The day of Angkor Wat was here. I started the day at 4 AM to join a guided sunrise tour of Angkor Wat's small circuit. I know I didn’t sleep well but felt surprisingly awake this morning. I guess I was excited for the temples. About 20 or so people from the hostel joined the tour. We took a minivan from the hostel to Angkor Wat. By the time we purchased our tickets and arrived at Angkor Wat, it was about 30 minutes until sunrise.
The sunrise was pleasant yet hazing with no clear outline of the sun. I expected a visible sun passing above the 5 spires. Following the sunrise, we walked through the Angkor Wat temple, the main attraction. Sae, our tour guide, was like a walking history textbook. At times I grew tired with the history lessons and just wanted to move on with the tour. But overall he was extremely knowledgeable and the tour had a good pace.
We ate lunch at an overpriced restaurant in the park. I sat across from a friendly couple from Manchester, England. After lunch, the tour continued around the small circuit of Angkor Wat. The temples were awe-inspiring, but after a while the temples started to blend together.
My favorite was Ta Prohm with its massive trees busting through the ancient sandstone blocks. Nature is intensely relentless. We arrived back at the hostel around 2 PM. I gobbled down some snacks and immediately passed out on my bed for about 2.5 hours. Following this glorious nap, I did some computer work, booking my stay in Saigon and bus to Phnom Penh.
For dinner, I wanted something simple and easy. Unfortunately I picked a place that took forever, even worst than the first dinner I ate here. But at least I had time to read and write and enjoy people-watching from my table. I also had an Irish or Scottish couple having a spat the whole time I waited on my meal. The meal itself was solid, although not worth waiting 40 minutes for. The banana pancake, for which this trail I'm backpacking on is named after, was a fantastic dessert. I'm glad they serve breakfast all day.
Other notes:
Pocari Sweat is hands down my favorite sports drink. Take notes Gatorade.