of the towers are covered in plants, most of which looked like cat tails to me.
Preah Ko
Preah Ko is the oldest of the three temples in the Rolous Group, and was made to honor the king's family, placed in relation to the god Shiva. Preah Ko is Khmer for Sacred Bull, as there are three sandstone bull carvings facing the temple in the front. These statues represent Nandi, the sacred white bull that Shiva uses as a mount.
Bakong
Bakong is the first temple mountain constructed by the rulers of the Khmer empire. It is separated by two moats, inside three concentric enclosures. Bakong has five levels, each suspected to have been coated in stucco and carved with a story. Today, only a small bit of the stucco survives. There elephants and lions on the corners of each level, in it its own state of disrepair, though still grand in their own rights. The temple is surrounded by old mango trees, none of which still bear fruit, though the shade they provide was very much welcomed. Here as well there is a monastery, as well as a prayer room for the monks with paintings dating back to its origin. You can visit inside the prayer rooms if you like. I did not however as I didn't want to be rude, taking photos of people praying and worshiping, as they were doing at the time.
We started early this morning at six am, heading out with Mr.Driver and Sothik to start our day at the temple of Beng Mealea, which was waaaayyy out in the country by way of tuk tuk. It took us a little while, but I enjoyed the ride and small talk with Sothik. For the first half it was chilly, and I found myself wishing that I had brought my hoodie. Sothik asked if I had had breakfast, and I told him that I ate my snack bar and such, and asked him if he had eaten, but apparently he had only had a small banana. He then brought up a traditional Cambodian breakfast, with pork or beef, and noodles, and I said I'd like to try that. Soon enough, we were pulled over at a stand and all of us were eating breakfast there at a local market. Sothik showed me how to eat it properly, cause I was poking at my noodles like the inexperienced chop stick person I am. I put some chili paste in there and ahhhh, it was so good. Really brought out the flavors, as well as made my lips burn a little (thats how you know its good.). The bowl was more than I could eat, but I was glad I got to try it. The bowl full of noodles, beef, and then iced tea was only .75. I was amazed at that. Something like that would cost at least $5 in the States.
While eating, Mr. Driver had to run off to purchase an e card for his phone. Apparently his children were sick and he needed to keep in contact. I did not get the chance to ask, but I hope that they are well. Perhaps I will ask tomorrow when he takes me to the airport. After having a nice breakfast with them, we got back in the tuk tuk and continued along. The trip was about 2 hours total, but again, I enjoyed myself. I liked seeing the different sights and talking with Sothik, especially since there was a breeze and it wasn't murderously hot. The every day way of life here is so different, with people riding on top of trucks piled with rice, or holding infants in arm while driving a motorcycle, but somehow they make it work. One thing I enjoyed seeing were the number of oxen and water buffaloes everywhere, something you just don't see in the States.
Beng Mealea
We got to Beng Mealea around 8:30 - 9 maybe, after a stop to purchase the extra $5 ticket and restroom break. This temple was fantastic to view. Firstly, maybe two other tourist there. Some locals were sitting outside the temple resting, while the children played amongst the ruins. On our way to the temple, Sothik got a call about his sister in law going into labor and heading to the hospital. She was only 8 months pregnant, so he called a friend at the children's hospital as well to try and check on things. As he waited to hear back from his family, we wandered around the temple taking photos, him telling me about the history.
Beng Mealea translates into "lotus pond", and is thus named for the giant lotus flowers that grow in the canal surrounding the temple. It was built as a Hindu temple, but has some Buddhist carvings as well. The temple is the most "ïn ruin"state of all the temples i've visited (and I think of them all) as a joint effort of robbery and the natural progression of the jungle. For years it was extremely difficult to reach, as roads were littered with land mines that had to be cleared, that process in and of itself being an extremely dangerous one. The history of this temple is largely unknown, and we only know a rough guess of the age due to the style of the temple being similar to Angkor Wat.
We followed the wooden path for so far, Sothik showing me various spots where I can climb around and explore on my own for a bit as well. Its amazing to see these temples in the first place, but at Beng Mealea it almost feels like you're discovering it for the first time yourself. The sheer size of the blocks is impressive in and of itself, and somehow with the building falling apart you can really appreciate the work that was put into it more.
The trees growing up and through the temple are amazing as well, and its odd to think that something that is lending to the destruction of the temple can also lend to the beauty. That being said, I was saddened to see at all of these sites various littering from tourists and locals alike. While crawling around Beng Mealea, one of the few sites where you can honestly do so, I came across water bottles or candy wrappers, and I just can't understand why you would want to litter in such a place as that. Although from what I had seen, tossing trash aside was not so uncommon in the area as I may have hoped. In the future, I imagine they won't allow you to climb the way you can in the temples. Some temples already have rules set up for preservation obviously ( do not touch the lions, do not touch the faces, do not write on the stone-) but there's a general lack of reinforcement at the sites. If someone was scaling the wall of one of the temples and was four feet in the air, I'm sure someone would shout at them, but so far at Beng Mealea, that does not exist. So Sothik and I climbed over fallen blocks, under doorways and over trees to explore the temple. I did my best to cause as little damage as possible, though its a bit difficult to do in a temple that is already more or less collapsed. That being said, the climbing was certainly a highlight.
Rolous Group
Leaving the temple, we passed several large buses of people showing up to tour the site. Sothik had succeeded again in excellent timing, helping me to avoid the masses of tourists. In the tuk tuk on the way to the Rolous Group, I gave him some pecans and we chatted about the scenery and food in general. Ahhh, food. We took a 'short cut' down a red dirt road, which I don't think was a short cut because Mr. Driver seemed lost in places, but I enjoyed it all the same. The trees and plants lining the path were heavily coated in red dust, completely changing the color of the plants. Sothik called them highlights, lol, and I suppose they were. Occasionally we'd hit a bump and get knocked around the tuk tuk, prompting Sothik to go, "ahhh, tuk tuk massage, yesss." Sothik definitely added to my trip, and I kept thinking how happy I was that he was my guide. We passed rice fields, sometimes with people in them working away, sometimes dotted with oxen or birds. Sometimes it was nothing but trees. Sothik pointed at the palm trees, calling them Cambodian Christmas trees, they decorate and then big party at night, lol. We went through several villages in the countryside, our 'short cut' giving me the opportunity to see some more of the farming life style. We stopped once for directions at a stand, where they had fish skewered on sticks and roasting up front. All the stands we have passed in general for the trip are speckled with fresh fruit of varying types, or scarves, hats, and bags depending on where the shop is set up. Along the way, Sothik got a call from his family. He chatted on the phone for a bit, smiling and laughing, and then after he hung up he happily exclaimed, "A boy!" So now he is an uncle! He seemed happy and excited for his sister in law and brother. Maybe this evening he'll get to go see them.
After another short stop for directions, we wandered out of the rice fields and onto a main road, merging with traffic once again as we exited close to the first temple.
The Rolous Group is made up of three temples, named individually as Lolei, Bakong, and Preah Ko, the group name being Rolous for the village/locals in the area.
Lolei
Lolei was the youngest of the three, built around 893 and was dedicated once again to the god Shiva. This temple was built for the kings ancestors, with towers for his mother, father, and his grand parents. The front two towers are for the males, where as the back two are for the females. The temple has many false doors, decorative elements, and is today located next to a monastery, where the monks live and keep the site holy. Photos of the site are easier to take from the back half, where the back two towers are not blocked by the ones in the front. The tops of the towers are covered in plants, most of which looked like cat tails to me.
Preah Ko
Preah Ko is the oldest of the three temples in the Rolous Group, and was made to honor the king's family, placed in relation to the god Shiva. Preah Ko is Khmer for Sacred Bull, as there are three sandstone bull carvings facing the temple in the front. These statues represent Nandi, the sacred white bull that Shiva uses as a mount.
