In 2013 I was lucky enough to take a month off work to travel back to my homeland Cambodia. I had not previously visited here, however a lot of my friends were frequent travelers to Cambodia and said it was a must do trip.
I must admit I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went there. Sure enough I packed my holiday clothes which only consisted of singlets and shorts and was on my way. I can surely say I was in a bit of shock seeing how far Cambodia has come from since the photo’s i used to see from my parents and friends when they had gone.
The three weeks i had in Cambodia was spent mostly traveling the countryside and what an experience it was! I trekked most of the smaller countryside temples and road tripped my way around most of Cambodia.
The first night I had spent in Siem Reap, as we landed pretty late we really didn’t get to do too much but eat and then rest for the drive to Phnom Penh.
After an early morning start we were on our way to Phnom Penh. We stopped off for breakfast in a small restaurant before we headed out of Siem Reap. I was in awe as we drove through the lovely countryside. I could only imagine how prosperous this country would have been if it had not gone through invasions and the civil war. For those who do not know much about the history of Cambodia and the war that went on you can have a nice read here.
After about a 6 hour drive we finally arrive to our first temple destination roughly about 30 minutes outside of Phnom Penh. Surely wasn’t an easy find but we got there eventually. Cambodia is filled with temples as Melbourne is filled with a Bunnings in every Suburb.
As we drive over the bridge to the temple the history instantly jumps straight at you. With the elderly and kids running around you can see how simple the Khmer people live their lives. Even without all the gadgets and riches in the world that we are fortunate to have here, I see everyone with a smile on their face. Just goes to show that money is not needed for happiness.
During my time there I had the chance to witness blessing ceremonies and also was able to participate in it also. Buddhist being my religion of choice I have always been fascinated with everything that the religion teaches.
After having spent about a week at this particular temple we continued on our road trip to my dad’s hometown of Battambang. In the centre of the town nestled the outdoor market, where during the day people would do their shopping and have breakfast. The main part of the town sat along the main river there. It wasn’t as developed as Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, so you could see the purity of how things used to be in Cambodia.
Next destination we head to a small town which resides just on the boarder of Cambodia & Thailand called Pailin. We visit another couple of temples just outside Pailin. With the help of some local kids they give us a tour and tell us about the history of the temple as well as what happened to people during the Khmer Genocide, as gruesome and sad as the stories were I am glad I had the opportunity to learn and see it with my own eyes. We went shopping at the market in Pailin and had also crossed the border into Thailand to have a look at the market that resides on the border.
Which brings us to our final stop and round trip back to Siem Reap. Where else to visit last but the infamous Angkor Wat. Such a magnificent place rich in history that dates back to the 12th Century. Walking through and around the place you have a eery yet relieved feeling of what went on here back in the old days. There is just so much culture here and the architectural brilliance it took to build this magnificent temple/city one could only have imagined. It truly is a masterpiece and can only be seen in the flesh to truly appreciate it.
Cambodia is a must visit destination if you haven’t been there and once you have been you will be so addicted to the culture and history that you will want to go back for more. I know I cannot wait to go back!
Enjoy the rest of the photo’s I had taken on the trip.
-Polo
