Visiting Angkor Wat for new perspectives

Last week I was in Siem Reap, Cambodia for five days. The highlight of traveling to this part of the world is visiting Angkor Wat. The temples were built in the early 12th century, originally as a Hindu temple and now a Buddhist temple. It is the world's largest religious monument, covering 400 acres, and was originally built (dedicated) to the Hindu god Vishnu, the Preserver and Protector, whose purpose is to maintain balance and order in the universe. One of Vishnu's many incarnations is Krishna from the Bhagavad Gita, who helps Arjuna with his personal battle with morality while on the battlefield. Krishna teaches him about dharma and the path to inner peace through selfless service and surrender to the divine, helping Arjuna understand profound truths about duty, devotion, and the nature of the self. So yes, it is hugely important and visited by almost a million people each year.

I was fortunate enough to visit the temples twice. The complex is huge, and it isn’t a “see everything in a day” kind of place. Even with excellent guides and hours for both visits, I just scratched the surface of what Angkor Wat has to offer. My first visit was the sunrise tour, a very popular option. The group was our guide, another couple, and me. Well, guess what?! It was still rainy season in Cambodia, and there was no sunrise that day. In fact, the weather was pretty rough, super hot and humid, with a few showers. So here I was, halfway around the world at these iconic temples, feeling pretty bummed out. We saw other temples throughout the day, mostly by biking around, and learned more about our tour guide.

Now I remember being hot and a little cranky. I remember a few of the temples (the main one and the one from Tomb Raider). And I also remember something much more important, our tour guide’s story.

To me, travel is, of course, about the place, but also about the people. Connection is one of my top core values, and I love learning about other people and cultures. Our guide was 34. He was one of 11 children, however, only three were still alive. He was a native of Cambodia and had only left the country once, to go to Thailand to take his mom to the hospital in Bangkok. He loved history and archaeology and dreamed of going to Machu Picchu in Peru, a trip that will probably never happen for him in this lifetime. He was fluent in English and Cambodian. He loved mountain biking and sharing his home and these temples with tourists.

To him, there wasn't a bad day at the temples because of rain, weather, or crowds. This was his office, and he was grateful to be bringing us around. During our day, he received a text from a friend who worked on some of the digs at the temple and was excited to share that they had made new discoveries. The highlight for me was when he took us on his “jungle path” - not part of the normal tour - and we rode bikes through mud, ducking under trees. He led us and kept yelling to duck in one of the most joyful voices.

Now, I truthfully don't remember his name or everything we did that day. But I remember how he made me feel. Like I was being guided by someone who cared about what they do and got to live their purpose. I got to share in some of that joy and see something through someone else's eyes. I cried and questioned why I got to see Machu Picchu and the 30+ other countries I’ve traveled to like it wasn’t a big deal, and thought about how the world sometimes makes absolutely no sense.

It was a remembrance of why traveling is important, and even more so, why listening to others and connecting is important. Learning about their story, seeing them as a human who deserves love and is just like me. To live each day as if our “office” is a place we are fortunate enough to be in. Even when the clouds cover the sunrise, the sun is still there. Like Krishna teaching Arjuna about duty and presence, I was reminded that showing up fully and with care is what gives meaning to each day.

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