Bakong
Bakong is the first temple mountain constructed by the rulers of the Khmer empire. It is separated by two moats, inside three concentric enclosures. Bakong has five levels, each suspected to have been coated in stucco and carved with a story. Today, only a small bit of the stucco survives. There elephants and lions on the corners of each level, in it its own state of disrepair, though still grand in their own rights. The temple is surrounded by old mango trees, none of which still bear fruit, though the shade they provide was very much welcomed. Here as well there is a monastery, as well as a prayer room for the monks with paintings dating back to its origin. You can visit inside the prayer rooms if you like. I did not however as I didn't want to be rude, taking photos of people praying and worshiping, as they were doing at the time.
Breakfast, Angkor Wat, and lunch
So I mostly told about Angkor Thom in the first post, so I figured I would finish off about Angkor Wat in here.
As described earlier, we saw the sunrise at the temple and then wandered around the outer complex before leaving for other temples. When we left, there were TONS of tourists, to the point that I was incredibly thankful that we took the side route out.
We had breakfast the first day at a place just outside the temple (Angkor Wat) it seemed, and while I debated on ordering food or not, I caved and got a glorious pancake with bananas and honey. The pancake was sweet tasting, and reminded me of corn bread honestly. It was very very good. I also got a wonderful iced coffee that just made my day. The coffee here tastes different as well, but in no way bad.
This was my first encounter with their sweet milk, which was interesting. Its a lot thicker than milk or creamer, and frankly i'm not sure what is in it, but it is very good, and I couldn't imagine putting sugar in on top of all that.
When we returned to Angkor Wat, it was more or less 'émpty' as far as the temple goes. The giant mass of tourists were all having lunch and a break, as most guide books suggest giving tourists a time to rest around then. Sothik took advantage of that and I was thankful he did. We entered from a side gate again, taking photos of some of the far lying buildings before walking around. We came up a side road that we had passed earlier that day with the monkeys, and I stopped and filmed/watched some of them for a while before we wandered on.
Sothik told me a funny story about how when he was younger, he used to be afraid of the monkeys. Well one time, he was standing with a friend watching them in a tree when one of them suddenly jumped down from the tree, straight at him, so he freaked, covered his face, and just punched out, completely cold cocking the monkey in the face, lol. He didn't mean to, but it was a KO, flawless victory, and the monkey ran off to harass someone else. That's one way to over come your fear. We joked about a monkey that was all sprawled out in the middle of the road, saying that was the one from before and it had simply never recovered.
We came upon Angkor Wat from the back side, taking photos and basically ruling over the kingdom as there wasn't another tourist in site.
Entering from the back, he showed me the carvings and told me the stories behind each one, several themes that I would see in many of the temples later through my visit. He took me through passages that were off the 'way of visit' to get to specific areas, and with his eye for photography, showed me some great places for shots, all while telling me the history of the temple.
In some cases, we walked along the outer ledges of the temple to get to spots, or sometimes just shade, whatever held the highest value at the moment.
We talked a little about his history, and it caught me off guard a little bit. When he was younger, he studied with the monks of Angkor Wat for a few years, (which is also where he learned English), because of the war in Cambodia. In the war, his mother had already lost 11 children, and she was worried if he went into town that they would be split up and lost from each other, and she didn't want that to happen again. So he lived with the monks for a while, learning English and other things, before leaving that life style. He practiced his English in hotels for a few years, and then doing tours. Apparently he met Angelina Jolie when she was filming out here, serving her food and water at her hotel. What caught me off guard though was that people living now were still directly effected by the war. I had read briefly about it while doing some research on Cambodia, but I guess I never thought that some people today were people who had lived through that time period. Sothik isn't that much older than me either, he's only ...what? 31? 32? We also passed musicians playing outside the temple who were victims of land mines, all missing arms, or legs, or blinded. It was a shocking reminder how different our lives can be.
It isn't all bad memories though, of course. When asked, Sothik told me his favorite temple was the Angkor Wat, as he grew up with it always in view, even at his mothers house as a child. They would go out, pick wild mushrooms, fruits, and go swimming in the moat, all with the temple in the background. That sounds pretty lovely to me, and I was glad he had moments like those as well. He seems a really kind, fun loving individual, and I keep finding myself happy that he's the guide I ended up with.
He was very open about all of this, and at first I wondered if I should include it or not, but I decided to in the end because Cambodia is not just about the temples. Cambodia is its people, and their history. Should I hear that he does not wish for this to be told, I will gladly remove it from my post.
The Angkor Wat temple turned out to be everything I dreamed of and more. It was amazing seeing the sun rise, how the sky went from speckled with stars to the slow shift of blue into oranges and pinks. It was incredible to look at the size and complexity of the building and think about the fact that we're not building anything of this grandeur in today's day and age, with all of our machines and know how. The carvings were all intricate, beautiful artistry, all bold and yet delicate at the same time.
The women carved into the temple were individuals, each with different outfits, poses, and hair styles.
We even found "the most beautiful woman" amongst them, her mouth actually open and exposing teeth.
I loved it. I loved it all, and I'm so happy I decided to come here.
Lunch was at another stop along the road, though this place was the 'fanciest' we've been to so far. I got chicken stir fry with peppers and greens, with rice and egg on the side. Another iced coffee, helloooo, all for about six dollars. With both breakfast and lunch, I ate by myself, as Sothik and Mr. Driver ate either together or with other guides. It was both lonely and relaxing at the same time. Lonely not because I dislike eating alone, but mainly because it would have been fun to talk to someone about the things I'd seen, but relaxing because I honestly don't know that I could have carried a conversation with anyone I didn't know well at that point, so it was nice to not have to worry about small talk and to just be able to relax. I watched some of the other tourist, as well as this giant skink that was parading back and forth at the entrance way.
Over all, this temple lived up to everything I expected and more, and I know I wouldn't of had as good a visit if it weren't for Sothik and his knowledge of the temple/times to visit.
All other photos shall be posted on Facebook.
As described earlier, we saw the sunrise at the temple and then wandered around the outer complex before leaving for other temples. When we left, there were TONS of tourists, to the point that I was incredibly thankful that we took the side route out.
We had breakfast the first day at a place just outside the temple (Angkor Wat) it seemed, and while I debated on ordering food or not, I caved and got a glorious pancake with bananas and honey. The pancake was sweet tasting, and reminded me of corn bread honestly. It was very very good. I also got a wonderful iced coffee that just made my day. The coffee here tastes different as well, but in no way bad.
This was my first encounter with their sweet milk, which was interesting. Its a lot thicker than milk or creamer, and frankly i'm not sure what is in it, but it is very good, and I couldn't imagine putting sugar in on top of all that.
When we returned to Angkor Wat, it was more or less 'émpty' as far as the temple goes. The giant mass of tourists were all having lunch and a break, as most guide books suggest giving tourists a time to rest around then. Sothik took advantage of that and I was thankful he did. We entered from a side gate again, taking photos of some of the far lying buildings before walking around. We came up a side road that we had passed earlier that day with the monkeys, and I stopped and filmed/watched some of them for a while before we wandered on.
Sothik told me a funny story about how when he was younger, he used to be afraid of the monkeys. Well one time, he was standing with a friend watching them in a tree when one of them suddenly jumped down from the tree, straight at him, so he freaked, covered his face, and just punched out, completely cold cocking the monkey in the face, lol. He didn't mean to, but it was a KO, flawless victory, and the monkey ran off to harass someone else. That's one way to over come your fear. We joked about a monkey that was all sprawled out in the middle of the road, saying that was the one from before and it had simply never recovered.
We came upon Angkor Wat from the back side, taking photos and basically ruling over the kingdom as there wasn't another tourist in site.
Entering from the back, he showed me the carvings and told me the stories behind each one, several themes that I would see in many of the temples later through my visit. He took me through passages that were off the 'way of visit' to get to specific areas, and with his eye for photography, showed me some great places for shots, all while telling me the history of the temple.
