Po Leng

What's the best way to visit the 300 or so Angkor temples spread over 30 sq km ?

First eliminate at least 280, unless your time, resistance to the heat and interest are unlimited. The royal temples (and surrounding long lost wooden towns) were built between the 9th and 15th century and each has densely packed friezes relating Hindu and Buddhist legends. What level of explanation do you need to appreciate the incredible feats of construction and decoration ? Guide or no guide ?

Then choose your means of transport. Most of the 6m visitors are on coach or minivan tours, not our thing.

The site starts 8km north of Siem Reap where the accommodation is, so walking is out. In more temperate climes exploring by bicycle would be very tempting, and some brave people do. A gentler (?) alternative is riding pillion (even two passengers !) on a moto-dop, ie motorbike taxi.

So we're left with airconditioned taxis, too pricy and cut off from the world outside, or the wonderful airy tuk-tuk.

Each country has their own take on this motorbike-driven tricycle/trailer/sidecar, ingenious descendant of the foot, and then bicycle rickshaw. They turn on the proverbial sixpence and weave their way through the traffic, stopping wherever you want.

Our driver was the smiling Po Leng, who, like lots of young ones here looked 10 years less than his actual age of 30. As well as being discreet, flexible, and easy-going pricewise, he had lots of good ideas.

Since his English wasn't bad at all, we got chatting. The extra we gave him would go towards two things he said: upgrading his rather tatty and uncomfortable tuk-tuk ($30) and the rest will go into a kitty for his future wedding. The bride price has been set at $3000 by his future mother-in-law ....

He's hoping to scrape together $2000 in the next 3 or 4 years, and his 16 year old intended has promised to put in $1000, as she's also got a job.

In Cambodia the trafficking of children by paedophiles, and the sale of prostitutes for export are activities which are gradually being eliminated, but buying a wife is a fact of life that even today's couples have to deal with.

Comments

[Rayments]

Interesting to read about your visit to Angkor Wat and the mode of transport. You seem to be having a wonderful time, though we haven't managed to follow all the blog items. We are thinking of volunteering in a school in Siem Reap next winter - a few people we know here have been and found it very worthwhile, so we are going to look into it. Will be asking you a few questions when you get back! So now on to Laos - David ane Alice loved it there. Continue to have a great trip, and we both send love and best wishes for a Happy & Healthy New Year. Mary & Charles xx