A few years ago when the topic of travel came up in conversation with a friend he spoke of his goal to see “the 7 wonders” of the world. In my personal experience, these, the best known sites in the world have never lived up to the hype surrounding them and are always crawling with massive tour groups making the chances for a unique individual experience quite difficult. Local populations living around these places, more often than not, are so used to dealing with tourists and taking their money that it creates a lot of hassel for the budget traveler who does not care about tacky souvenirs and amusement park like attractions such as camel riding to the Taj Mahal.When I think back to some of the most amazing places and people i’ve met thy very rarely include a countries top tourist destination. Having heard the praise for Angkor a thousands times before, I was pessimistic to say the least as to what the next few days would hold.

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