In some cases, we walked along the outer ledges of the temple to get to spots, or sometimes just shade, whatever held the highest value at the moment.We talked a little about his history, and it caught me off guard a little bit. When he was younger, he studied with the monks of Angkor Wat for a few years, (which is also where he learned English), because of the war in Cambodia. In the war, his mother had already lost 11 children, and she was worried if he went into town that they would be split up and lost from each other, and she didn't want that to happen again. So he lived with the monks for a while, learning English and other things, before leaving that life style. He practiced his English in hotels for a few years, and then doing tours. Apparently he met Angelina Jolie when she was filming out here, serving her food and water at her hotel. What caught me off guard though was that people living now were still directly effected by the war. I had read briefly about it while doing some research on Cambodia, but I guess I never thought that some people today were people who had lived through that time period. Sothik isn't that much older than me either, he's only ...what? 31? 32? We also passed musicians playing outside the temple who were victims of land mines, all missing arms, or legs, or blinded. It was a shocking reminder how different our lives can be.
It isn't all bad memories though, of course. When asked, Sothik told me his favorite temple was the Angkor Wat, as he grew up with it always in view, even at his mothers house as a child. They would go out, pick wild mushrooms, fruits, and go swimming in the moat, all with the temple in the background. That sounds pretty lovely to me, and I was glad he had moments like those as well. He seems a really kind, fun loving individual, and I keep finding myself happy that he's the guide I ended up with.
He was very open about all of this, and at first I wondered if I should include it or not, but I decided to in the end because Cambodia is not just about the temples. Cambodia is its people, and their history. Should I hear that he does not wish for this to be told, I will gladly remove it from my post.
The Angkor Wat temple turned out to be everything I dreamed of and more. It was amazing seeing the sun rise, how the sky went from speckled with stars to the slow shift of blue into oranges and pinks. It was incredible to look at the size and complexity of the building and think about the fact that we're not building anything of this grandeur in today's day and age, with all of our machines and know how. The carvings were all intricate, beautiful artistry, all bold and yet delicate at the same time.
The women carved into the temple were individuals, each with different outfits, poses, and hair styles.
We even found "the most beautiful woman" amongst them, her mouth actually open and exposing teeth.
I loved it. I loved it all, and I'm so happy I decided to come here.
Lunch was at another stop along the road, though this place was the 'fanciest' we've been to so far. I got chicken stir fry with peppers and greens, with rice and egg on the side. Another iced coffee, helloooo, all for about six dollars. With both breakfast and lunch, I ate by myself, as Sothik and Mr. Driver ate either together or with other guides. It was both lonely and relaxing at the same time. Lonely not because I dislike eating alone, but mainly because it would have been fun to talk to someone about the things I'd seen, but relaxing because I honestly don't know that I could have carried a conversation with anyone I didn't know well at that point, so it was nice to not have to worry about small talk and to just be able to relax. I watched some of the other tourist, as well as this giant skink that was parading back and forth at the entrance way.
Over all, this temple lived up to everything I expected and more, and I know I wouldn't of had as good a visit if it weren't for Sothik and his knowledge of the temple/times to visit.
All other photos shall be posted on Facebook.
Pre Rup, and not falling down stairs.
Our last stop for today was Pre Rup. Originally the tour called for a few other temples but since we took the tuk tuk tour through the country, time did not allowed for it. Honestly, I was fine with that. I think trying to cram all those temples into one day would've been exhausting. Hell, doing the two we did was exhausting.
We had passed Pre Rup on our way out to Kbal Spean, and I had intelligently noted, "That looks like brick."
"That would be because it is brick," said my guide, so hey, score one for observation? While I say brick, and he says brick, I do not think we are thinking of the same thing. Or maybe we are? I have no real idea how bricks are made so I have nothing to really get into scientifically, nor do I really care to honestly.
The temple is HUGE, and apparently the oldest one out of all the temples in the area. It is a temple mountain of combined brick, laterite, and sandstone.
Originally it was covered in stucco, hiding the brick and sandstone from view, but over time that has mostly disappeared, exposing the bright red and black sandstone to the world. The temple is believed to have been used as a crematorium, basically, with the rather modern name meaning to "turn the body," a name reflecting the common belief that this was a burial spot, with the ashes being ritually rotated in different directions as the process progressed. This temple is another one dedicated to Shiva. The giant natural staircases are flanked by lions, all in varying states of condition. Some are nothing but holes at this point, whereas some are mostly complete. A couple lie in ruins just beneath the base. From the top most base, you can spot one of the spires of Angkor Wat, which was pretty impressive to see.
The red sandstone was a brilliant contrast to the bright blue sky, and made for amazing pictures. Inside several of the temple areas, the enormity of what they built can really be seen. I will be sure to update with photos as soon as possible.
After all the climbing and hiking, my legs had gotten slightly sore, so wandering up and down the stairs was something best done slowly, without a doubt. I find the sides of the stairways to be easiest to climb, as in most cases you have a ledge to place your hand against. I've passed several tourist these past two days who look at an area, for example the top most complex of Angkor Wat, and go, "How high up is that? And thats the only way up? Welp, won't be seeing that, thank you very much," which is very understandable.
Sothik was telling me on the hike that certain areas he can't take his guests depending on their age/condition, or how hes had quite a few times where people thought they could go up, and then they'd either get half way up or would be coming down and would just freeze, so he'd end up spending a good amount of time safely walking them back down. The stairs are without a doubt steep, and in some cases there's no room for your full foot, even turned sideways. Thank you Inca Trail for preparing me for that pleasure. As for me, I figure I didn't fly all the way from the US to look up at the places I'd like to see.
The danger is very real though. Just two days before visiting Angkor Wat, Sothik told me a Chinese tourist fell from a ledge, cracked his head and broke his arm. At one of the other temples we visited, a Japanese lady fell to her death. So there is no fooling around on the staircases, and if you suffer from vertigo or unsteady footing, do not attempt to climb up some of these. Know your limits, because a picture isn't worth the fall.
We had passed Pre Rup on our way out to Kbal Spean, and I had intelligently noted, "That looks like brick."
The temple is HUGE, and apparently the oldest one out of all the temples in the area. It is a temple mountain of combined brick, laterite, and sandstone.
Originally it was covered in stucco, hiding the brick and sandstone from view, but over time that has mostly disappeared, exposing the bright red and black sandstone to the world. The temple is believed to have been used as a crematorium, basically, with the rather modern name meaning to "turn the body," a name reflecting the common belief that this was a burial spot, with the ashes being ritually rotated in different directions as the process progressed. This temple is another one dedicated to Shiva. The giant natural staircases are flanked by lions, all in varying states of condition. Some are nothing but holes at this point, whereas some are mostly complete. A couple lie in ruins just beneath the base. From the top most base, you can spot one of the spires of Angkor Wat, which was pretty impressive to see.
The red sandstone was a brilliant contrast to the bright blue sky, and made for amazing pictures. Inside several of the temple areas, the enormity of what they built can really be seen. I will be sure to update with photos as soon as possible.
After all the climbing and hiking, my legs had gotten slightly sore, so wandering up and down the stairs was something best done slowly, without a doubt. I find the sides of the stairways to be easiest to climb, as in most cases you have a ledge to place your hand against. I've passed several tourist these past two days who look at an area, for example the top most complex of Angkor Wat, and go, "How high up is that? And thats the only way up? Welp, won't be seeing that, thank you very much," which is very understandable.
Sothik was telling me on the hike that certain areas he can't take his guests depending on their age/condition, or how hes had quite a few times where people thought they could go up, and then they'd either get half way up or would be coming down and would just freeze, so he'd end up spending a good amount of time safely walking them back down. The stairs are without a doubt steep, and in some cases there's no room for your full foot, even turned sideways. Thank you Inca Trail for preparing me for that pleasure. As for me, I figure I didn't fly all the way from the US to look up at the places I'd like to see.
