Angkor Wat

In the realm of the extraordinary, where time bends and ancient stones whisper tales of the past, we embarked on an enchanting voyage through the mystical wonders of Angkor Wat. Our day unfolded with the ethereal glow of dawn, as we rose from slumber at the unearthly hour of 4:15 am, drawn by the promise of witnessing the sun's first kiss upon the sacred temples.

Our trusty steed, a tuk-tuk, awaited us at 4.30, and in its humble confines, we set forth into the unknown. To our surprise, the ticket office, a realm often besieged by queues, yielded to us without delay, as if the spirits themselves guided our journey. To receive the tickets we had to pose for portraits. These more than unflattering and undistinguishable photographs would pose an additional challenge to enter more than one of temple.

The heart of Angkor Wat awaited us, and with the cosmic ballet of sunrise unfolding above, we immersed ourselves in the sacred ambiance. Though surrounded by fellow seekers of wonder, the spectacle of the heavens meeting earth invoked a sense of transcendence.

As the celestial energies wove their spell, we partook in a breakfast crafted by none other than Captain Jack Sparrow, a culinary wizard who bestowed upon us sustenance to fuel our odyssey. In an alternate reality, we contemplated the possibility of a Harry Potter-inspired repast but were lured by a special price that the pirate offered.

Tuk-tuk wheels turned, carrying us from one temple to another, the lines between reality and dream blurring as we navigated the labyrinthine paths. In our quest, we faced the recurring challenge of locating our tuk-tuk driver, a cosmic jest that added an element of unpredictability to our pilgrimage. The temples unfolded like chapters in an ancient manuscript – the fourth brought us into the realm of Tomb Raider (the movie was shot there).

As the day progressed, we traversed various states of consciousness, accompanied by magic potions, such as mango smoothie. The company of mischievous monkeys graced our path, leading us to a street food haven where we savoured coconut noodle soup.

Completing the small loop, around noon (multiple hours earlier than our driver expected) we dared to venture further into the unknown, embracing the vast expanse of the big loop. A respite came in the form of coffee and another mango smoothie, offering sustenance for the grand tapestry of temples that awaited. Elephant statues stood sentinel at one temple, and a lake adorned with eerie dead trees evoked Isengard vibes at Another. Our adventurous day reached its zenith on a hilltop temple, where the panoramic view, although partially obscured by clouds, painted a canvas of pure enchantment.

As the day waned, we returned to the mortal realm, finding solace in the comfort of our abode by 6pm. We sought street food for dinner, indulging in a banquet of our favourite snacks – corn on the cob, tofu, and summer rolls – a feast fit for celestial travellers.

With hearts full of wonder and bellies satisfied, we secured provisions for the morrow's journey, a day promised to be long and winding. As the stars whispered their lullabies, we surrendered to the embrace of our beds, grateful for the mystical tapestry woven by Angkor Wat – a testament to the timeless allure of the sacred stones.

Later addition: its quite dusty in Angkor Wat. Hence our ankles and shoes had turned a nice shade of brown/beige at the end of the day. As this is a recurring phenomenon we decided to name it. There are three stages: if you are slightly covered in dust you are dustiniert. If you are quite dirty in a way that we like to call "festival tan" you are stauded. If your skin has taken over the colour of the earth you are steep died.