Berk’s Blog

Our morning started with an early breakfast, then a 7am journey to Angkor Wat, the first temple on our tour. What a mesmerising experience. I’d seen plenty of pictures as we prepared for our trip, but there is nothing quite like seeing it in person. It is the largest religious temple in the world, and it’s five columns, when viewed from various angles as we were afforded on our tour, were both calming and breathtaking.

We hired a driver and a guide (more on them later), so we had an air-conditioned ride to and from, as well as more information that we’d ever want to know about the place once there. It was a balmy 27C today, a tad warmer than London’s 5C.

From there we proceed to view a few more ancient ruins, though having started at Angkor Wat, which is mostly intact and much better preserved than the others, it was a bit anticlimactic from there.

The next stop was Bayan, in neighboring Angkor Thom. The temple originally contained upwards of 50 or 60 spires if I remember the guide correctly, but after being destroyed in a recent war, roughly half remain. The exterior of the temple is remarkable for the many faces of Buddha (three in alignment to the left – a unique view) and the bas relief recollection of an ancient war on the outside, and an intricate series of walkways and tiny canals inside.

The rest of Angkor Thom was interesting, but the heat was getting to us, and the guide suggested that we take a break and pick up later. When we made the arrangements with them, they had told us that our charge of $25 each was for a car and guide for the entire day. However when they reappeared at the hotel after our nap, they wanted more money for the five minute trip back to the ruins on the basis that our fee covered *one trip*. Never mind that it was *them* and not us that suggested the break, and no mention of additional fees were mentioned. Bastards. We paid them the agreed amount (though we only got half a day) and told them to piss up a rope.

Kids, get your contracts in writing, and be sure to inquire and negotiate on every detail.