The danger is very real though. Just two days before visiting Angkor Wat, Sothik told me a Chinese tourist fell from a ledge, cracked his head and broke his arm. At one of the other temples we visited, a Japanese lady fell to her death. So there is no fooling around on the staircases, and if you suffer from vertigo or unsteady footing, do not attempt to climb up some of these. Know your limits, because a picture isn't worth the fall.
Banteay Srei, eating flowers, and listening when someone tells you not to eat the whole pepper.
So we left Kbal Spean and after a short tuk tuk ride later, arrived at the smallest temple so far, though that in no way means it wasn't beautiful. This temple is called the Lady Temple, though somewhat inappropriately. Also known as Banteay Srei, it is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is built largely of red sandstone, which has lent to its exquisite carvings.
When you enter the complex, you are greeted with women selling artfully cut pineapples and children following you with postcards or books for sale. I know I should feel like a jerk telling all the kids no, but after a while it becomes a bit of an art. I'd watched several tourist give into one child, and immediately be swarmed by ten others who would seemingly appear out of nowhere. Talent. Besides, I have other plans for my money, which I will get to later.
The temple itself is incredibly beautiful, despite its 'smaller size' when compared to other sites in the region. The carvings are exquisite, and very well preserved. The modern name of Banteay Srei means more or less, "city of women"or "citadel of beauty,"and has been attributed to these carvings. Originally people wondered if the temple had actually been built by women, but from what I understand that was discredited through findings around the site. The site is surrounded by a giant moat, as well as a larger outer wall on which we passed several children playing. The sun was high over head at this point and very hot, but we wandered around the complex taking photos from different angles and vantage points.
After the temple, we hopped the tuk tuk for about another 30 minutes before stopping at a stand off the road for lunch. Sothik and Mr. Driver sat with me for lunch this time, and I had a big bowl of rice noodles and a glass of tea for one dollar. The rice noodle dish was a local Cambodian dish that Sothik recommended, and was rather good. On the table were two bowls of flowers, which at first I thought was decoration until I saw Mr. Driver picking them up and putting them on his food. Sothik saw me watching and asked if I wanted to try, so I did! It was honestly pretty good. He also gave me a pickle to add to my dish, and then showed me how to eat a pepper with it. The pepper was tiny, tiiiiiiinnny, but he warned me to just take a small bite, not eat the whole thing like he did. First, you get a mouth full of the noodles and vegetables from your bowl, then, in my case, eat a small bite of the chili. I'm glad I listened because woooow, that chili was insane! My eyes started watering and my whole body was crying, but after choking I said it was good. Sothik and Mr. Driver started laughing, but over the process of the bowl I finished it. Maybe one day I can eat them whole like Sothik, but I think if I had tried that today I would have been buried with the flowers I was eating. Mr. Driver practiced some English words as I butchered some Khmer ones. Over all it was a fun exchange, and I was glad they decided to eat with me.
When you enter the complex, you are greeted with women selling artfully cut pineapples and children following you with postcards or books for sale. I know I should feel like a jerk telling all the kids no, but after a while it becomes a bit of an art. I'd watched several tourist give into one child, and immediately be swarmed by ten others who would seemingly appear out of nowhere. Talent. Besides, I have other plans for my money, which I will get to later.
The temple itself is incredibly beautiful, despite its 'smaller size' when compared to other sites in the region. The carvings are exquisite, and very well preserved. The modern name of Banteay Srei means more or less, "city of women"or "citadel of beauty,"and has been attributed to these carvings. Originally people wondered if the temple had actually been built by women, but from what I understand that was discredited through findings around the site. The site is surrounded by a giant moat, as well as a larger outer wall on which we passed several children playing. The sun was high over head at this point and very hot, but we wandered around the complex taking photos from different angles and vantage points. 
After the temple, we hopped the tuk tuk for about another 30 minutes before stopping at a stand off the road for lunch. Sothik and Mr. Driver sat with me for lunch this time, and I had a big bowl of rice noodles and a glass of tea for one dollar. The rice noodle dish was a local Cambodian dish that Sothik recommended, and was rather good. On the table were two bowls of flowers, which at first I thought was decoration until I saw Mr. Driver picking them up and putting them on his food. Sothik saw me watching and asked if I wanted to try, so I did! It was honestly pretty good. He also gave me a pickle to add to my dish, and then showed me how to eat a pepper with it. The pepper was tiny, tiiiiiiinnny, but he warned me to just take a small bite, not eat the whole thing like he did. First, you get a mouth full of the noodles and vegetables from your bowl, then, in my case, eat a small bite of the chili. I'm glad I listened because woooow, that chili was insane! My eyes started watering and my whole body was crying, but after choking I said it was good. Sothik and Mr. Driver started laughing, but over the process of the bowl I finished it. Maybe one day I can eat them whole like Sothik, but I think if I had tried that today I would have been buried with the flowers I was eating. Mr. Driver practiced some English words as I butchered some Khmer ones. Over all it was a fun exchange, and I was glad they decided to eat with me.
Hiking, waterfalls, giant tree roots and Kbal Spean.
So this morning I came down to meet Mr. Driver and Sothik outside the hostel. They were gathered around with a group of other Tuk tuk drivers but came over once they saw I was outside. Mr. Driver spotted me first actually, lol. The other drivers all waved and said good morning, and after some small talk we got into our Tuk tuk and headed out.
The trip was maybe an hour and a half by tuk tuk, which Sothik joked about but said it was fine. I actually rather enjoyed the drive. We went through the country side and I got a chance to see all sorts of things. Schools, orphanages, shops, whole communities working in rice fields. Some places were extremely picturesque, with the houses up on stilts, rice fields out into the distance where a mountain rises from the background. Lots of oxen as well.
Sothik and I talked about different stuff. His dream is to own a really nice camera, and he'd like to be able to travel, even if its just locally, to bike around with friends and meet new people. He told me about this one trip where he and two friends put a bike in the back of a truck, rode along with them for a while until they found a pretty place, then got out and biked for the day. That night they found a monastery, stayed with the monks for the night, and continued in on the morning. It sounded like a pretty nice trip.
After a bit, we stopped at this local seller where Sothik showed me the process of collecting juice from a flower, boiling it, and then finally the final product, which we toasted and drank.
It was sweet with an interesting after taste.
I looked around the shop and found beautiful tea pots all carved from coconut trees, so the color changes were incredibly interesting to the eye, not to mention the craftsmanship. I didn't buy one however, as no one I know is in need of a tea pot. I did like them though. A lot.
;Sothik took me over to show me some natural sugar that the lady had made. It was cut into smaller sized pieces and extremely sweet to the taste, but very good.
It was really interesting to hear the process of how they go about making these things, with all natural ingredients that they just find in their own back yard and then mix together, and I watched as Sothik purchased a nice amount of it for his mother.
We wandered over to a palm tree that had a ladder strapped onto it, which I then proceeded to climb lol. Even though it was made from bamboo and tethered to the tree by a vine, it felt a lot more secure and sturdy than any of the ladders I've been on at home. Plus, it was fun.
We continued on in our tuk tuk through more villages, fields, and back roads until we came to our hiking spot, which would lead us up to Kbal Spean. Kbal Spean is an Angkorian era archaeological site, also known as "The River of a Thousand Lingas," lingas being very popular in Angkorian carvings/statues.
The hike was exciting. It was still early in the morning so the sun wasn't over bearing yet, and there was lots of shade along the way. The climb was uneven and spotted with tree roots, and in some spots basically bowled over with rocks that you then had to climb hand and foot over.
Sothik told me that in the rainy season its often closed, because there's simply no getting up the mountain to the falls when its pouring. I imagine if its raining in that terrain you'd basically be hiking in a waterfall anyway. The trees were amazing, and Sothik would point out one occasionally telling me that uses they had found for it.
