“Why do you want to go there?”, my student asked me. I will admit that Cambodia was not high on my list of places to visit when I decided to move to southeast Asia. However, after reading about the tragedies of the Khmer Rouge Regime in the late nineties, I was drawn to visit this nation. It turned out to be a marvelous place and has found its way onto my travel recommendation list. In true SE Asian style, my fellow teacher, Andy and I caught an 8 hour bus from Bangkok to the city of Siem Reap. Once there we met his friend Kelly who is an American Peace Corp volunteer in Cambodia. Kelly, fluent in the Khmer language, served as our guide even though she had never been to the city of Siem Reap. I was glad that she could speak Khmer as I thought it would help with negotiating prices.
Fortunately, after our arrival in Siem Reap, the first thing I noticed was how inexpensive the cost of living was. There
was no need to negotiate prices. The local draft beer “Angkor” was sold for the equivalent of 50 cents a bottle. The guesthouse we stayed in was $4 a night for 2 twin beds. Towards the end of the trip, I found myself in desperate need of a shave as my hair clippers stopped working right before I left Thailand. I had about 2 weeks worth of a beard growing when I decided to find a barber shop. I was lucky enough to get a shave, scalp wash, and head massage for $2. I did tip her another $2 dollars. Many establishments actually preferred the US dollar versus the Cambodian riel. Hopefully in the near future, the country of Cambodia will utilize its own currency more. However, what the country lacks in currency stability is dwarfed by the richness of its land.
To the north of Siem Reap is the magnificent land of Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a religious temple complex which dates back to the 12th century. The views were simply stunning and words cannot describe them justly. I felt like a frog jumping from lily pad to lily pad as we hiked over moss covered rocks. We could have been characters in movies like Lord of the Rings or Hunger Games if I didn’t know any better. Other portions of movies like Tomb Raider and The Jungle Book were 
actually filmed on site at Angkor Wat. One particular temple required a strenuous stair/ladder climb to reach the top. I do not do well with heights but the view was well worth the anxious moments on the ladder. Once at the top, I looked down to see people swimming in the moat, and kids frolicking through the green pastures without a care in the world. Standing at the top of that temple and gazing out, I felt like I was one of those kids. Simply put, Angkor Wat is a must visit for anyone who enjoys traveling.
Please view the rest of my photos from Cambodia here: Cambodia Photos
DuBois, this is so beautifully written. I am breathing in gratitude for all that you see as I too can see and read about it through your blog and breathing out to keep the spiritual calmness. From the bus ride, the language, the green landscapes to topping the ladder and of course God’s children, I give thanks for all this traveling and life enriching experiences for you. Hello to Andy and Kelly………..
With love, peace, joy and praise, Mom
Absolutely Awesome. I am touring vicariously through your pics and words. All the best – keep the trip journaling coming. Luv ya — Aunt Pat
I echo your mother’s words. You did beautiful Cambodia no disservice with this well-written piece. I’ve added Cambodia to my To Do List. Thanks for sharing; we missed your writing!
Wonderful! just wonderful, this venture will surely live with you for a life time in memory. With the world changing so rapidly DuBois, pockets of simple wonder of this kind brings awe to us all.
Venture! not everyone will do it, so far from home. But those that do, find the world as a wonder. In fact, we can not understand until we understand. Your travel, your venture, your sharing, helps us all to understand.
Bless You and Your Family
Stay safe, enjoy and have peace
Louis
Helps us to recognize the beauty of life…and not take it for granted. Thanks for sharing your adventures and I need to watch Lord of the Rings (I tell everyone that you reading the book and in turn sharing it with me developed that love for it) and the Hobbit comes out this month. =)
Love ya!
You did a great job of helping me envision what you saw! Keep the articles coming! 🙂
Hub, your description of the views are oddly reminiscent of the time I lived in South Korea in the mid 70″s. Beautiful scenery, temples, and waterfalls which is all very surreal. This is a season and time in your life you will never forget. Thank you for sharing your awe-inspiring experiences. Love you, Aunt Gwen
Dub you are awesome. They way you wrote this made me feel like I was there. I could vividly see everything you saw in my mind. Keep up the great writing…