The Road to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat

We have always wanted to see Angkor Wat and took three of our counterparts who had never been inside Cambodia along with us as a way of expressing our gratitude for allowing us to teach with them. We were excited to finally be on the road to Angkor Wat after three months of preparation and paperwork. However, nothing prepared us for the harsh travelling conditions! Our entire body rattled for 4 hours as we sped along a dirt road complete with "washboard" effects. Our driver passed bicycles, motorcycles, buffalo, buses, and trucks with no regard for the safety of others. We hired two "taxis" because the trip by bus would have been six hours and we didn't want to be tired when we arrived. However, the "taxis" had no suspension and we spent the first afternoon in Siem Reap trying to get our brains re-situated in our heads. The second and third picture show a 2-mile stretch that was actually paved. Bob got out to take a picture of the water buffalo pulling the cart. As he was walking, he passed a woman and young child. Notice the expressions on their faces as they stare at the "farang". (For a closer look, click on the picture to enlarge it.)