Dangerous Things
When I'm in a hotel without internet access, and have a hectic schedule of temples to keep up, I neglect the blog. It's a tough life, climbing up down and over medieval Ankor temples.
Yesterday I cycled around some of the temples. The problem is that the Khmer seem happy to cycle around on unlit roads on bicycles without lights. I wanted to see the sun rise over Ankor Wat, so I needed to cycle before the sun rose. In the tropics, the sky is dark 30 minutes before dawn. It took ages to find somewhere that rented bikes with as much as a dynamo light. There seems to be no such thing as reflective strips in Cambodia either. (I can appreciate being too poor for lights, but who is too poor for an ugly orange reflective vest, and yet can afford a bike?). So I set off at 5am, trusting to my dynamo light and a white shirt I had bought in Chiang Mai.
The dynamo light flickered on and off.
The dawn was spectacular. The day after equinox, the sun rises a little to the north of due east. From where I sat, the sun followed the curve of the central Ankor Wat tower as it rose, finally revealing itself just above the central tower.
I spent a long day cycling around temples and taking my time exploring them. Imagine cycling through ancient gopura, under massive serene heads, and stopping in front of deserted temples. Then parking the bike to clamber up vast mountain-shaped temples with signs on them saying "Climb at your own risk". There will be photos later.
I got distracted by a large monastery and set off home during dusk - and only then did I find that the dynamo would not connect with the wheel. Ten minutes later, it was pitch black. Five minutes after that, the road was unlit.
Perhaps because of all this, the Siem Reap traffic does not move too quickly. I even passed some motorbikes. Because of this, cycling around felt pretty safe. Except for the bit in pitch black without street lights.
Another cyclist came to my rescue. He had improvised white lights (yes, should be red) on the back of his rucsac. So I shamelessly put myself in front of him - anyone about to run me over would hopefully see his lights first.
So yes - I am back in Siem Reap safely, after three days of temples. The journey home begins on Friday.
Yesterday I cycled around some of the temples. The problem is that the Khmer seem happy to cycle around on unlit roads on bicycles without lights. I wanted to see the sun rise over Ankor Wat, so I needed to cycle before the sun rose. In the tropics, the sky is dark 30 minutes before dawn. It took ages to find somewhere that rented bikes with as much as a dynamo light. There seems to be no such thing as reflective strips in Cambodia either. (I can appreciate being too poor for lights, but who is too poor for an ugly orange reflective vest, and yet can afford a bike?). So I set off at 5am, trusting to my dynamo light and a white shirt I had bought in Chiang Mai.
The dynamo light flickered on and off.
The dawn was spectacular. The day after equinox, the sun rises a little to the north of due east. From where I sat, the sun followed the curve of the central Ankor Wat tower as it rose, finally revealing itself just above the central tower.
I spent a long day cycling around temples and taking my time exploring them. Imagine cycling through ancient gopura, under massive serene heads, and stopping in front of deserted temples. Then parking the bike to clamber up vast mountain-shaped temples with signs on them saying "Climb at your own risk". There will be photos later.
I got distracted by a large monastery and set off home during dusk - and only then did I find that the dynamo would not connect with the wheel. Ten minutes later, it was pitch black. Five minutes after that, the road was unlit.
Perhaps because of all this, the Siem Reap traffic does not move too quickly. I even passed some motorbikes. Because of this, cycling around felt pretty safe. Except for the bit in pitch black without street lights.
Another cyclist came to my rescue. He had improvised white lights (yes, should be red) on the back of his rucsac. So I shamelessly put myself in front of him - anyone about to run me over would hopefully see his lights first.
So yes - I am back in Siem Reap safely, after three days of temples. The journey home begins on Friday.