Cambodia
Temples and tarantulas, museums and the Mekong, Buddha's and blessings, rats and rivers, landmines and long journeys, sea and sun, and a whole lot of learning! I was worried about Cambodia having to follow Vietnam, given what an incredible turning point that was for us, that was a tough act to follow! But I'm pleased to report she stepped fully into her own spotlight. Cambodia has offered us yet another distinct chapter to enrich our travel and learning experience and another whole new lesson in the book of life.
Before our travels, a two-week holiday felt like the ultimate luxury. Now, spending less than two weeks in a country feels like we're just skimming the surface! These ten days in Cambodia have absolutely flown by! During our time here, it was essential for us to learn about the horrific history during the Khmer Rouge regime, as well as explore the temples and learn about the rich and lengthy history surrounding them. I think we've hit the important bits, and we'll just have to plan a return trip to visit the beautiful islands!
Our flight landed in Siem Reap, the second largest city in Cambodia and in close proximity to the ancient temples of Angkor constructed nearly a thousand years ago. Naturally, Dan was desperate to go and inspect their building skills!
We arranged for a couple of tuk-tuks to pick us up the following day at 7am, hoping to beat the 35+ degrees heat (spoiler alert: it didn't work!), and zoomed straight to the magical Angkor Wat. This iconic temple, the pride of Cambodia and a symbol on its national flag, left us in awe. We paid for a guided tour for this one to really get the most out of the learning experience. Firstly we discovered that it's the largest religious monument in the world and although not officially one of the "Seven Wonders of the World," it's widely hailed as the Eighth Wonder — and for good reason. Its architectural splendour, historical significance, and cultural importance are absolutely mind-blowing. As we delved into the stories of its construction, we were amazed by the immense thought, religious devotion, spiritual insight, and astrological knowledge that went into its creation. Originally dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, it has been transformed into a Buddhist temple over the years. It's just incredible to think how anyone could have crafted something so extraordinary so long ago. It's truly astonishing that it's not officially recognised as a Wonder of the World..
Our temple tour rolled on to Ta Prohm, the iconic backdrop of the film Tomb Raider. It was pure magic to explore this site, with ancient trees majestically intertwining through the ancient ruins. The final stop was the Bayon Temple, renowned for its many faces. As we wandered through, we marvelled again at the incredible skill and wondered about the tools and expertise needed to create such wonders back in the early 12th to 13th centuries. Yet again, an incredible tour through history
The kids were absolutely roasting hot and doing what kids do best, moaning about being in this incredible place! So they took a break in the shade and enjoyed a cold drink from a nearby cart, while Dan and I were keen to carry on exploring the site. We strolled up to a gondola/pergola with a magnificent Buddha statue inside and were warmly invited in by the practicing monks. Soon, we found ourselves sitting cross-legged with them, surrounded by their chants. Even though we didn’t understand the words, the atmosphere was incredibly serene, and we fully embraced the experience. Water infused with oil, herbs, and flowers was blessed, and before we knew it, we were being sprinkled with this sacred water, accompanied by prayers and mantras. We received a bracelet on our wrist, symbolising a peaceful life and a reminder to be our best selves, along with a flower from the water to honour Buddha and enhance our spiritual merit. It was such a beautiful experience, and we were glad it was just the two of us, rather than the four sweaty hooligans disrupting the vibe! We shared a truly special moment.
And here's the thing with this travelling adventure - it's our first time too. We both missed the train on the whole "gap year" thing in our late teens and early twenties. I was busy studying for a teaching degree, then came my NQT year and so followed a great couple of years working a career that I loved. Phoebe arrived when I was twenty five and since then we've been joyfully building our family life. We wouldn't change a single thing but it's especially wonderful, amidst this crazy journey with all six of us, to steal a moment like this just between the two of us.
Anyway, back to those sweaty hooligans. They were all itching to finish the temple tour and head back to the hotel to cannonball into the pool! With the temperature cranking up to thirty-five plus degrees, we'd have to be bonkers to argue with that plan!
The next day kicked off with our first lesson in the Cambodian conflict and its lingering effects on the country. We arranged a visit to the Apopo Museum and Education Centre, where we discovered how, following the war, Cambodia has become one of the most mine-affected countries in the world. Apopo is doing incredible work by training rats to detect landmines and save lives. We were amazed to learn that a mine detection rat can cover the area of a tennis court in just thirty minutes — a task that would take a person with a metal detector up to four days! The aftermath of the war has left communities unable to farm their land, children unsafe to play, and many lives tragically lost due to these landmines. Thanks to the Apopo rats, thousands of metres of land have been cleared and returned to local communities. We loved learning about this amazing work, watching a live demonstration, and especially meeting one of the Hero Rats 'in fur'!
