Okay okay I get the hint its time for an update!!! It has been 2 months after all!

Where to start - or where did I last leave it more like!

Firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! ;o)

Secondley where was I last! Seems to be us leaving Bangkok for Cambodia! That seems like such a long time ago... but here goes!

Early start in Bangkok to to Siem Reap on yet another bus journey, first of 2 bus's for the day, 1 to the border then 1 on the other side to Siem Reap!! Turns out to be a pretty interesting journey!

First bus takes us to the Thia / Cambodia border where we're dropped of at the drivers mates cafe where they also happen to do visa applications (for a small fee of course!!). Original plan was to get the visa actually at the border - but we're told thats miles away from where we had been dropped of and so they would happily sort it out for us and then take us to the border to catch the next bus!

Alternatively another mate of the driver / cafe owner would be happy to take us in a taxi to Siem Reap for an extra $25 or so, and in half the time!! We opted for the visa assistance and the bus as we'd already bloody paid for it!

So after eating in the drivers mate's cafe whilst they sorted the visa's as it was so far away, it was time to head to the border, which at this point they decide to tell us we're walking to. We loaded up and hit the road... walked around the corner, to be greeted by a BIG SIGN for all to see "BORDER!!" The little sods!! MILES away my ass! Have to give it to them tho they do this ona daily basis to us stooooopid backpackers!!

Over the boarder we were taken to the bus station and left and told our bus would be along shortly!
Bus stop just happened to have a shed load of taxi drivers wanting to take us the reat of the way!! Who would point out that no buses were going till later that evening!! It was lunch time!! Hmmmm!! What to do!!

The answer - get a beer!!

About 15 minutes later our bus rocks up and we're off! Basically take everything your told with a pinch of salt!

The bus journey from the border is supposed to be a long and bumpy! Turns out they had just sorted a new road with tarmac and everything so what use to take 6 hours and be a complete hell... took 2 and half hours with some awesome country side!

Seap Ream is amazing... we planned on spending 2 or 3 nights here! As it turmed out We just couldn't leave - ended up speanding 5 nights here and meeting some quality people. Anywhere with a street called "Pub Street" is fine by me! And it does exactly what it says on the tin! ;o) The place was party central... pool parties, halloween parties, and plenty of buckets of Gin and Tonic for $5! Small note tho - Pool parties and cameras don't mix well - Ask Ben!!
Unfortunately he found out the hard way that my camera wasn't water proof!!

It wasn't all parties tho - we spend a day at Ankor Wat - which is such an amazing place... difficult to describe, and the pictures probably don't do it justice! Highly recommend it tho if you in the area! Did all the noraml stuff, hired a driver and tuk-tuk for the day, saw all the temples, Sun Set over the temples in the company of half of Japan sponsored by Sony! No idea were they all came from as it hadn't been that busy all day I think a convoy of bus's rocked up for sunset! Mental! Saw were they filmed Tomb Raider! Neee sign of Angellena tho! GUTTED!

We went to an Orphanage one afternoon, the kids were briliant, young artists who do paintings and handmade postcards! We had a kick around with the lads, and bought some pictures and postcards, it was awesome and very moving! Its basically a husband and wife with 2 children of their own had taken in 19 EXTRA children and bring them up as their own, and in a place the size of most peoples living rooms back home - a Very humbling place to say the least and makes you put alot into perspective! Go if you get the chance. Its called ODA - Orphans and Disabled Arts Association.

In general Siem Reap is pretty much an amzing place and definately one of the highlights of the trip so far!
I'll go back in a heart beat if I can.

Eventually we had to move on and so Ben and I, and a mate (also called Ben, makes it easy for me to remember names) were heading south at the same time so all hit the road together... next stop Phnom Penh - the capital of Cambodia. Again this involved another bus jouney that you don't get on the average national express journey in the UK! But I'll save that untill the next update! Which I promise won''t be as long between updates this time... Will crack on with it ASAP.

Hope you are all taking advantage of the propper snow back home, sledging, snowman, snowball fights etc etc...

Miss you all!

Love Ravey
x x x