The Captain does Cambodia

Arriving in Siem Reap, if feels as though a time machine has transported us forty years in to the past, however given Cambodia’s violent past we’re happy that it’s very much the present, even if our surroundings defy that notion. The city seems to be growing at a rapid pace as the reputation of Angkor’s splendour spreads, there is a vibrant night market and of course a brash street full of bars for tourists seeking a little less cultural immersion.

We’re keen to see Angkor Wat as soon as humanly possible but the journey takes a little longer than expected as the ticket office is inconveniently, and rather bizarrely located some distance from the entrance to the site. However we arrive well in advance of sunset and join the throngs gathered at the entrance. It’s a chaotic scene as tuk-tuks buzz around picking up and dropping off, whilst local vendors assess the fresh prey. Tourists run the gamut from umbrella-toting Asian octogenarians to fresh-faced, lobster-skinned northern European backpackers. Most have adhered to the not so difficult dress code of covered shoulders and knees, but there are a few hilarious exceptions, looking as if they’re engaged in a Sunday morning walk of shame. A brief tease ensues as the site closes soon after our arrival and we don’t quite reach the main temple, however our brief disappointment is tempered by the knowledge that we’ll be back at sunrise tomorrow.

4.45am is an ungodly hour to wake up, particularly on vacation, but I’m happily dressed and ready to go as sunrise at Angkor Wat is widely regarded as the optimum time to savour the majesty of Cambodia’s most famous treasure (so famous that it adorns the national flag). As darkness slowly slips away the expectant crowd of approximately two thousand can’t help but think they could’ve spent another half an hour in their beds. After what seems an age, daylight gradually bathes the rooftop of the famous temple, exposing a sea of selfie-sticks and cellphone screens.

Happily the crowd disperses once inside the temple as the hordes choose from an infinite number of paths to explore the huge site, which is in fact the largest religious structure in the world. A couple of hours of trying to channel my inner monk with some quiet contemplation follow, as we attempt to breathe in close to a millennium of rich history at these sacred grounds, whose magnificence is hard to describe yet easily identifiable as the highlight of the trip so far. I cannot believe that Angkor Wat wasn’t voted as one of the modern seven wonders of the modern world, a statue of Jesus on a hill in Brazil is really more wondrous?

We reluctantly tear ourselves away as we have a number of other stops to make and the sun is already making it’s powerful presence felt. We find our guide for the day sleeping off a hangover in his tuk-tuk, so he’s delighted to learn that we’ve decided to abbreviate our ambitious schedule and only visit two more temples today. Shockingly the temple we visit next is a relatively unremarkable site, but we round off the mini tour in style with a couple of hours at Ta Prohm, the crumbling masterpiece set in the jungle, made famous by the original Tomb Raider movie. It’s been an unforgettable morning, and having completely failed to describe it with any accuracy, or take a photo that does it even a remote justice, I’d strongly recommend a visit in person.

Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh is our next stop and we decide to spend our three nights, which coincide with Robin’s birthday, in a gorgeous suite at the brand new Sun and Moon Hotel. All this luxury does however breed a certain amount of laziness. A visit to the Royal Palace is the cultural highlight here, although I must say I did enjoy attending an impromptu late night street party too, perhaps the old me hasn’t completely vanished! This little gathering is just one small example of how rapidly the city is modernizing, and despite the inevitable changes to the character of the place, the inhabitants seems to be embracing it and who can blame them after all they’ve been through.

Leaving the capital and heading south back to the beaches we encounter Sihanoukville, a largely uninspiring port town, most famous for seemingly containing more casinos than hotels. The town is really no more than a stepping stone for most people who are heading to the beautiful islands that lay not too far off Cambodia’s coast. The best known of these is Koh Rong. The island is unique given it’s only two modes of transportation are your own two feet or a boat. Essentially it’s a jungle surrounded by powdery white sand, the sort of place where hours turn into days, days in to weeks, weeks in to hippies. During our visit the Fire Flow Festival is taking place, which involves plenty of juggling, twirling and spinning of various objects that are alight. The participants range from complete novice to competent veteran and the performances reflect that, with burning torches occasionally flying in to areas where spectators have gathered, taking crowd participation to a whole new level.

We opt to stay in a beachside bungalow for the full Robinson Crusoe experience and for a couple of days we are in absolute bliss. However, a bout of food poisoning (it had to happen at some point) puts paid to that. Once recovered, our memory of this place is a tad soiled and we head back to the mainland reluctantly yet relieved. We spend a couple of nights hanging out in a charming little town called Kampot. It’s a fitting end as Cambodia has indeed charmed us in to staying quite a bit longer than we had intended, I guess that’s no bad sign and will certainly be a tough act to follow for our next destination.

Moving on

Lombok, Indonesia

A short plane ride from Bali is the neighbouring island of Lombok, in the past very much the land that tourists forgot, or worse ignored, definitely not the flashpacker magnet that it is today. The two Indonesian islands are different in many respects, but most markedly in their religious outlook. Lombok is mainly Muslim, versus a predominantly Hindu population in Bali, and there is definitely a less permissive feel about the place, at least on the surface. Scratching beneath the surface is of course where most of the fun and true discovery lie, and we soon meet someone who is willing to show us what lurks beneath. Larby is a charismatic chap hailing from Morocco via Holland who we meet at one of his restaurants called KRNK, an industrial-themed fusion eatery incorporating cuisines from around the world. A raconteur, philosopher, foodie, lover of all things marine and in short excellent company, he takes us under his wing for a night and shows us a variety of south Lombok’s nightspots, even including a bar built in to the back of a VW Camper van. Riding a motorcycle taxi home in a torrential downpour rounds off a raucous night.

