Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
"Túk-túk, Sir"?... "1 dolllaaaaar, please 1 dollaaar" ... (tugging at shorts)... "Ladyyy you buy from me???? maybe laterrr?????" ... "Túk-túk????" ... "You buy now??" ... "1 dollar please..." .... "Buy from me, not her"...."You want túk-túk?" ..."I do cheap price"... "You buy NOW"... "Túk-túk?"
Small children dressed in rugged clothes began to surround us, their innocent hands cupped in desperation hoping to receive something - anything...
"Where you go..."? .... "YOU WANT TUK-TUK????"
This - was Cambodia, in South East Asia. We had arrived to what today remains one of the poorest countries in the world. As if this wasn't bad enough, Cambodia is still recovering from two decades of war and violence, including the brutal 'Khmer Rouge' genocide during 1975-79, when almost 2 million people were obliterated.
Our welcome to this country was received in the Cambodian manner we had rather accurately prepared ourselves for: we were scammed by our very own "travel guide" as we crossed the Thai-Cambodia border! Rather than paying "good price" to take us to the "town centre", we were abandoned at Siem Reap's bus station - conveniently located miles 'out' of town, leaving us with no choice but to succumb to the tuk-tuk drivers anxiously awaiting our custom. This was all made slightly easier by the effects of too much local beer and the games of "21" we played with fellow travellers during the 20-hour bus journey.
As the alarm struck at 4.30 the next morning...I filled with excitement knowing what the day had in store... As a UN heritage site and eighth wonder of the world, we were about to witness the sunrise at the Angkor Wat temple complex (pictured). Built by the Khmer kings in the 12th century, Angkor Wat has become an one of the world's most magnificent architectural achievements and structural wonders...and as the golden sun rose at 5.30am - its rays reflecting off the surrounding moat - the sight was just stunning. The same could not be said, however, for our dear friend Ollie, who was desperately trying to cure his hangover and samples of 'Happy Pizza' by throwing up behind a rock.
Our ticket, costing 20$ allowed us access to the 100-or-so temples within the Angkor Thom complex...which our túk-túk driver happily drove us to at our own pace for the day. The imposing stone structures, icily-smiling carved faces, pyramid structures, figures and statues were breathtaking and made me wonder how it was humanely possible to construct such impressive architecture. After visiting the 'Tomb Raider' temple of Ta Prohm, the baking 35 degree heat, 3 hours of sleep and exhaustion from climbing hundreds of stone steps finally made us retire to the Psar Chaa market in Siem Reap for some local street-food and refreshing yogurt-fruit shakes.
That evening, we dined on coconut-infused Khmer curries and sampled the aptly-named 'Angelina Jolie' cocktails in a local bar on the main street. As the cycloon rains hit and night fell, the Cambodian children remained on the streets still begging for that "1$" from whoever would give to them. This trip was starting to make me appreciate everything I had ever taken for granted...
- comments