Having ironed out most of the bumps from the rocky trip from Poipet, we hired a driver for the day to take us to Angkor Wat. WOW in a word.

The Bayon is one of the first temples you see when you enter the main site that leads to Angkor Wat. Its just one of hundreds of magnificent buildings spread out over about 40 miles around Siem Reap.

It's thought to have been built between 1181 and 1220. The detail that went into the building of it is mind blowing. It has nearly 4,000 feet worth of bas-relief including the most amazing enormous Buddha faces carved on the towers

The main attraction is of course Angkor Wat itself. Its a stunning pyramid temple which is nearly 1000 years old. It's absolutely enormous inside and needs at least a whole day to see it properly.

I have to say, though, impressed as I was by Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm was the one that wowed me out the most. We were lucky enough to get there when there were not too many tourists. What a place.

Part of it was used to film Tomb Raider and you can totally see why. All of the temples in the area date back to the 12th Century. Most have been restored but Ta Prohm has been left pretty much as it was found more than 100 years ago.

Giant trees with roots taller than the building itself have worked their way over, under and in between the stonework. Their trunks tower hundreds of feet into the sky above creating a scene which really doesn't merit written description. You really have to see it for yourself. I think I used a whole memory card on the place.

Once again I was reminded just how lucky I am to have been able to do this trip.

There is such a difference between Siem Reap, or should I say the area around Angkor Wat and the rest of Cambodia. Siem Reap boasts a massive street, full of luxury hotels – some costing $1000’s a night. You have to pay for a day pass into the area where all the temples are, so there are barriers on the road that leads up to it. This whole area is so glossy and clean. The moment you are back to Siem Reap proper the roads are broken, the curbs are all smashed, the footpaths are covered in rubbish and there is dust everywhere.

They are obviously making a lot of money from Angkor Wat – the $60 entrance fee goes to a hotel group. Some of the cash is used for restoration, but I wonder how much if any goes back into the community.

Unlike Machu Picchu, at least here independent traders can make a few dollars selling postcards and breakfasts.

The kids are amazing, funny and simply irresistible. They memorise all the main facts and figures for the countries of all the different tourist groups and charm you with their knowledge. “You have a queen, but the boss is Tony Blair. Your capital is London and it always rains.” I'm sure by now they will have updated themselves and learned how to pronounce Gordon Brown. They ask for pens, try to sell you tourist guides and offer to act as ‘guides.’

Some haven’t quite got the guide bit right yet – our little boy just wanted us to follow him around as he walked ahead completely silent – I think he needed to squat up a bit on his Angkor history.

After three days - two of which were spent cycling round finding the temples further out of the centre - I have to admit that we were a bit templed out, but no less in awe. This is an absolute not to be missed place, well worth the crazy bus ride it took to get here.