Exploring the southern shores of south Lombok is a wonderful way to pass time, best enjoyed on a motorcycle, with tiny pristine strips of sand dotting the coastline, each new discovery claiming breathtaking superiority over its predecessor. At the top of the metaphorical (palm)tree is Selong Balanak, an absolutely gorgeous gem of tranquility that will proudly stand alongside the best the Caribbean has to offer. They are connected by a winding, often very steep and heavily rutted road that snakes through the mountains and dissects the valleys, offering a glimpse in to the busy lives of the locals who are lucky enough to call this slice of paradise home.

Travelling north to Senggigi, a resort town in north-west Lombok, we rendezvous with Kevin and enjoy a few relaxing nights and slow mornings. Aside from introducing us to the wonderful local dish of ayam taliwang, an incredibly fragrant grilled chicken curry, there wasn’t much happening here, save for a few bars frequented by aging expats and bar flies. From there it’s a fifteen minute ferry ride to the famed Gili Islands, a tropical paradise we’ve all seen on postcards and of course dreamt about, endless stretches of white sand beaches, turquoise coral-filled waters and hammocks hung from palm trees, but with one major difference, there is not one motorized vehicle on any of the islands. Our first stop is Gili Trawangan, certainly the most lively of the three, infamous for its rowdy bars and the monthly full moon party. Despite being the largest of the islands, navigating the myriad beaches, resorts and restaurants is easy enough though with a number of horse-drawn taxi carriages known as cidomos honking their way around the island. A few hundred horses are employed for this purpose, across all the Gilis and it seems to me that they’re worked very hard, in fact I later find out that their average life expectancy is only 3 years. Perhaps as a result of this cruelty a number of visitors choose to walk, however with a lap of Trawangan taking about three hours, most opt to rent bicycles. There’s something for everyone here with the 5 star crowd well catered to as well as the backpacker on the tightest budget. This inclusivity adds to the fun vibe.

We skip over Gili Meno, the honeymooner’s idyll with all the atmosphere of a monastery, to Gili Air which is less frenetic than Trawangan yet still lively enough for all but the most hedonistic, whilst retaining many of the original charms and reggae soundtrack that lured those early visitors. Basically Gili Air is the sister that you’d marry, and as in any good relationship time simply flies by in its company. Just as days are about to turn in to weeks we regain our senses and realize it’s now or never if we are to escape the clutches of the mesmeric Gilis. Packing to leave is agonizing.

Malaysia

We start in Kuala Lumpur, where the similarities to my hometown of Toronto are striking. Two fast-growing culturally diverse alpha world cities of approximate size known primarily for their skyline-dominating towers, as well as being the commercial hubs of their respective countries. Life here is fast-paced and it’s easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

Food is outstanding, no doubt helped by the cosmopolitan nature of the population. Our first meal is dinner at one of the most popular Indian restaurants in the city and it’s easy to see why. Upon arrival we are instructed to make quick choices without the aid of a menu before we are even seated in the packed room. Once sat, a banana leaf is laid out in front of us and the next twenty minutes are a whirlwind of servers dumping delicious heaps of exotic food in front of us. We can’t get enough, but sadly our bellies decide that we’ve reached our limit and as we waddle out, our banana leaves are rolled and quickly discarded, our seats are filled and the whole process repeats, it’s a brilliantly efficient system. Other culinary highlights include the Jalan Alor street/restaurant market, where a cacophony of sound greets us as vendors vie for our attention, hoping to lure the undecided masses. We opt to spend our hard-earned with the less vocal, strategizing that their food will do the talking, and it proves to be a sound philosophy as we feast on everything from multi-coloured dumplings to chicken wings, and a few things besides. Sometimes ignorance can be culinary bliss.

Flying north to Langkawi, the jewel of Malaysia, we swap the gastronomic delights of the capital for the visually stunning archipelago located in the Andaman Sea to the north-west. Here mangrove-clad limestone cliffs form scores of islands that stretch as far as the eye can see, it’s some of Mother Nature’s very best work. We get a birds-eye view as we ascend the world’s steepest cable car rising to over 700m above sea-level, I can’t imagine a better vista.

Driving up to Gunung Raya mountain to soak in the view from Langkawi’s highest point doesn’t bring the reward that it should, so we content ourselves with an afternoon on Tanjung Rhu beach and finally sampling roti canai, the most famous local dish consisting of a savoury crepe acting as a bed for various types of curry lying on top, it tastes as good as it sounds. Another afternoon is spent at the picturesque Telaga Tujuh where no less than seven waterfalls cascade down a series of rocks forming several natural pools most of which are deep enough to enjoy a refreshing swim.

Our final stop in Malaysia, Georgetown the UNESCO designated corner on the island of Penang. fails to excite, a grossly underwhelming experience. Whether it’s the travel fatigue or the scorching heat, we never manage to get going in this much-hyped region and consequently spend most of the time holed up in a beautiful hotel room occasionally venturing out for the undeniably fantastic street food. It’s time to move on.