Oliver of Otterburn in Cambodia

Well, this is a bit different. I have spent much of the year
travelling the vast distances of Australia. Now, just before I am due
to head back home for a chilly Christmas here I am in Cambodia. I am
here with my usual travelling companion Ray, and we are going to visit
the awesome Angkor temples that draw thousands of visitors each year
from all over the world. We are also to meet a couple of gorgeous
young ladies that are friends of Ray’s son Lee.

But, I have to say, it is hot. For a woolly sheep like me it is fairly
hard going. In fact there are no sheep in Cambodia because it is so
hot. However I am not daunted. As everyone knows, mad sheep and
Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Now that the rainy season is over
the sun shines warmly out of a blue sky every day and the countryside
is beautifully green.

So, one day we set off to visit the wondrous temples of Angkor, the
architectural and religious extravaganza of the ancient Khmer empire
of Cambodia. There are many, many temples and they cover a sizeable
area, so it is necessary to choose. For transport we go by tuk-tuk, a
marvellous little open carriage pulled by a motor-cycle. Our driver is
Dany, very skilled in weaving in and out of the traffic. It is a very
pleasant way to drive with the cooling breeze blowing through my
fleece.

Our first stop is the village of Sra Srang right by ancient Buddhist
monastery of Banteay Kdei and here we met two lovely ladies - Kai,
looking very pretty with her bright smile, her dark hair and her white
top - and her mother, Kong. Kong was forced to battle for survival
during the terrible regime of the Khmer Rouge when up to two million
Cambodians died and everyone else was forced to eat anything that
could be found, just to maintain life. She does not like to remember
those times. She has brought up two children after being deserted by
her husband. Every day she gets up before dawn to prepare food for a
stall where villagers come for breakfast. What a remarkable lady!

In the village we see a lot of young children. Two of the cute little
people are so worried by my strange looks that they will not touch me,
so Ray has to hold me for a photo.

With Kai for our guide we were then off to see some of the wonders of
the temples of Angkor. It is difficult for a simple sheep like me to
find the words to describe a visit to Angkor. They are ancient, they
were hidden in jungle for centuries. They are monuments to both
Buddhist and Hindu religions. The variety of style of building is
astonishing. Everywhere there are beautiful carvings describing the
events of so long ago. So, no more words - if you want to experience
this truly remarkable area you will just have to get on your four feet
and go.