Cambodia > By bike between the temples

The last day has arrived. Some people have booked extra rooms, but the hotel is full and not everyone can extend their stay until 5:00 PM. I pack my luggage and place my suitcase in the room next door. Then I go with Els to Siem Reap to rent bicycles. As we approach a place with bikes outside, we discover they belong to schoolchildren who are using the internet. We are referred to the opposite side. There, three bicycles are available for rent at two dollars per day.

Cambodia - Cycling between the temples of Angkor

After some insistence, they agree to rent them without leaving my passport—just a copy will do. I find it too risky to leave my passport on the day of the return flight. To fill in the form, the son is woken up. Sleepily, he comes over and asks how to spell “Bicycle.” When we set off, I notice my rear tire is very soft. From the gestures, I gather there is no pump here, but we can go further down the street. I think he means the gas station, but I’m not completely sure. At the gas station, the attendant points further down the street, but it’s unclear how far. We continue searching. After asking several times and reaching the other side of the town center, we finally find a man with a compression tank. He inflates the tire and is very happy with the tip. Now we can finally head out. Before going to the temples, we cycle through the outskirts of Siem Reap. As we cross the bridge, the asphalt ends. We ride along the dusty road, weaving between houses and shacks. What a difference! Back on the main road, we set course for the temples.

Cambodia - The steep stairs in the temples have a 70 incline

For a checkpoint, we take the same road the bus always used. The guard looks surprised when we arrive on bicycles, but allows us to pass. It’s about eight kilometers to the Angkor Thom temple and the Bayon Temple. We park the bikes and wander through the Bayon temple, which remains one of the most remarkable temples in the area. Through the Victory Gate, we head west. Along the way, we climb the Ta Keo temple. Ta Keo is the first temple built entirely of sandstone. Unlike other temples, it has no decorations. The steps are worn, and the staircase is very steep—I estimate a 70-degree angle. As I climb down, I realize it’s actually too steep to descend safely. I use both hands for support and keep my weight close to the temple. I reach the bottom safely. We continue cycling past the Ta Phrom temple, then the Banteay Kdei, and along the large water reservoir of Wat Srah Srang. Finally, we ride back to Angkor Wat. It’s wonderful to cycle through this UNESCO World Heritage site. From the front of Angkor Wat, we cycle back to Siem Reap, return the bicycles, and have lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, I stroll through Siem Reap, check the internet, and get ready in time for the flight. At five o’clock, we leave the hotel and drive to Siem Reap airport, where we say goodbye to Perry. At 7:15 PM, we take off for Singapore. The layover in Singapore is short. We take a shuttle train to Terminal 3, pick up our boarding passes, and walk to gate A15, where boarding has already begun with carry-on checks. In the waiting area, I just manage to grab one free internet PC to send a message home from Singapore before boarding. Around midnight, the Boeing 777-200 takes off.