Siem Reap

There are really no words to describe the absolutely awe inspiring sight of Angkor Wat. It was my second visit to the complex of hindu and buddhist temples and I can honestly say that it is easily one of my favourite places in the world. The amazing swampy jungle surroundings are great within themselves but these stunning ancient temples scattered between, through and under trees just makes this such an incredibly magical place. As I said - I can't really put the feeling of being there into words so here are some pictures instead. Of course these do not do it justice either so please just trust me and put this on your list of things to see asap!

Asian style moped ride to the temples before dawn:

Angkor Wat:

Bayon, my favourite temple:

Ta Prohm - aka 'The Tomb Raider Temple':

The added bonus to visiting Angkor Wat is that Siem Reap is a really fun city with a great night market and some brilliant restaurants. Noteable mention goes to a restaurant called Haven which helps orphans who have come of age by training them as chefs for a year, giving them the opportunity to acquire skills that could help them earn an honest living which could otherwise be impossible for them. Sadly the city also provides a prime example of how sometimes, by trying to do good, people end up doing more harm. There are plenty of despicable scams where people try and make money out of the kindness of travellers - they're worth mentioning for obvious reasons. One that nearly got us was a little girl with a baby on her back asking for food - 'no money, I want milk'... The unsuspecting tourist goes into the nearby shop, gets charged an extortionate amount for some formula milk and gives it to the girl ... who then gives it back to the shop keeper for resale. Profits are split by the shop keeper, the corrupt police who sit there and watch, and god knows who else. I heard about this from another traveller and forgot to warn my travel buddy Cata, so when I pulled her away from the girl, the rabid little devil scratched me. I have been assured by Dr. Google that human to human rabies transmission has only ever occurred following organ transplant so I think I'lll be OK!  Another example is that there are great organisations here who train the blind in massage so that they can make their own income- unfortunately there are also not so great organisations who mimic this idea but who instead exploit the blind and the tourists who are trying to help out. Lastly, for some bizarre reason orphanages have become somewhat of a tourist attraction here - again people trying to help out I would imagine - the popularity of visits to orphanages has lead to some parents 'renting' their children to fake establishments in order to cash in on that precious tourist dollar. The government makes it difficult for the people of Cambodia to benefit from the tourism boom by leasing out its monuments and attractions to private companies - meaning only the rich get richer and very few of the profits are actually injected back into the community. Sadly Cambodia's poverty, which is very evident when you are there, creates some very ugly realities... But I refuse to end on a negative note. Cambodia is a beautiful country with beautiful people and I highly recommend it as a place to visit - just try and be sure that when you do try to be a do-gooder, you are actually doing good! While you're there also get a local to take you out to dinner at one of their fave spots - you'll be seriously impressed with the food, the prices and the awesome atmosphere.

Chul moi!:

To top it all off, the cheap accommodation prices meant we were able to stay in a private room with a tv and watch Andy Murray absolutely power his way through an amazing final to take his first Wimbledon title... All that was missing was some strawberries and Pimms!