Early Spring at Devil’s Den

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Stone walls at Devil's Den

Stone walls at Devil’s Den

I came home for about five weeks mainly to help my parents pack up for their move to Florida, but while I was there I took advantage of some of the great spring hiking in the area. I spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Devil’s Den in Weston, CT with an old friend and was impressed as always with the stone walls. I also saw some skunk weed, which reminds me a lot of my childhood, and some lovely fungi on tree stumps. Finally, a walk around Godfrey Pond capped the day.

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Khao Sok National Park and Chiew Lan Lake

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A view of the cliffs over Chiew Lan Lake

A view of the cliffs over Chiew Lan Lake

I spent a few days in the beautiful area of Khao Sok, hiking in the national park and taking an overnight tour to Chiew Lan Lake. Despite being a fairly popular destination in southern Thailand, both the park and lake are secluded and relatively untouched. I saw a lot of flying lizards, monkeys, and more geckos than I could count!

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Cambodia Roundup

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A dubious way to transport a ladder in Phnom Penh

A dubious way to transport a ladder in Phnom Penh

I spent 16 days in Cambodia and an average of $30 per day. I didn’t see too many places, just Banlung, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and Siem Reap. The buses in southeast Asia were really wearing me down and I was concerned about my budget, so I decided to take it easy. I ended up spending more money than I had wanted to, though, mainly on the delicious western food I found near the beach.

I don’t have a burning desire to return to Cambodia. I found the people there to be a bit too aggressive and untrustworthy. It’s not that I felt unsafe there or like I’d be attacked, but rather that the people I encountered weren’t too concerned about my well-being and were always trying to rip me off. Also, the traffic was terrifying, especially when going for a bike ride.

I suppose if I do ever find myself in Cambodia again I’d like to explore more of the coast. I didn’t get to any of the islands or the smaller towns, and although the beach at Sihanoukville is beautiful, the town completely lacks culture and charm.

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Ta Prohm and Preah Kahn at the Angkor Archaeological Park

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The Yank without a Chain posing at Ta Prohm

The Yank without a Chain posing at Ta Prohm

My final day of my tour of Angkor included the temples Ta Prohm and Preah Kahn, both famous for the magnificent trees and vines that grow amongst the ruins. These ruins are also where the Angelina Jolie movie Tomb Raider was filmed. You can definitely see why! It is truly striking to see how the trees have overtaken the sites and it’s a reminder of the power of nature over man. Unfortunately I didn’t get the timing quite right to take great pictures – early morning or late afternoon are best to avoid the sun, and of course I went between 11-2pm, probably the worst time!

Over my three days, I didn’t see quite as much of the Angkor Archaeological Park as I had anticipated, but after three days of biking around in the heat and surrounded by huge crowds of tourists, I was ready to move on! It takes a truly dedicated tourist to see more than 5 or 6 of the temples in three days.

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