Cambodia

It is very interesting to see the difference between countries as one crosses borders by land. Usually the geography, weather and flora/fauna remain the same, so you're left to look for other differences to differentiate between the two. Between Mongolia and China, the only difference at first is the lack of gers in China, and the onset of the brick revolution that has swept that great country. Traveling overland from Singapore to Malaysia, the difference may be summed up as the differences between an ultra-organized compressed city and a semi-corrupt colonial country with a few less new BMWs driving around. Traveling from Thailand to Cambodia by land, however, provided many more reasons to believe you're in a new country.
So where does Cambodia begin and Thailand end? Cambodia begins where the pavement ceases. Where the Braham cow traces back to its Indian roots to once again become Waste Management Engineers, Grass Trimmer and Fertilizer Crews, Traffic Speed Control Troops and of course Planters of Natural Land Mines. Cambodia begins where the houses leave the ground to be propped up on rickety stilts, where dust billows from the unpaved roads and gas is sold out of used 2-litre pop bottles. The quick, friendly smile remains, the Southern-Chinese faces stay the same, and the language sounds equally beautiful yet unreachable, but all else takes on a whole new face.
Then you hit Siem Reap, and you feel like you've entered another country again. All at once, the pavement picks up, street signs and street lights shine at you from road sides, houses are firmly planted in the earth and you pass 5-star hotels on your left and right. Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat, is everything a tourist hub should be. Western food and pubs, tourist trap shopping areas, quaint streets lined with people trying to drive you places and stores to find cheese, chocolate and wine. After traveling over 150 km of dirt road while taking 5 hours to do so, it felt like an oasis in the middle of the desert! We also lucked in on our trip, as Siem Reap held two more surprises for us - Tabitha and Melissa!! Our friends from Wonkwang University just happened to be on holiday here, and luckily they were there the same time as us! It was great to see them again and to share some of that cheese and wine mentioned earlier:) As Tabitha arrived a few days earlier than us, and Melissa a couple days later, we did not take in Siem Reap's main attraction with them. The main attraction being Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is spectacular. Not in the bright and linear lines of the Taj Mahal, though, nor in the ancient length and magnitude of the Great Wall. It is spectacular because it is unpretentious. It is old, but it has been allowed to age with dignity, unlike parts of the Great Wall, which have been rebuilt with a spirit only a plastic surgeon could appreciate. You are allowed to meander through Angkor Wat at your own pace and in your own direction, unlike the Taj Mahal, where you're herded some ways while being denied other paths. We loved Angkor Wat for these reasons and many more. The greenery around the area was peaceful, and seeing villagers going about their business is always rewarding. The sheer size of the area covered by Angkor and the other various Wats is absolutely stunning, and one is left in awe of what it must have looked like 300 years ago without the roads, cars and tourists. Check out our photos on Picasa, as words (at least mine) just don't do this place justice. The intricacy and refinement of the images carved into the solid stone are a marvel, and it struck us that the minds behind planning the various wats, all of which are different, are nothing short of genius. If you haven't seen this place yet, put it on your list, and somewhere near the top.
Although we only spent a few days in Cambodia, it was well worth it. In ancient Chinese tradition, there are 3 Great happinesses in life. One of them is seeing old friends in new places, and seeing Melissa and Tabitha in Siem Reap certainly met that criteria! Seeing Angkor Wat was one of the highlights of our trip so far, is a place we want to learn more about. Seeing a part of Cambodia was also extremely interesting, and we learned a lot by going overland - sights and sounds we would have missed had we skipped the 7-hour 150 km overland bus ride from the border of Thailand and flown instead. A great experience all around!
From here we're back to Thailand for a few days in Khao Yai National Park with Siriya - a Thai conservationist who joined us in South Korea last year to help count shorebirds during the SSMP (Saemangeum Shorebird Monitoring Program). From there its to Hanoi, Vietnam on Boxing Day and then Australia on January 2nd! We hope the holidays have treated you all well, and thank you to all of you who sent us well wishes for this holiday season! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!