We only spend one night in Phnom Penh. We take a walk around the city at dusk the day we arrive. We find a market selling amongst other things fried spiders. I eat a roasted quail, well apart from the neck and head (what do I do with that?) during which a cricket jumps down Helenas top. Later we meet Jamie and Katy again (who we met on our way to Sapa) and catch up each others travelling tales. They're going to stay in Phnom Penh a while longer and check out the Killing Fields. We leave the next day on a 5 hour bus to Siem Reap (translated means Siamese Defeated) and a tuk-tuk driver from the hostel is waiting for us which means we're not mobbed by the waiting horde of tuk-tuk drivers.

That afternoon we go for a walk around Siem Reap and visit some Buddhist wats (temples). We speak to a couple of monks who explain the various scenes depicted on the walls of the wats. The second monk we spoke to taught local under privileged children English in the class room under his raised house. The "class room" had enough seats for probably 20 children yet he said they often had 60 children attend. On the way back it started to rain which was a relief in the stifling heat. Hungry we found a place nearby called Silk Lounge. What a great little place with amazing Khmer food.

We wake early the following morning at 4am and drive straight to Angkor Wat for the sunrise. In the twilight we arrive and walk over the 190m moat and through the outer wall (1025m by 800m) down an uneven causeway (we'd forgotten a torch) towards the temple. There are plenty of people already in position before a pond ready for a sunrise reflection photo. We join them and wait. The twilight turns to dawn and we start taking photos. More people arrive and the jostling for position starts. The sun is up but still hidden behind the temples and the jostling increases. People starting perching themselves on rocks in the pond. I hope one falls in but no such luck. The bright green construction work tents come into view and perhaps we're too tired but we feel underwhelmed by the whole event so go and get some breakfast.

Feeling refreshed we head into the main temple and are instantly met by the Bas-reliefs which are kinda like the Bayeaux Tapestry but carved into the sandstone. These run for hundreds of metres and depict epic events from Hinduism. We wander around the huge complex for hours in the increasing heat and eventually move onto to Angkor Thom.

Angkor Thom is 10 sq km walled city containing many amazing structures but I won't bore you with all the details. We spent another few hours here, after which we were knackered and templed-out for the day. Also the hawkers of drinks and crafts were starting to do our heads in. Here's the gist of what happened probably 100 times today."Hello lady. You want drink? Two big waters for one dollar"."No thank you"."Why you no want water?""We already have plenty of water""Two big water. Only one dollar""No thank you""But why? You buy from me, maybe later?""Maybe"
This type of conversation would happen for guide books, penny whistles, post cards, paintings or bracelets.

Back to the hotel for a rest and then some food again at the Silk Lounge. After which Helena declared she was having a massage. There are plenty of places offering Khmer/Thai massage and we find one for $5/hour. We walk in, have our feet washed and follow the masseuse upstairs to a room with twin massage tables. Once on a table each the masseuses get started. It's certainly unlike the sport massages we've had at home. The masseuse pulls and slaps you about and then they climb on with you and essentially start wrestling with your limbs. I jest of course but at first it does seem a little weird. After overcoming the initial shock they move onto your back and finally your head during which they slap your forehead. Thankfully Helena was first to this point and burst out laughing which warned me of what was to come. Unfortunately I'd already started laughing. Nonetheless we thoroughly enjoyed it.

The next day we set off at a reasonable time for yet more temples at Angkor. Notable highlight of the day is Ta Prohm. This temple complex has been partly returned to nature. Tall, thick trees with massive buttresses and huge snake like roots engulf parts of the walls and internal structures. The combination of ancient sandstone architecture and the slow growing giants is jaw dropping. Unfortunately getting a photograph of these sights without a tourist stood in front is very difficult and if you ever go try and go to this temple either early or late in the day and not at midday like we did.We grabbed some lunch during which a little girl was trying to get Helena to buy some bracelets. We had had enough of the hawkers by this time and the girl was professionally persistant. I think this little girl broke Helena a bit - there is a photo which hopefully will be uploaded.

We returned to hotel and waited for the overnight bus which arrived at 2am. This is a strange time for an overnight bus and what we got was not what we expected. A dilapidated old Thai (right hand drive) mini bus rocks up and everyone sat outside the hotel looks in horror. Some say it must be the bus to take us to the sleeper bus. We're not so sure. The bus was not designed for westerners and I'm snug up to the seat in front with my knees. After about ten minutes it's fairly obvious this bus is taking us to the border which is 3 hours away. We have a drunk Spaniard talking utter rubbish and seems to find great amusement at swearing in English at every opportunity. Two Americans girls in front are kind of finding it all rather amusing and a rather well to do English girl complaining on behalf of everyone to the driver. Even taking it upon herself to stop the bus, take to the operator using the bus drivers phone. When that got her nowhere the driver continued and we got some of the worst sleep imaginable. We eventually reach the border and the Americans don't have their tickets. The Spaniard is thankfully very quiet now and the English girl is still trying to argue a principle which works in the West but doesn't work in South East Asia. We get over the border and get a mini bus to Bangkok and find a lovelly taxi driver who not only knows where we want to go but doesn't want to charge us three times the cost.
Andy + Helena
Croc watch = 0