The Angkor. Mode of transport: Bicycle
Cycling around the Angkor is still a pursuit undertaken by relatively few travellers. Most hire a tuk tuk for the day for around 10 to 12 dollars to take them around the Grand Circuit.
Why cycle then? For starters, there is more freedom in taking to the road yourself, instead of being chauffered around the circuit in a tuk tuk crossing off the temples as you pass them by or stop for a quick look around. Cycling is pretty much an own time, own target enterprise. I am hassled by no one, i move when i want to move, and i can spend as much time as i want on the road, admiring the jungle itself and the play of sunlight on the trees or just stopping by a lesser known temple and finding that im the only person there, embarking on yet another attempt to climb towards the central landing, only giving up halfway up and then settling down on the stairs to enjoy the view and slightly quaver in fear at the immense height and inevitable treacherous journey down.
Seeing that these temples were meant to symbolise an ascent to the abode of the Gods, climbing was not supposed to be an easy task - well, its never going to be easy to ascend the heavens right?
Left: An impossible ascent, now that the sandstone steps have been eroded by the ebb and flow of time and history.
Above, right: Treacherous steps that lead up the the central tower of the Angkor Wat.
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