Sunrise at Angkor Wat - July 1, 2013

Dawn was fast approaching, as I feverishly peddled my Mary Poppins-like bicycle, complete with a basket attached in front, trying to arrive at my destination before the sun appeared in the sky.

Finally, the main entrance was in sight. I'd make it in time. Success!

"Sir, where's your ticket?"

"No problem," I thought. "I've got it right here."

Then, to my horror, I noticed the corner of the ticket was torn. The agent didn't look pleased.

A conference with other agents and a supervisor ensued. "The serial number on the edge is missing," said the initial agent.

My spirits sank. I'd gotten up at 3:30 for nothing. I'd have to buy a new ticket, but the office wouldn't be open until after sunrise.

I dug deep into my pocket, hoping beyond hope, and then I felt it - the missing sliver of paper with the rest of the serial number, the tiny sliver of paper blocking me from my quest. I handed the scrap to the agent, who smiled, taped the corner into place, and I was off again into the darkness, sweat pouring off me.

Minutes later, I stopped, and there it was, the exterior of one of the most famous ancient structures in the world - Angkor Wat.

The temple complex at Angkor is spread out over miles, but this is the one everyone comes to see. Angkor Wat is the world's biggest religious monument. It was the heart of the Khmer empire that at one point spanned half of Southeast Asia.

I, along with 500 of my closest friends, walked into the temple grounds and took up our positions. Not even the incessant cries of "Mister, would you like to buy a bottle of ice cold water?" or "Miss, a pretty silk scarf for you?" could ruin the moment.

The sun peeked above the tree tops, illuminating the awe-inspiring temple. My early morning jaunt had been worth it.

Today, I wrapped up my two-day exploration of the complex. Yesterday, I spent about 8-hours peddling around in the 97-degree heat, which wasn't too bad. Actually, I've been extremely lucky with the weather. The week before I arrived it rained non-stop, causing widespread flooding. One of the reasons I came to Cambodia before Vietnam was because the monsoons pick up in July. I made a good choice.

The complex is quite impressive, but I also enjoyed just peddling around through the jungle, not knowing what I'd discover next - a mysterious temple, a pack of monkeys, a vendor hawking necklaces. "Buy one for your wife or your mother."

Although there's plenty of freedom to explore, the guide books claim it's best not to wander off well-used trails because landmines were planted on some outlying paths in the 1970s to keep the Khmer Rouge out of the complex. Most have now been removed, but still the books indicate it's best to be careful.

Personally, it sounded a bit over dramatic to me, until I met George, a photojournalist  specializing in covering human rights and human rights abuses.

George said landmines are a huge problem across Cambodia, landmines planted over the years by foreign governments, by internal combatants, and even by farmers, trying to keep intruders off their land.  Unfortunately, maps don't exist for many of the mines and flood waters can scatter the mines around.

"It's no joke when mommie tells her kids not to go beyond the fence," said George, who has photographed countless amputees maimed by the mines.

I feel extremely safe in Cambodia, but George says the country possesses a less than stellar track record regarding human rights.  Recently, the long-time prime minister, who's running for re-election at the end of the month, was quoted as saying if anyone opposes his policies, that person "will be struck down by lightning," according to George.

The journalist went on to say that reporters, especially, need to be careful. In recent months, George said a writer was doing stories on illegal timber operations. Two weeks ago, George said the journalist was found in the back of a car chopped up into pieces.

I would encourage everyone to visit Cambodia. The people are some of the friendliest I've ever met. So far, Cambodia might be my favorite destination of the trip, but as I've written before, Cambodia isn't Disney Land.

By the way, George, who's English, said when he first arrived here he, too, expected a chilly reception because England has also meddled in Cambodian's internal affairs, most notably he said by helping to train leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

However, George has also been embraced by the Cambodians. His theory is that the country has had such a long history of foreign aggressors that it would be impossible to hold a grudge against so many people.He says Cambodians tend to forgive and forget.

It's been a great three days exploring Siem Reap, the city just outside Angkor, and touring the complex, itself. Tomorrow, I'm either headed west to Battambang or back to Phnom Penh, but time is now more of a consideration. My Buddhist friend in Thailand would say time every day is ticking down on my life. It's also ticking down on my trip.

I've now been on the road for a month and have only three weeks left. Hopefully, more adventures are waiting. As always, I'll be in touch.