It was time for us to head off on the next part of our Cambodia adventure to the capital city, Phnom Penh. After exploring several travel options, we picked the most educational choice: a travel day come guided tour. We had such a kind and knowledgeable driver, Phat, who took us to explore three different destinations along the way, offering us an enriching experience each time we got out of the car to stretch our legs. With a direct drive taking five to six hours, this one was set to last about eight and it seemed like the perfect way to tour the country, soaking up extra knowledge along the way as he drove and shared with us so many stories of his childhood growing up.
As we listened to his stories, we met yet another incredible person on our travels, someone our age who grew up through the same years but with a vastly different experience to ours! Despite facing famine after the conflict and being orphaned at eight, as the only boy among three sisters, it was expected that he took on the challenge of maintaining the family farm. With his whole neighbourhood struggling after the conflict, there wasn’t anyone who could take them in, so with the support of neighbours, he impressively managed the farm at such a young age. At the age of twelve, his family needed extra income, so after school he would head to the river to dredge sand, lug it on the back of a cart and sell it to local construction workers. He eventually became a mechanic but discovered a passion for languages, becoming fluent in four of them. Now, he joyfully combines his love and passion for his country and languages to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. He was truly the happiest, kindest man to guide us on our tour!
Our first stop was one of the fishing communities along the Tonle Sap, a river in Cambodia that links the Tonle Sap lake with the Mekong river. We visited Kompong Khleang village, and it offered us a glimpse into this challenging local way of life. These floating villages are communities of people who have adapted to life on the water, with homes and livelihoods woven into the lake's seasonal changes. Their houses either stand on stilts or float on the water, and the residents primarily rely on fishing and farming for their livelihoods. Visiting during the low water season, we saw houses with long ladders leading up to the living areas. When the monsoon season arrives and the water level rises, everything rises with it, including their chicken runs and their ingenious smoke drying for the fish they catch. The motorbikes get parked at the end of the road and everyone turns to their boats. We climbed onto one of their boats to see their neighbourhood from the river, and it felt just like navigating through a unique housing estate, with distinct ‘roads’ and diverse communities. We encountered people joyfully fishing, two bustling schools along the river, and even a floating sports pitch. It looked like a truly unique, incredible and challenging way of life, but the simplicity and community spirit were as strong as ever. Everyone was out working together, and we were greeted with warm smiles at every turn. As always, there's something here for us all to learn!
Next up was a quick pit stop to check out the Spean Praptos bridge — this ancient wonder was built in the 12th century and has been standing strong for a thousand years. We strolled underneath and stopped to treat ourselves to a local delight from a nearby stall, the sweet and delicious palm cake with coconut cream. Just look at Fin's face — he's missing his Nannan’s vanilla buns topped with marshmallows and wasn’t that impressed!
We enjoyed a beautiful lunch stop in the countryside, off the beaten track, surrounded by stunning rice fields, with a few locals tending to them, and some cows joining us as company. It was a charming traditional Khmer restaurant, and guess what? No fries on the menu! After three nights at 'Joe’s Diner' in Siem Reap, Dan and I were excited to dive into a menu brimming with delicious local dishes.
Back in the car to snooze for a couple more hours, we finally pulled into our last stop: the famous Skun Market, or as it's popularly known, the Spider Market! We rolled in just as the sun was setting, and though most vendors had packed up, the few left were still dishing out their eight-legged delicacies! Earlier, we’d told the kids, who are obsessed with a particular computer game at the moment, that if they dared to munch on a tarantula leg, they’d earn some gaming cash. Well, let me tell you, Fin and Poppy gobbled those legs faster than you can say "chicken nuggets". After one bite, they decided they quite liked these creepy-crawly snacks and polished off two legs each. Dan and I had a nibble too - I struggled with the hairy texture, while Dan compared it to his beloved pub snack, a pork scratching! Fin then fed the rest of the tarantula’s body to Phad, who exclaimed how much he loves them. Pheebs and Floss were not convinced to taste one, but they bravely held onto one that a little girl was holding. Dan also gave it a shot, and the girl mischievously tried to get the spider to crawl up his arm! It was gross, hilarious, and an unforgettable experience all at once! And it's important not to forget, as Phad explained to us, Cambodians eat spiders, specifically tarantulas, as a vital source of food, especially so during times of famine or food scarcity.
We stumbled into our hotel in Phnom Penh around 7pm, just as the night was setting in. After kicking off our adventure at 8am, we clocked in a solid eleven-hour day! We were all thrilled to snuggle up and hit the hay early and take in all the learning of the day with a good old cup of English breakfast tea!
