A glass half full

Today is the 94th day of our 188 day journey, and when we land in New Zealand tomorrow we’re beginning the 2nd half of our adventure. But before the sun sets on Cambodia we wanted to tell you a little more about this incredible place.

We came to Cambodia primarily to visit Ankor Wat (which was amazing), but what we found was so much more. The people, the food, the pace of how it all works and more than anything else the Cambodian smiles are what make this place exceptional.

To kick off our visit we decided to take a local food tour (by tuk tuk, which was also awesome), and our first stop was through the largest street market we’ve ever seen. From the endless stalls of fresh fruits and vegetables, to the hand carved meats and fresh ground curries, this place was unbelievable. Add in a tall Cambodian coffee (the locals serve it iced with sweetened condensed milk) and we were in awe.

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After an amazing pork & rice breakfast at Je Oun restaurant we then headed out to the countryside to visit one of the local farms where they manage every step in the process of growing, harvesting and then producing Cambodia’s famous rice noodles.

Although these delicious noodles are simple to the eye, the process of making them is actually a complex science which together the multi-generational family work through flawlessly. Day in and day out the family produces around 100 pounds of fresh noodles for delivery to some of the best local restaurants for same-day consumption. That’s right, these noodles are so special that they have to be consumed the same day they’re produced!

Our Cambodian food tour was incredible. Throughout the day we visited a handful of restaurants and street vendors, all with something special to share. Keira’s favorite were the fried bananas.

It’s monsoon season here in Cambodia and on our way back into town we ended up caught in the middle of one from the comfort of our tuk tuk. Despite the flash flood, the locals were still smiling! 😊

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After a pretty tame night out on Pub Street 🍻, we decided to dip our toes into the world of Siem Reap’s jungle temples. First stop, Preah Khan.

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Luckily there’s no audio on this one or you would hear a fair bit of family chirping in the background. Apparently I was asking them to stop for a picture right atop a huge ant hill…welcome to nature! 🐜

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Our tuk tuk driver was awesome & kept offering new temples to show us, but it was time to head home and rest up for tomorrow’s full-day bike tour.

It’s 4AM somewhere

Yes, it’s 4AM in Cambodia. Tara (our very own early 🐦) booked us on a bike tour beginning with a sunrise stop at Ankor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world.

Our 18 mile bike tour took us through some of Siem Reap’s most impressive sights including Ankor Thom, Bayon Temple (pictured below) and Ta Prohm Temple.

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A little tired and a lot sweaty we arrived at our final temple stop, Ta Prohm (aka the filming location for Tomb Raider). Our 18 mile tour took us past monkeys 🐒 , dogs (lots and lots of 🐶), cows 🐮, elephants 🐘, chickens 🐓, pigs 🐷, hundreds of butterflies 🦋 and just a few giant millipedes.

It’s hard to believe but the pictures really don’t do this place any justice. The full scope of the thousand-year-old temples entwined with the Cambodian jungle is truly something to see, and we loved it here.

For you foodies out there don’t miss the Cambodian Amok at Pots & Pans and if you’re looking for an Asian alternative try the Mexican food at Maybe Later. Hands-down the best fish tacos we’ve ever had. Ever.

Well, that’s all from Asia…see you in New Zealand! 🥝