Some I just ended up hanging from.
We passed a few people, some groups, some workers.
One thing of note, there are a group of workers whose job is to sweep leaves from the forest. They are using hand made brooms that consist of a semi-thick branch for the body of the broom, and lots of tiny twigs as the base. It seems like a pretty thankless job if you ask me.
Sothik taught me the casual form of hello and was all, "quick, su saw dey, su saw dey--" (phonetically Sue Saw Day)
me, " meehhhh"
him, "Come on, 1, 2, 3, --" xD
So then we stayed and chatted with them for a little bit. He asked them how it was going and one of the ladies was talking to him openly, saying they work hard but its hard to make any money.
As we walked along, I asked him if he did well with doing the English speaking tours, and he confessed not really. During the busy season they work really hard, but when its off season they have to work hard just to find jobs. The price of living goes up and up but raises are pretty much nonexistent. He knows people who have been teaching for 20, 40 years, and never had a single raise in income, despite costs going up.
When visiting Kbal Spean, most people start with the top of the falls and then work their way down to the big drop. Naturally, we did the exact opposite. After scrambling over some huge rocks and down a side path, we arrived at the falls, which you could hear before even seeing. They were "small"in comparison to normal, but they were still very beautiful. The falls are down in this gorge, the base being a giant rock bed that has been smoothed over by years of erosion. Vines and moss hang down from the ledges where enormous rocks and tree roots form the barrier.
I told myself I wasn't going to get wet since I hadn't brought another pair of clothes, but that turned out to be a total lie as I wandered around underneath them following the rainbow created by the falls.
The water felt cool, cold and refreshing, and when I got out I felt very at ease and rejuvenated.
Sothik told me that people consider the falls sacred, and believe that standing under it can rid the body of illnesses and be healing. I'd have to say I could believe that. Sothik bottled some of the water for his mom, and then we crouched down and ran our hands through the stream for a while before continuing on.
Just above the falls we came to our first set of carvings, bas reliefs that have been carved into one of the giant stones overhanging the falls. Part of the carvings had been knocked out and stolen, as recently as 2005 according to Sothik.
We continued along until coming to the part of the river where thousands of small bumps had been carved into the river bed under the water. Each raised bump was actually a linga, hence the term "valley of a thousand lingas"and such. Along with the lingas, several Hindu gods are depicted in the stones, as well as inscriptions that become exposed when the water level decreases.
Several of the carvings have to do with the Hindu belief of creation. Another feature found in the carvings is one consistent with the yoni, or "the female principal." The carvings were beautiful, and it was incredible to see basically 90% of them were all done under the water.
As we followed the river down, we crossed a natural bridge filled with hollows formed by the water during the rainy season.
We ended up hanging out here for a while while I snapped photos and looked at the surrounding area, and he chatted with another guide.
I had a butterfly land on my hand, which really surprised me considering I was waving it around like a special...special child. Another one joined him and for a while I had two beautiful rings of butterflies.
As we followed the river down, Sothik pointed out more carvings along the river side, until finally we came to the spot to cross, which was basically a path of rocks half submerged by the water. Sothik tested them first, stopping half way to ask if I thought I could do it. I was already shoving my phone down into my bag to start my way across. The rocks weren't placed, so it was a lot of stepping and leaning with the natural sway of the stone, but Sothik helped me across and I didn't take a dip or anything so it was fun. Actually it would have been fun even if I had ended up in the stream. Extra blessed.
On the way back down, we had a good time joking about some of the other people we had seen. We had passed several women who looked flawless in their gowns, fancy shoes, and in one case, all white clothing. Flawless being of course if they were in a city or out for some night life. Perfect outfits for hiking, however? The high heels especially were a nice touch. One lady was funny though. She wasn't dressed inappropriately for the adventure, but was hiking up by herself while we were hiking down.
"Äh," Sothik greeted her, "lonely hiker?" She laughed and said yes, yes indeed she was, but he assured her that it was no problem, she would meet someone at the top. She passed me at this point, covered in sweat like all of us, and says in this dry tone, "hope hes worth it!"
The trip was maybe an hour and a half by tuk tuk, which Sothik joked about but said it was fine. I actually rather enjoyed the drive. We went through the country side and I got a chance to see all sorts of things. Schools, orphanages, shops, whole communities working in rice fields. Some places were extremely picturesque, with the houses up on stilts, rice fields out into the distance where a mountain rises from the background. Lots of oxen as well.
Sothik and I talked about different stuff. His dream is to own a really nice camera, and he'd like to be able to travel, even if its just locally, to bike around with friends and meet new people. He told me about this one trip where he and two friends put a bike in the back of a truck, rode along with them for a while until they found a pretty place, then got out and biked for the day. That night they found a monastery, stayed with the monks for the night, and continued in on the morning. It sounded like a pretty nice trip.
After a bit, we stopped at this local seller where Sothik showed me the process of collecting juice from a flower, boiling it, and then finally the final product, which we toasted and drank.
It was sweet with an interesting after taste.
I looked around the shop and found beautiful tea pots all carved from coconut trees, so the color changes were incredibly interesting to the eye, not to mention the craftsmanship. I didn't buy one however, as no one I know is in need of a tea pot. I did like them though. A lot.
;Sothik took me over to show me some natural sugar that the lady had made. It was cut into smaller sized pieces and extremely sweet to the taste, but very good.
It was really interesting to hear the process of how they go about making these things, with all natural ingredients that they just find in their own back yard and then mix together, and I watched as Sothik purchased a nice amount of it for his mother.
We wandered over to a palm tree that had a ladder strapped onto it, which I then proceeded to climb lol. Even though it was made from bamboo and tethered to the tree by a vine, it felt a lot more secure and sturdy than any of the ladders I've been on at home. Plus, it was fun.
We continued on in our tuk tuk through more villages, fields, and back roads until we came to our hiking spot, which would lead us up to Kbal Spean. Kbal Spean is an Angkorian era archaeological site, also known as "The River of a Thousand Lingas," lingas being very popular in Angkorian carvings/statues.
The hike was exciting. It was still early in the morning so the sun wasn't over bearing yet, and there was lots of shade along the way. The climb was uneven and spotted with tree roots, and in some spots basically bowled over with rocks that you then had to climb hand and foot over.
Sothik told me that in the rainy season its often closed, because there's simply no getting up the mountain to the falls when its pouring. I imagine if its raining in that terrain you'd basically be hiking in a waterfall anyway. The trees were amazing, and Sothik would point out one occasionally telling me that uses they had found for it.
Some I just ended up hanging from.
We passed a few people, some groups, some workers.
One thing of note, there are a group of workers whose job is to sweep leaves from the forest. They are using hand made brooms that consist of a semi-thick branch for the body of the broom, and lots of tiny twigs as the base. It seems like a pretty thankless job if you ask me.
Sothik taught me the casual form of hello and was all, "quick, su saw dey, su saw dey--" (phonetically Sue Saw Day)
me, " meehhhh"
him, "Come on, 1, 2, 3, --" xD
So then we stayed and chatted with them for a little bit. He asked them how it was going and one of the ladies was talking to him openly, saying they work hard but its hard to make any money.
As we walked along, I asked him if he did well with doing the English speaking tours, and he confessed not really. During the busy season they work really hard, but when its off season they have to work hard just to find jobs. The price of living goes up and up but raises are pretty much nonexistent. He knows people who have been teaching for 20, 40 years, and never had a single raise in income, despite costs going up.
When visiting Kbal Spean, most people start with the top of the falls and then work their way down to the big drop. Naturally, we did the exact opposite. After scrambling over some huge rocks and down a side path, we arrived at the falls, which you could hear before even seeing. They were "small"in comparison to normal, but they were still very beautiful. The falls are down in this gorge, the base being a giant rock bed that has been smoothed over by years of erosion. Vines and moss hang down from the ledges where enormous rocks and tree roots form the barrier.
