Inner Compass - Cambodia

Center ground of Angkor Wat Buddhist Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia.  (2016)

What if you had a guiding factor, an inner compass, to prevent you from making bad decisions? What if it would auto correct, or recalculate like a GPS to get you onto the right path? This curious photo shows how our local guide placed his phone's compass in the exact center of Angkor Wat. He explained how this enormous temple complex was built in perfect alignment with the four directions. Our perfect travel adventure aligns us with beaches, mixed with exploration of ancient cultures, their belief systems and feats of incredible engineering.

What surprised us about this World Heritage site near Siem Reap, Cambodia was the sheer scale of it -- over 80 square miles, with something like 40 minor temple sites -- Angkor Wat being the major one. (Angkor means city and Wat means temple.) It was built in the early 1100s in just 30 years! Originally designed for Hindu deities, within 100 years it transitioned to a Buddhist monument with 5 towers symbolic of lotus blossoms. We spent 5 days exploring the labyrinth-like temples and grounds. Exhausted in the heat, we climbed endless rugged stairs and clambered over large stones. Dusty chambers and passage ways lined with narrative relief carvings each had unique features and stories to tell. If it becomes cultural overload, our inner guidance system tells us to take a break, or move on. 

When our lives get back to normal, what direction will you take? As they say... what's on your bucket list? If not soon, when? "Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know..." – Steve Jobs

(PS. I asked Rich one memorable thing about Cambodia. He said, "the 25 cent beer!")