Chasing Lara Croft the Temples of Angkor

Influenced over the centuries by Indian, Siamese and Javanese kingdoms, the Khmer culture of Cambodia is ancient, intriguing and gracefully elegant, with a heady juxtaposition of Hindu and Buddhist history. Descending from the clouds by plane and taking those first steps on Siem Reap soil, in Cambodia’s north-west, I felt the magic and spirituality draw me close. Merely an hour’s flight from the mayhem of Bangkok, it was as if I had been transported to another world. I was immediately struck by the friendliness and obvious warmth of the people, which seemed at odds with the brutal events of the country’s recent history.