I told myself I wasn't going to get wet since I hadn't brought another pair of clothes, but that turned out to be a total lie as I wandered around underneath them following the rainbow created by the falls.
The water felt cool, cold and refreshing, and when I got out I felt very at ease and rejuvenated.
Sothik told me that people consider the falls sacred, and believe that standing under it can rid the body of illnesses and be healing. I'd have to say I could believe that. Sothik bottled some of the water for his mom, and then we crouched down and ran our hands through the stream for a while before continuing on.
Just above the falls we came to our first set of carvings, bas reliefs that have been carved into one of the giant stones overhanging the falls. Part of the carvings had been knocked out and stolen, as recently as 2005 according to Sothik.
We continued along until coming to the part of the river where thousands of small bumps had been carved into the river bed under the water. Each raised bump was actually a linga, hence the term "valley of a thousand lingas"and such. Along with the lingas, several Hindu gods are depicted in the stones, as well as inscriptions that become exposed when the water level decreases.
Several of the carvings have to do with the Hindu belief of creation. Another feature found in the carvings is one consistent with the yoni, or "the female principal." The carvings were beautiful, and it was incredible to see basically 90% of them were all done under the water.
As we followed the river down, we crossed a natural bridge filled with hollows formed by the water during the rainy season.
We ended up hanging out here for a while while I snapped photos and looked at the surrounding area, and he chatted with another guide.
As we followed the river down, Sothik pointed out more carvings along the river side, until finally we came to the spot to cross, which was basically a path of rocks half submerged by the water. Sothik tested them first, stopping half way to ask if I thought I could do it. I was already shoving my phone down into my bag to start my way across. The rocks weren't placed, so it was a lot of stepping and leaning with the natural sway of the stone, but Sothik helped me across and I didn't take a dip or anything so it was fun. Actually it would have been fun even if I had ended up in the stream. Extra blessed.
On the way back down, we had a good time joking about some of the other people we had seen. We had passed several women who looked flawless in their gowns, fancy shoes, and in one case, all white clothing. Flawless being of course if they were in a city or out for some night life. Perfect outfits for hiking, however? The high heels especially were a nice touch. One lady was funny though. She wasn't dressed inappropriately for the adventure, but was hiking up by herself while we were hiking down.
"Äh," Sothik greeted her, "lonely hiker?" She laughed and said yes, yes indeed she was, but he assured her that it was no problem, she would meet someone at the top. She passed me at this point, covered in sweat like all of us, and says in this dry tone, "hope hes worth it!"
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
First Day out and about
So since i'm a glutton for punishment, I had set up a Sunrise tour for the very first day.I figured why the hell not, sleep on the plane, pass out immediately and then hate yourself for the next few hours. Typical day in the life, eh? The hostel here is nice. My room is simple, but the bed is wonderful and the toilet flushes and thats all I really need. Bonus though, I get free water, coffee, and bananas (the reallllll ones), and my room has a mini fridge. Sweet.
.JPG)
So my alarm goes off at 4:30, and for a minute I had the joy of not knowing where I was really which is always a fun experience. That quickly went away though when I was trying to remember why the hell my alarm was going off so early. Met my English speaking tour guide downstairs at 5. His name is Sothik and he is happily quite a fun guy to be around! We met Mr.Driver outside and set off to Angkor Wat to see the sunrise. The ride there was mildly chilly due to the open sides and the wind, but it was still enjoyable. Sort of chatted with Sothik, as we all know i'm the queen of small talk and first impressions. At the entrance of the temple you are required to purchase a pass, which they print with your photo on it (yay! 5 am photo op!) and then you have to present this at the entrance to every temple. The lady taking my photo was asking if my family were Cambodian, lol, and I got really confused and was like "What? ...No?" lol. Even my guide as we were walking away was like, "I have no idea why she would be asking you that." He laughs easy, which is good because later through the day I notice a lot of guides being very factual and stiff with their groups and individuals. He took me around a side entrance for Angkor Wat as literally ALL of the other tourist took the central route. We got to the moat/lake area before anyone else and I was able to get a spot right up front on the left hand side (the sun rises to the right of the temple in December) before this HUGE crowd got there. Yay! Score one for the shorties! I spent a lot of time star gazing as it was still really dark. There were four stars (one of which I'm sure was a planet) lined up just behind the temple pointing right down at it, with the Moon as the base. It was beautiful, but my camera couldn't capture it really. Doesn't mean I didn't take photos though.
.JPG)
The sun came up behind the temple, and though Sothik says the colors weren't as beautiful as usual since there were no clouds, I still thought it was pretty amazing.
The lake in front was covered in pink water lillies as well, with dragon flies shooting around and fish jumping up trying to eat them. It was really really cool. Then, once the sun was up, everyone headed to go inside the Temple, but Sothik took me around the temple instead. We took a side road, taking photos from different areas. Sothik has an interest in photography, dreaming of one day owning a really nice camera himself, and knew some of the best places to get good photos, which was really cool. We passed a group of monkeys bouncing in the trees and hustling some tourist for goods. One gave me the side eye, so I was forced to give it back. I think he knew that there would be fight going down if he went for my snack bar, and frankly it was too early in the day for all that. He turned to a plumper visitor and left me alone. Sothik showed me the monks cleaning out a cemetery, as well as another one on the far sides of the grounds. We went around and looked at the old Buddha statue on the far side and followed the trail back around to the front. He showed me some interesting plants and wild life while we walked. I was confused at first about why we weren't going in, but he said he would come back later once all the tourist were gone. It was funny to be a tourist myself and be like, "yeah, damn those tourist."
We then went to Angkor Thom via the East gate. He showed me how the bridge leading up to the gate was made of a God on one side, and a Demon on the other, both holding the body of a long snake. Apparently there is a story of the God and the Demon working together to hold the snake, twisting it around a mountain and causing the currents of the divine sea to swirl around. This image would come up quite often through the day. The gate itself was very impressive, as was this little old Japanese lady who either wanted to be a part of my tour or who didnt know/care enough to get the hell out of photos. I'm not sure which. Maybe she just wanted to be a part of my trip experience. Once inside, and after playing hopscoth with a few Tuk Tuk drivers (trust no one), Sothik and I climbed up the side of the gate, over ruins and took some photos at the top.
Again, to be updated once in Thailand with photos. Angkor Thom, also known as Bayon, was super cool, with all of the ruins having faces EVERYWHERE. Sothik once again took me around the crowds, showing me all the interesting details of the temple, while also giving good advice. ("You hear the bats? Yeah they live up th- don't open your mouth. They might bless you.") At one point, we came to a set of natural stairs (you know, the kind you fall down and die) and he jokingly asked if I would like to climb them. Little did he know, I have no sense of humor-- He was really surprised when I looked at him and went, "...can I?" Him, "What, you actually want to?"
me, "If I actually can, then cha."
Him, "....are you..are you sure?"
So he ended up holding my bag as I climbed to the top and took several photos, as well as a video lol. I photobombed multiple photos as well as I'd peak my head out a window or come around the side. Multiple tourist would be taking photos of the lovely temple and then i'd come peaking out a window all :3 lol. There was a Korean group coming through the doorway at the bottom as I climbed down and I didn't realize they were watching me, but once I jumped off the stairs for the last drop they were all, "waaaa, *claps, claps*"
me, "...*bows, poses-*"
Several of the temples we went to had steep staircases, and I was able to climb them all, mwhahaha. I figure once I get home I will update with a post on each temple, as I think if I did it here, i'd be up til it was time to meet Sothik and Mr.Driver again. They were all VERY very beautiful though, and it was wonderful to finally see some of the things I've been dreaming about since I was 10 and saw it in mom's old National Geographic magazine collection. Another bucket list item bites the dust. Hoo-wah.
