Angkor Wat - Day 6

Saturday saw us off to an early start, up at 4:30am and ready to jump in the Tuk Tuks by 5:00am. With bags packed and walking shoes on we were all eager to witness sunrise at the infamous Angkor Wat Temple. With a rare chill in the air, we sped through the streets of Siem Reap in a sea of headlights, many obviously having the same idea as us. Excitement built as we arrived to a star filled, clear sky, with an amazing sunrise seemingly on the cards. However, amongst the throng of people we stared at the outline of the great Angkor Wat only to be met with a snippet of colour creeping behind the imposing structure. It was then time to explore in order to experience the amazing views on offer. However, first we had to conquer the ridiculously steep, death defying stairs to the pinnacle of the main temple. Luckily our efforts were well rewarded with many a splendid photo opportunity. After precariously descending the steps, it was time to hop back into the Tuk Tuks and refuel with a breakfast of pancakes. We were then ready for our second temple, the setting for the Tomb Raider movie. Here we enjoyed the lush greenery and splendour of the ancient, majestic trees which provided us with much needed shade as the day was really beginning to heat up. Finally, we set our sights on the Bayon Temple and the Elephant Terrace, where we walked alongside the monks and shared more amazing vistas. However, not before again overcoming the fear of negotiating yet another two sets of ladder like stairs! To end an unforgettable day, the group dined out at a traditional Khmer restaurant and celebrated Gemma’s birthday with a scrumptious Black Forest cake and a hearty rendition of ‘Happy Birthday.’ An early night was had by all as the next morning we were heading for Phnom Penh.