High school in an IB program is no joke. Every class is at an AP level and at the end of the sophomore year, students take a test that covers everything they learned since starting high school. So H got a month off of school to study, which sometimes meant three different kinds of tutors and then studying other subjects the rest of the time. And then it was two weeks of an exam every day or or two until he finished them all. It. was. intense.
At the end of his exams, Brandon and H went on a trip together to Cambodia. We couldn't make it happen as a family, but since H was done with schools once exams were over, it was a great opportunity for the two of them to go.
I had H write up about their experience, but he may have lost the love for blogging after writing about Day 1. No problem! But since I wasn't there and neither B nor H want to do any more, I've just sort of added pics from those days that seem to fit--hopefully it's right--and look cool to me.
I wish I had been there!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 1 (Saturday):
Overnight flight from Bangalore to Bangkok for a layover before heading to Siem Reap? The only condition that goes along with that is stopping for some Burger King in Bangkok, especially after waiting for customs for an hour and a half.
Finally, 12 hours after taking off from Bangalore, our plane touched down, which meant a new country was added to the list and the start of the boy's trip, baby!
The hour-long drive from the airport to the hotel was marked by coconut water and views of the Cambodian countryside.
Upon arriving at our hotel, we arranged for cabs for the rest of our trip. Then we went out to get lunch at the very close Pub Street, which is known for a large amount of restaurants from varying cuisines. After lunch at a Greek place we'd looked at while planning the trip, we stopped by 7-11 to pick up snacks and the mandatory strange Fanta (Fruit Punch flavor).
Then we ended up wandering around in the surrounding night market (which wasn't open yet) and we followed the wall of a temple all the way to the river. Across the street was the temple whose wall we'd been following. The temple was neat (it was the Wat Preah Prom Rath). After that, we went to Phare (the Cambodian Circus), where there was food and then a performance. For dinner, we ordered lok lak, Cambodian curry, Khmer donuts, and lime juice.
The performance was a story about the importance of rice in the daily life of the Khmer people.
Day 2: (Sunday)
Next up was Sunday, which meant we went to church! It was in Khmer, so we just borrowed audio translators and then left after first hour.
THEN THE ADVENTURE BEGAN
We started off on the smaller loop by going to Angkor Wat
Then we went to the Ta Phrom temple, where all of the architecture was covered in trees)
Bayon
terrace of elephants and the leper king
southern gate
dinner at chubby gonzos
Day 3: (Monday)
sunrise @ Angkor Wat
Preah Khan Temple (then my stomach started hurting)
(Felicia here: we think H has the same fun thing that I do, where fresh pineapple makes you vomit. So H sat out most of this day trying to feel better after his early breakfast.)
DAD WENT TO:
Neak Poan Temple
East Moban
Pre Roup/Rup
Banteay Prei/Kdei
Kravan Temple
Then Dad came and picked me up
Bao for lunch!
bat tree
Angkor National Museum
TURKISH!
Day 4: (Tuesday)
Lo Lei temples
Preah Ko, Bakong, Prasat Lolei
Gate of the Dead (East Bayon/Baphuon area)
Went back to Bayon
airport
