Heart of Cambodia

Copyright Tan and Trev 2005

Shock, awe and inspiration. Our trip to Cambodia has touched us like no other trip.

The travel guide promised stunning architecture, powerful history, magnificent beaches and sleepy rural villages. In 16 days we sampled the diverse offerings of Phnom Penh, Kompong Cham, Angkor Wat, Battambang, and Sihanoukville.

The temples, remnants of French colonialism, palaces, pagodas, and with palm-fringed beaches are idyllic. The bomb craters interspersed among rural villages and rustic ruins are not - a horrible reminder of what human beings are capable of doing to each other.

There is enormous poverty - 70% of the population live without electricity, running water or sanitation. Health care is user-pays - if you can't afford it, you don't receive it. It's estimatedthat 50% of the population is infected with tuberculosis. The prevalence of HIV is high, and rising alarmingly.

The contrasts between the beauty of the people and landscape, and the stark realities of their history and current situation, make it difficult tosum up our experience of the country in a few words.

It has inspired us to begin this site in order to share the experience with family and friends. We hope our travel pictures and stories do justice in conveying some of the experience of travelling in Cambodia.