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Armchair travel: Mike Wheeler's breathtaking photos of China and Cambodia

Do you love to discover new places, but lack time, money or mobility? We have the fix for you — the first in an occasional series of armchair travel segments.

From a eating rat to the horror of the killing fields, Mike Wheeler's Cambodian adventure in photos

Sara Fraser · CBC News ·
'You know when they say don't look down? Well, they were right,' Mike Wheeler wrote of standing on the side of HuaShan Mountain in Shaanxi Province, China. This Sky Plank Road is also known as the most dangerous hike in the world. (Mike Wheeler)

Do you love to discover new places, but lack time, money or mobility? We have the fix for you — the first in an occasional series of armchair travel segments.

We'll feature the photos and stories of Islanders' travels around the world, starting with Michael Wheeler of Stratford, P.E.I.

I was almost ashamed at how little I knew. It is genocide in my lifetime. Imagine all of a sudden one quarter of all your Facebook friends and family disappeared.— Michael Wheeler

Wheeler just returned this week from an epic trip to China — his main destination for a work event.

Already halfway around the world, he decided to stay a few extra days to see Cambodia, which was on the already well-travelled Wheeler's bucket list. 

Writing and posting on Facebook, Wheeler does an up-close show and tell that might take your breath away several times. 

Cuisine on the go

Wheeler did not shy away from local cuisine on his trip.

"I hate to say it, but rat tastes a lot like chicken," Wheeler said. Yes, he really did try it. 

'I hate to say it, but rat tastes a lot like chicken,' Wheeler titled this photo of a street vendor in Battambang, Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)
Wheeler sampled the barbecued rat with a local brew, with a hopeful spectator poised to help out. The meal cost about $1. (Mike Wheeler )

Getting around

"River boat ride from Battambang to Siem Reap. I was told 6 to 10 hours dependent on breakdowns and occasionally getting lost," Wheeler wrote of a journey on a small boat packed to the gills with other travellers as well as goods. 

Children take a boat to school in their floating village on the Sangker River in Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)

'Single family dwelling,' is what Wheeler titled this photo. in Battambang, Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)

How Cambodians have fun

"Find abandoned train tracks, hand-build a platform out of bamboo or what ever else you have lying around, add cushions, add a motorcycle engine so you can reach speeds of 70km/hr plus, don't attach the wheels so that you can quickly get out of the way of anything coming down the tracks and finally never ever perform any kind of maintenance on the train tracks. Do all of this and you have the Bamboo Train," Wheeler wrote. Of course, he rode it.

Lonely Planet calls Battambang's Bamboo Train 'one of the world’s all-time unique rail journeys' and Mike Wheeler agrees. (Mike Wheeler)

Fun or foolish? As many as 15 people pile onto a Bamboo Train in Battambang, Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)

The Killing Fields

"The Killing Fields and S21 torture facility. Warning: some heartbreaking photos," Wheeler posted. 

"Not a place I wanted to go but felt I had to go. I was almost ashamed at how little I knew. It is genocide in my lifetime. Imagine all of a sudden one quarter of all your Facebook friends and family disappeared."

"Cambodia suffered greatly at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. It is estimated 3 million people were brutally murdered. Today it is still infamous as the country with the largest number of forgotten landmines."

Killing fields in Cheung Ek, Cambodia, one of several places the Khmer Rouge regime killed almost two million of Cambodia's 7 million citizens from 1975 -79. (Mike Wheeler)

The Khmer Rouge regime killed 2 million men, women and children of all ages after torturing many to confess falsely. Visitors have hung bracelets on the tree. (Mike Wheeler)

Memorials or stupas containing the bones of victims of Cambodia's communist genocide in Battambang, at the bottom of The Killing Cave site. (Mike Wheeler)

Angkor Wat temples

Finally, Wheeler spent a day at Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, the largest religious monument in the world. 

Wheeler admires a trees growing out of temples built from the 9th to 15th century in Angkor, a 400-km square UNESCO World Heritage site in Cambodia's Siem Reap province. (Submitted by Michael Wheeler)

A monk at Angkor Wat temple in Siem Riep, Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)

Tumbling ancient ruins at Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)

Wheeler took the time to appreciate small, beautiful details at the 400-km square Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap. (Mike Wheeler)

'There were cows everywhere — they are highly valued,' said Wheeler. Here, a woman herds cattle on a road in the temple grounds in Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia. (Mike Wheeler)

Like to share your world travels with us? We'd love to hear from you — email sara.fraser@cbc.ca.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Fraser

Web Journalist

Sara has worked with CBC News in P.E.I. since 1988, starting with television and radio before moving to the digital news team. She grew up on the Island and has a journalism degree from the University of King's College in Halifax. Reach her by email at sara.fraser@cbc.ca.

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