Last day and WestiesgoEast signing out

Well this is a first. Signing off my blog before leaving the country.

We are sitting in the hotel reception having checked out, sitting waiting for our transfer to Bangkok Airport. They kindly let us have the room until 2pm and we have another two hours before leaving. So time to catch up and do some emailing.

What a trip we've had. It has been brilliant, educational, humbling and mind blowing. We've met fabulous people all the way, and seen amazing sights and culture. Felt so happy, angry and at times very sad. But we wouldn't have missed it for anything.

And to complete the trip, a week chilling.  I've seen the weather report so we are not looking forward to the weather back home. But we are looking forward to seeing everyone.

See you soon

Janette and Rod

Back in Thailand looking at the Sea

Needless the say the taxi we had booked at reception the day before hadn't been booked and didn't arrive! But it was sorted out eventually and we arrived at the airport for the short hop back to Bangkok.  Our taxi transfer was waiting and two hours later we were in The Sheraton at Hua Hin unpacking.

It hadn't changed much, but this week is about decompressing and getting ready for coming home.

Our days have been spent in the shade of an umbrella on a lounger, reading listening to music, walking on the beach, and for me updating the the blog. and reliving our days at Angkor Wat through the pictures.

We tended to skip lunch after a good breakfast,  but about 2pm we would go to the beach cafe have an iced coffee looking out to sea.  The views from here are always hazing. But it isn't a fab view due to the high rise hotels near apartments springing up along the coast to the right.

Looking left

A little bit better. Haven't got a clue what she was digging for.

The first night we treated ourselves to a tasting menu in their signature restaurant InAzia and had a lovely meal. It ranged from Japanese to Indian, with small grazing dishes. Sounds bizarre but it really worked.

The second night we caught the shuttle bus into Hua Hin for dinner and have done a couple of more times. I wouldn't recommend Hua Hin as a holiday destination. The town is a bit of a dump really, and quite seedy. But okay for a wander down the night market and dinner.

I had ideas of buying some nice things here as we have some weight left in the suitcase, unfortunately all the nice things we have seen along the way have disappeared and all the sell here is tat, what as shame. The only thing I have bought is two pairs of designer sunglasses. Real ones of course!!!

It's the last day and we are going to stick around tonight, have a G&T and then go back to InAzia for a farewell dinner.

Siem Reap Dày 3 Even more Temples

It's our last day and we feel that we have only touched the surface of this region. Our guide has decided that we should go further out today to see the temples of Pre Rup, Banteay Srey, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan.

Pre Rup, 11th century, this place was huge and quite a climb. Had to come down one at a time!

Our boys

The main reason for coming out this far was to see Batreay Srey which was beautiful. Built by the Kings chief advisor it was small and personal, and on much more of a human level. You also felt that he was artistic and wanted to create something beautiful as well as a little less grand.

He looks like he will burst into life and come at you with an axe, like out of Tomb Raider.

Toi playing the fool.

East Mebon, 10th c in the middle of a vast plain.with a huge man made reservoir which is now completely dry. It was a man-made island as was built as a temple mountain.

Ta Som, smaller version of Ta Promh

 U

Neak Peanh, small island temple. Very picturesque.

Lastly Preah Khan. Very ruined. They think it was a temple and university. Next to a man made Baray, or lake.

We spent the rest of the day stopping at the smaller sites,scrambled up huge stone steps. The were going to make sure you didn't find it easy to ascend to heaven, especially when you have short legs.

In between templing we had drive through villages and farms,seen the countryside and waved all along the way.

Some humble abodes, then a few like this!

Go to work and school.

Making a living..

We did feel templed out by the end of today, our legs were grumbling and we had drunk about three litres of water each. But we felt that we had done the place justice. Yes we could have spent another two days looking at more temples, and going back to a few to have a another look. But time had run-out and we were happy to go back to the hotel, and sadly say goodbye to our companions.

Oh and the odd elephant!

On our walks into town we had seen a small local restaurant near our hotel called the Crab Shack and decided tonight to have a go. The menu was in Khymer but luckily the BBQ chef spoke some English. We had a large place of seafood rice, gorgeous, with a place small Crab in Chilli sauce and a place of grilled prawns. Two beers each and it cost the sum total of ten dollars. Wish we had discovered it earlier. After that we went back to the jazz bar and chilled out listening to a singer for a couple of hours.

Back early to pack as we are off to Thailand early tomorrw. And the last bit of the trip. It's all coming to end so quickly.

Siem Reap Day 1 Angkor Wat

Off to a bad start. Our tuktuk driver Po was waiting for us after breakfast and we set off.  You need buy passes to go and see the temples, which you buy from a kiosk at the entrance to the temple complex.  Dozy features had clearly said that you could buy them on visa. On arriving we queued up to find out that you could not buy them by visa nor have ever been able too. So Po had to turn around and drive us to an ATM to get some money.

He could see we were not happy and rang the hotel to find out that our guide wasn't at the ticket booth but had arrived late at the hotel and was still there. We were then told to stay put and wait for him. We did for 45 minutes and he didn't come. I was a little angry. We got Po to take us back to the hotel where Rod blew a gasket with the manager. The guide had just left and gone home.

Lots of grovelling later we set off for the temples without guide but with a book. The manager promised us a different guide for the next day. Wasn't happy really.

So the temples we visited today were Angkor Wat, Prasat Kravan, Banteay Keep. Ta Prohm and Ta Keo. I won't be offended if you nod off during this part, as I am likely to drone on and on.  What an amazing place, historically and visually.  We were just struck dumb by the whole place.  We thought we would feel templed out even after one day, but we just wanted more and more.

So it begins.  Angkor Wat.

Built by Survayarman II from 1113/1152 it is the heart and soul of Cambodia and quite unbelievable.  It is set in a huge rectangle 1.5 x 1.3 kms.  What is different to all the others temples is that is was never forgotten, and has been in constant use and never allowed to decay. It's almost too good to be true in some ways.

View from the South Gate

Side walls

First level entrance gateway.

Inner walkway

Looking out towards the outer wall. Phenomenal.

Every piece of stone inside and out is beautifully carved with tales of battles and legendary sagas.

Goddesses

And Apsara dancers which obviously played a huge part in court life.

Another astounding thing is that it had a moat built around it and reservoir canals over a kilometres long. Sandstone blocks were cut and brought fifty kms up river to the site.

It is built up on three Levels and is meant to represent heaven on earth, of mount Meru their equivalent of Olympus. The central level is the sacred temple. They only let a certain amount of people up to this level at any one time, but we were so pleased that we made it up there.

We had better move on. Small early 10th century the second site, Prasat Kravan dedicated to Vishnu.  Brick sculptures inside, currently being restored.

Then it was Banteay Kei. A site you often see in photographs with amazing carved heads. 12/13th century. Fairly ruined and found this way.

Ta Prohm better known as the Tomb Raider temple.. Indiana Jones eat your heart out. Built in 1186. The pictures tell the story.  What a wonderful place.

They are doing a lot of work here to conserve the site and make sure that the fig trees don't destroy it further. It was a true romantic site.

And lastly Ta Keo. 10th century. A giant temple mountain made of sandstone.

That's probably enough to keep you going. It was an amazing day. I've probably mixed the temples up. But they were all wonderful.

As you will imagine after climbing up huge rocks, through holes, up stairs cases and round huge walls all day in about 35 degrees, we were pretty exhausted when we got back.

We wandered into town in the evening, found a nice quiet restaurant, had some beers and food and then staggered home and went to bed early.

A great day.