Trip to Cambodia
So, my total time on planes yesterday came to about 23 hours, lol. Yayyy. But um...Flew up from Daytona, and chilled in the ATL airport for about three hours, which was kind of cool because it gave me a little bit to explore the F terminal, which I haven't had much of a chance to do before. Also, since I was switching to Delta partner Korean Air, I had to switch out my ticket for another one from them. They had to look at my passport and everything again (I had to get it out a lot more than I had thought) and then they printed me another ticket. This flight would be about 14 hours in and of itself. The plane was huge! It was a double decker as well, which I was oddly excited to see from the terminal. It reminded me of a giant blue whale...a happy giant blue whale.
Once on the plane, I was on the aisle seat with two other guys. One was from Louisiana heading to Buson, South Korea to work on an oil rig for a month or two I think. The other was a younger man from Alabama heading to South Korea for placement with the marines. And then there was me, heading to Siem Reap for kicks and giggles :3
Firstly, Korean Air is niiiiice. You get to your seat(after passing the coveted stairway to heaven i.e. the second floor) and in it is a blanket, headphones, and this little kit with slippers and a tooth brush and tooth paste in it. Plus you get a free water bottle, hello. The seats weren't comfortable but they weren't uncomfortable either. I survived the 14 hours with nothing worse than a slight neck crick from trying to peer out the window. Our flight pattern was exciting as well. I've been looking at globes for months trying to think of the way that we'd get there, but this pilot basically said "nah son"and did the one thing I hadn't figured lol. We more or less just flew straight up from ATL, into Canada, up through Saskatchewan, curved to the left, through Canada and into Alaska. Followed that basically on the top most border area, and on into Russia, where we continued the slight curve down through the country, out around North Korean air space, and then over into Incheon, South Korea. I had thought we were going to Seoul but I was mistaken. Anywho! I got excited when we flew into Canada, even more excited when we got into Alaska, and basically flipped my seat when I saw we were in Russia, which, none of that makes sense because its not like we were landing there, lol. But whatever. I've expanded my 'map'and have now soared over three of my bucket list locations xD *starts singing I'm Almost There*
I watched multiple movies on the plane ( free as well!) , them being The Odd Life of Timothy Green, ParaNorman, Madagascar 3, and Ice Age: Continental Drift. They were all really good, though I think I actually liked Madagascar 3 more than Ice Age this time around. There were some really fun visuals. I also watched a lot of Kpop music videos, lol, which made me happy of course. It was neat to be able to select my favorite artist on a suggested music list finally xD It was less difficult to not dance along though. I watched G-Dragon, BIGBANG, 2NE1, Secret, T-ARA, Orange Caramel...there were lots on there.
Um...we landed in South Korea and had to go through a smaller security check point, which I worried would make me late but I got to my gate just fine. I didn't fail to notice that 8 out 10 of the people I walked past while heading to my gate looked like freakin' super models. Everyone was fashionable and very well dressed. Head, shoulder, knees, toes, swag = check. The air hostesses for Korean Air by the way have the CUTEST outfits. Its this soft blue shirt with an off white high waist skirt. They all are wearing either off white or matching blue scarf around their neck. They also have a neat bow in their hair. Heres a photo of them in white, to the right.
I'll try to get one of them in blue on the way home. All of them were super cute though, very fashionable. I wish the Delta uniforms were as snazzy. The ladies that were at my gate all had the blue shirts, and were wearing these slim khaki trench coats, lol. I was just sitting in the corner looking busted from my flight all, "waaaa...."
I really wanted to wander the airport but decided not to, due to the urge I had to buy something every five seconds just getting from security to my gate. That and being flat ass tired kept me from moving too much. It was apparently about 30 degrees outside when we landed in Korea, and I started to get worried I hadn't packed enough long sleeves if it was going to be that cold...
Took the next flight from Incheon to Siem Reap and totally lucked out. Had a row of three seats all to myself, and oh, I used them all for myself as well. I slept rather well on that flight! Not sure how long but I got a couple of hours rest at least, that I really needed. I woke up when we were landing, and felt slightly bad about not using the cool tv set at my seat(s), but that was only because I had gotten some rest and now had the energy to feel bad about it, lol.
After we landed, I was able to walk straight through customs basically since I had already attained my VISA whereas apparently no one else on my plane had. Walked right on out, met with Mr.Driver, and took my first tuk-tuk ride into town at around 11:30 pm. I'll update with a photo once i'm in Thailand, don't want to download anything on here.
Once on the plane, I was on the aisle seat with two other guys. One was from Louisiana heading to Buson, South Korea to work on an oil rig for a month or two I think. The other was a younger man from Alabama heading to South Korea for placement with the marines. And then there was me, heading to Siem Reap for kicks and giggles :3
Firstly, Korean Air is niiiiice. You get to your seat(after passing the coveted stairway to heaven i.e. the second floor) and in it is a blanket, headphones, and this little kit with slippers and a tooth brush and tooth paste in it. Plus you get a free water bottle, hello. The seats weren't comfortable but they weren't uncomfortable either. I survived the 14 hours with nothing worse than a slight neck crick from trying to peer out the window. Our flight pattern was exciting as well. I've been looking at globes for months trying to think of the way that we'd get there, but this pilot basically said "nah son"and did the one thing I hadn't figured lol. We more or less just flew straight up from ATL, into Canada, up through Saskatchewan, curved to the left, through Canada and into Alaska. Followed that basically on the top most border area, and on into Russia, where we continued the slight curve down through the country, out around North Korean air space, and then over into Incheon, South Korea. I had thought we were going to Seoul but I was mistaken. Anywho! I got excited when we flew into Canada, even more excited when we got into Alaska, and basically flipped my seat when I saw we were in Russia, which, none of that makes sense because its not like we were landing there, lol. But whatever. I've expanded my 'map'and have now soared over three of my bucket list locations xD *starts singing I'm Almost There*
I watched multiple movies on the plane ( free as well!) , them being The Odd Life of Timothy Green, ParaNorman, Madagascar 3, and Ice Age: Continental Drift. They were all really good, though I think I actually liked Madagascar 3 more than Ice Age this time around. There were some really fun visuals. I also watched a lot of Kpop music videos, lol, which made me happy of course. It was neat to be able to select my favorite artist on a suggested music list finally xD It was less difficult to not dance along though. I watched G-Dragon, BIGBANG, 2NE1, Secret, T-ARA, Orange Caramel...there were lots on there.
I'll try to get one of them in blue on the way home. All of them were super cute though, very fashionable. I wish the Delta uniforms were as snazzy. The ladies that were at my gate all had the blue shirts, and were wearing these slim khaki trench coats, lol. I was just sitting in the corner looking busted from my flight all, "waaaa...."
I really wanted to wander the airport but decided not to, due to the urge I had to buy something every five seconds just getting from security to my gate. That and being flat ass tired kept me from moving too much. It was apparently about 30 degrees outside when we landed in Korea, and I started to get worried I hadn't packed enough long sleeves if it was going to be that cold...
Took the next flight from Incheon to Siem Reap and totally lucked out. Had a row of three seats all to myself, and oh, I used them all for myself as well. I slept rather well on that flight! Not sure how long but I got a couple of hours rest at least, that I really needed. I woke up when we were landing, and felt slightly bad about not using the cool tv set at my seat(s), but that was only because I had gotten some rest and now had the energy to feel bad about it, lol.
After we landed, I was able to walk straight through customs basically since I had already attained my VISA whereas apparently no one else on my plane had. Walked right on out, met with Mr.Driver, and took my first tuk-tuk ride into town at around 11:30 pm. I'll update with a photo once i'm in Thailand, don't want to download anything on here.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
So tomorrow I leave with the sun for Cambodia!
The nerves are more or less gone, and at this point i'm just excited. Layover in Atlanta, and then layover in Seoul, Korea (awww yisssss) before moving on to Siam Reap, Cambodia, where I've arranged for pick up with the hostel. Secured a camera, got my iPod and phone ...head phones...most importantly, my passport. Now that'd be tragic.
