Nicole and I are currently on a bus ride to Phnom Phen for our departing flight back to Singapore. In the past four days, we have been on two planes, one overnight bus, two regular buses, two ferry rides, and several tuk tuks. The title of this post is deceiving.

Friday, we flew into the Siem Reap and took a tuk tuk directly to Angkor Wat to see the temples. Our tuk tuk driver ended up taking us around the temples, which was great because we didn’t have enough time to walk around the whole area (and because we were so hot and sweaty, it looked like we had just gotten out of the shower). However, we did get out for about an hour and a half to walk around Angkor Wat, which is the main temple that most people know of.

The travelers we met later that night gave us a tough time for only spending a few hours at the temples, claiming it was “such an American thing to do”. But for me, a few hours was perfect and definitely enough.

Upon entering the temple grounds, a man came up to us asking if we would like a guided tour. We said sure, wanting to get the most out of the experience by knowing the history behind the temple. I think the only English this man spoke was “bad man,” “king,” and “yes.” He loved to say yes. After every incomprehensible sentence, he would finish with “yes, yes.” I was so deranged from the heat I just smiled, nodded, and continued to snap some pictures while taking in the temple’s wonder with a sense of awe and amazement.

After touring Angkor Wat, Nicole and I headed to our night bus, which took us to the beach town of Sihounkville. Upon arrival in Sihounkville we took a ferry to the island of Koh Rong, where we stayed in a bungalow right on the white sand beach.

Roh Kong is a backpacker’s heaven. A row of cheap yet charming bars, restaurants, dorms and mini villas hug the coast. Locals enjoy games of beach volleyball as their children test the patience of the island dogs. There were dogs everywhere, but they didn’t bother anyone, not even for food.

If you’ve ever heard of someone saying, “I’m going to quit my job and become a bartender on some island in Southeast Asia,” I imagine they would end up in some place like Koh Rong.