Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia
I travelled overland from Bangkok in the back seat of a pick-up truck and spent 8 hours covering the 140 kms of the old 'Dancing Road'. At that time the 4 wheels of the pick-up were rarely ever touching the dirt track road at the same time as it was just a long procession of holes and craters and therefore your organs bounced around inside you. This was why they called it the 'dancing road' and when I eventually arrived in Siem Reap, tired and covered in dust, travellers were waiting there to ask what the journey was like! I 'm glad I experienced it but wouldn't want to do it twice. Nowdays however there is a proper road and regular flights so travellers are now spared the experience.
Siem Reap (Khmer for Thailand defeated) was my gateway to Angkor Wat and the temple city of Angkor Thom. Angkor Wat itself is a truly magnificent temple on its own, but within the walls of the temple city, Angkor Thom there are another 54 temples. For most of us that would be too much, so I spent 5 days there and concentrated on Angkor Wat, The Bayon, with 54 towers and a face on each of the 4 sides of each tower, the Terrace of the Lepers, the Terrace of the Elephants and Ta Phrom, which is stunning as the jungle has grown over it and around it so that Ta Phrom is gripped by the roots of massive trees. I also ventured a bit further a field by motorbike to see Banteay Srey which many Cambodian's regard as the most beautiful temple. I saw these temples at sunrise and sunset and throughout the day in order to fully appreciate them. The Cambodians I met there were some of the friendliest and funniest people I have met anywhere and this makes you feel for them even more when you remember how they suffered a the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.
I could have stayed on in Siem Reap much longer but took the express boat down the Tonle Sap lake to Phnom Penh for another 9 days there.
I spent leisurely days sat by the river in the FCC or Foreign Correspondents Club and enjoyed the wonderful food they serve there and between meals visited attractions such as the National Museum, Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace.
The experiences of one particular day will remain with me forever as I visited the sites that show the brutality of the Khmer Rouge. They are not the sort of places where you come out smiling, but it is important to understand how the people suffered, and you feel sorry for them, especially because they are so friendly and funny.
I first went to Tuol Sleng or S-21 which was a school that was converted to a torture centre. You see how the people were incarcerated and tortured. Of the 17,000+ people that were taken there only about 10 people survived!!
Bizarrely, from there I proceeded to the Commando Training Centre where I was able to fire weapons at targets, and these weapons were an M-16 and an AK57 which is a big machine gun supported by a tripod.
From there I then went to Choeung Ek which is where the 17,000 people from S-21 were buried or killed and then buried. Half of the graves were dug up and I stood inside a Pagoda with 9,000 skulls only inches from me. It is very sad, and a massive contrast from the beauty of the temples of Angkor and the temples and museums in Phnom Penh.
I would highly recommend Cambodia as a holiday destination and I absolutely loved my time there, but a visit to S-21 and Choeung Ek is not for the faint hearted.