Even though I leave tomorrow (December 3rd), I won't be landing until 10:15 pm on December 4th. That's a combination of time change and one long ass flight. ..to put it eloquently. Regardless, i'm really looking forward to things.
Since I don't know if i'll update at all while in Cambodia, here is a look at my schedule.
December 5th :
FIRST DAY: Leaving sunrise. In the morning take the small tour (Angkor wat, Angkor Thom, Victory Gate, Thommanom, Chau Say Thevoda, Ta Keo, Ta Prom, Banteay Kdei, Sras Srang, Prasat Kravan, Sunset at Phnom Bhakeng)
December 6th:
SECOND DAY: In the morning visit Banteay Srei (also see the Kbal Spean waterfall), grand tour (Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Preah Khan, North Gate of Angkor Thom) sunset
December 7th:THIRD DAY: In the morning go to Beng Melea and on the return visit the Roluos Group.
I'll try to update while in Cambodia, but at the latest i'll be updating in Thailand on the 8th. I'm not taking my laptop so i'll have to find an internet cafe while out if I can in Siam Reap. Shouldn't be too hard.
Alright! I have to shower and get relaxed and maybe get some sleep.
Or maybe stay up til the morning. We'll see which one ends up happening.
With love and joy,
Christi~
Even though I leave tomorrow (December 3rd), I won't be landing until 10:15 pm on December 4th. That's a combination of time change and one long ass flight. ..to put it eloquently. Regardless, i'm really looking forward to things.
Since I don't know if i'll update at all while in Cambodia, here is a look at my schedule.
December 5th :
FIRST DAY: Leaving sunrise. In the morning take the small tour (Angkor wat, Angkor Thom, Victory Gate, Thommanom, Chau Say Thevoda, Ta Keo, Ta Prom, Banteay Kdei, Sras Srang, Prasat Kravan, Sunset at Phnom Bhakeng)
December 6th:
SECOND DAY: In the morning visit Banteay Srei (also see the Kbal Spean waterfall), grand tour (Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Preah Khan, North Gate of Angkor Thom) sunset
December 7th:THIRD DAY: In the morning go to Beng Melea and on the return visit the Roluos Group.
I'll try to update while in Cambodia, but at the latest i'll be updating in Thailand on the 8th. I'm not taking my laptop so i'll have to find an internet cafe while out if I can in Siam Reap. Shouldn't be too hard.
Alright! I have to shower and get relaxed and maybe get some sleep.
Or maybe stay up til the morning. We'll see which one ends up happening.
With love and joy,
Christi~
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sorting Money for the trip
So while in Thailand, as part of the trip, most of my expenses will already be paid and handled prior to my arrival, leaving only money for the weekends and free time, plus any extras I wish to acquire while out (Christmas shopping in Thailand, hello.)
While going through the wonderful and heartfelt exercise that is rolling coins, I began to wonder if the US dollar is excepted in Cambodia. I know from my trip to Peru that I exchanged money and used local currency, though i'm unsure of if it was accepted while in Europe as I actually didn't handle any of the money on that trip. Also, from talking with our coordinator for the Thailand trip, I've learned that in Bangkok I will be using the Thai Baht. (Also discovered the withdrawal fee from the ATMs,which was a handy bit of information. Its $5, btw, if you're with Regions Bank.) Turns out, I can use US dollars, and its not seen as any sort of "black market" or under handed sort of exchange. Also handy to know, surely. This site was pretty useful:
While going through the wonderful and heartfelt exercise that is rolling coins, I began to wonder if the US dollar is excepted in Cambodia. I know from my trip to Peru that I exchanged money and used local currency, though i'm unsure of if it was accepted while in Europe as I actually didn't handle any of the money on that trip. Also, from talking with our coordinator for the Thailand trip, I've learned that in Bangkok I will be using the Thai Baht. (Also discovered the withdrawal fee from the ATMs,which was a handy bit of information. Its $5, btw, if you're with Regions Bank.) Turns out, I can use US dollars, and its not seen as any sort of "black market" or under handed sort of exchange. Also handy to know, surely. This site was pretty useful:
Everything i've been reading about the general cost of things (good research, btw, helps in preventing you from being scammed. Helps, but does not ensure) seems that once i'm actually there, it shouldn't be terribly expensive.
It looks like the US dollar can take you pretty far in both Cambodia and Thailand (though in Thailand, they may be talking about the equivalent of) which is good news for me as I'm counting pennies over here. I booked a hostel on hostelworld.com after reading multiple reviews on there, as well as tripadvisor (both sites are amazing, btw, and I recommend them for reference if looking for places to stay abroad. I used them for Peru and both of the hostels we stayed at were wonderful.) The most expensive part (plane travel aside) will be for my English speaking tour guide and the Angkor Wat tickets. The rest will depend on what I decide to buy or not.
It begins!
So, just a few days out and I've been trying to get everything in order...
This includes:
This includes:
- packing
- money
- whoa, what did I forget
- Notebook with all my arrangements
- Information on the places i'll be going
- Books to read on plane
- Journal
- sketch book and pens
- Language practice
Packing has been interesting as I've decided to try and take everything I need in a single carry on suitcase.
Not necessarily as hard as you might think, as my placement in Thailand will have a washing machine, which allows me to pack considerably less for my stay. I could elaborate more on this, but I figured i'd make my packing list and process a whole other post. You can find that here.
No...No, this post will be more about my (prepare yourself) feelings. I've been going back and forth from feeling like I've still got a fair amount of time to prepare to feeling like its right around the corner and i'm not even sure what to do with myself. It's like having so much to do that you just get overwhelmed and end up not doing anything at all, which I might add is basically how I spent the first few days of this week. Now that i'm four days out however, I've managed to kick it into high gear and get a few things accomplished each day.
No...No, this post will be more about my (prepare yourself) feelings. I've been going back and forth from feeling like I've still got a fair amount of time to prepare to feeling like its right around the corner and i'm not even sure what to do with myself. It's like having so much to do that you just get overwhelmed and end up not doing anything at all, which I might add is basically how I spent the first few days of this week. Now that i'm four days out however, I've managed to kick it into high gear and get a few things accomplished each day.
It's odd to have something that you've been preparing for for so long right around the corner. You go from having more time than you need to get things done to suddenly not having any at all, and realizing how little you actually managed to get done in "all that extra time" is really awe-inspiring in its own little way.
As I mentioned before, i'm both excited, and incredibly nervous when I really think about it. Not so much nervous about my placement in Thailand, as there i'll be with a group, and surely one or two of them will know what is going on. There, i'll be in an organized group, with someone in charge, pointing in what direction to go and assigning me a baby to chase after. In Cambodia however, its all me and my arrangements, all of which I've taken care of prior to leaving of course, however, as anyone who has traveled can tell you, just because you have plans and arrangements does not in any way mean that that is what you will be doing. Going solo isn't really something that has kept me up late into the night or anything, but i'm not naive enough to think that, although this'll be a grand adventure for sure, it does not come without some risks.
I am all of five foot two (and a half, something I will cling to dearly) and a woman. While I am not looking for evil-doers around every corner, I am aware that they are out there, and despite my beloved cartoons and fantasy stories, aren't always hunched over with warts on their face and a giant neon flashing sign over them. It would be handy to have taken more classes on personal protection I think, and might be something to invest in once I get home again.
Now, logic aside, Woo hoo! I can't freakin' wait! I've debated going into everything i'll see in Cambodia and Thailand here, but I think i'll break that up into another post. While in Cambodia, I doubt i'll be online too much as I don't plan on taking my laptop, but I will be packing a personal journal to make updates once i've hit Thailand if nothing else.
Anyway, wary but ready!
Adventure is out there!
Christi
Christi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)