We booked two nights in Phnom Penh with the sole goal of visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. After our intense experience at the Vietnam War Museum, we made the decision not to bring Poppy and Fin, as it’s too much for them at their age to see what humans are capable of doing. We asked Floss about her plans, and she, still processing the Vietnam War Museum, chose to stay at home with Poppy and Fin. This was completely understandable and meant it was just the three of us ready to brace ourselves for the learning ahead of us.
Just like our experience at the Vietnam War Museum, finding the right words is going to be a challenge after visiting such a profoundly disturbing and moving place. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum stands as a powerful memorial to the S-21 interrogation and detention centre of the Khmer Rouge regime. It's a sombre reminder of a tragic chapter in history, aiming to educate visitors about the events that took place.
We moved through the site with a quiet reverence, listening to the audio tour and the grim tales being shared with us. S-21, once a neighbourhood school, became the headquarters of a vast prison network across the country, serving as a secret facility for detaining, interrogating and torturing those labelled as "political enemies" by the regime. We explored the former prison cells and torture chambers, left just as they were found. It was incredibly impactful. Thousands of black and white photos lined the walls throughout the buildings, capturing the faces of those who had been imprisoned there. It was gut-wrenching, especially seeing the mothers with their children, knowing their tragic fate. A chilling policy of guilt-by-association, underscored by the brutal slogan, "when pulling out weeds, remove the roots and all", meant that entire families were detained, separated and executed. Of the 18,000 people who passed through, only 12 lived to tell the tale when Phnom Penh was liberated. Four of them were children found hiding and terrified.
As we came to the end of the tour, we quietly wandered past three different people selling books. As we got closer, we were amazed to discover that they were each among the twelve survivors. The first person we approached shared with us that he was the child we had seen in a photograph, one of the brave young boys rescued from beneath a pile of bloodied clothes at the tender age of six. We stood there, silently awestruck, not knowing what to say after just hearing about the horrors he had faced. We were deeply, deeply moved and could only try to express our heartfelt condolences, thank him for sharing his powerful story to help us understand what happened, and respectfully purchase his book. It's just beyond belief to hear of such atrocities occurring in such recent history, and all three of us left the scene quietly, deeply moved, holding those who perished here close in our hearts.
This is the only photo I took, finding it uncomfortable to take any photographs throughout. This is a memorial statue at the end which includes the names of all known victims carved into black marble. We all took a moment to pause to pay our respects.
As a complete and utter contrast, the next day we embarked on a four-hour train journey to Kep, Cambodia's smallest province, to indulge in three gloriously chilled days of sun, swimming, sea and starfish in this beautifully rustic and simple beach town. Famous for it’s crab market and proximity to Rabbit Island, we embraced the new vibe we felt down here, away from the capital city. These few days of complete relaxation were much needed to recuperate from the whirlwind of the busy, non-stop and intense few weeks we've experienced over Vietnam and Cambodia.
Back in Phnom Penh, we feel compelled to spend our last day finishing the complete story of the horrific Khmer Rouge regime. With just Phoebe by our side again, we went by tuk-tuk to Choeung Ek, known as the Killing Fields. We arrive at this serene orchard, filled with birdsong, trees and flowers, and it's hard to imagine its previous use. We started the audio, just horrified to hear what happened here. The audio tour reveals how this place was connected to the Tuol Sleng detention centre, where prisoners were secretly transported from the prison to this site, unaware of their impending fate, to be executed. It's absolutely unimaginable. There was an especially poignant moment when the three of us paused in silence, reflecting on the countless babies and children who tragically lost their lives here. Without exchanging a word, we each removed a bracelet from our own wrists and tied it around a post next to a particular tree, a very small act with the intention of sending our thoughts and prayers to those precious children, tears streaming down our faces. It's simply unbelievable what these people and families have endured. We hope that by visiting these places, we've educated ourselves, and in turn, others, keeping alive the memory of all the innocent souls who perished here.
Once more, it just didn't feel right to snap any pictures as we strolled around. We concluded the tour by lighting incense and placing a lotus flower at the memorial, each with our heartfelt thoughts and prayers for all the babies, children, and families impacted by this tragic chapter in history.
With just enough time to find an express laundry service and swiftly repack for our early morning flight to India, we reflect on the conclusion of our trip. Although our hearts are heavy, they are full, and we are immensely grateful for everything we have and often take for granted. After a full-on and incredibly thought provoking journey delving into Cambodia's history, we can't wait to return in the future to spend more time with the amazing locals and relax on all its stunning, sunny beaches. Guess what? Another adventure for the "next time" list!