So, once we arrived we checked the room and then had lunch. We then went for a wander to get cash and look around Siem Riep itself which was about a 5 min walk away. We found a market and had a look for a while and then had a drink in a bar. Whilst we were at the bar (sitting outside) a boy came up and tried to sell us some books. They were all subjects relating to Cambodia and as we aren't here for much longer we declined. Then he asked where we were from.....on our response of England he came out with a fountain of knowledge.....population of the UK, Capital city, Prime Ministers all the way back to Howard Wilson (which is more than I know!). We (particularly me!) were so impressed that when he asked again for us to buy a book we had a look at the ones he was offering. Again we said we didn't really want any of those so he asked us to name any book and he would get it for us! So I wrote down Harry Potter - Chamber of secrets and never hearing of it before ran off to find a copy! He returned with the Philosopher's Stone and looked heartbroken when we said it was the wrong one as he had borrowed money off a friend to buy it for us! He then went away again and came back with the right book...charging $10 for it! We tried to get it for $7 but he didn't want to budge, then said if we played a game of noughts and crosses and we won we could have it for $7, if no one won it would be $8 and if he won it would be $10! Of course he had practised and he won and I reluctantly handed over $10....but didn't really feel robbed as he had been so entertaining and worked hard for his money! We found out he went to school in the morning, and worked in the afternoons. He learnt all his knowledge from english class. Of course I was totally sucked in by the sales pitch as all the traders since have tried the same trick but he was definately the friendliest and funniest - telling sam he didn't have a girlfriend because he didn't buy one of his books!!! Made us all laugh!!! Then we went to look around for a restaurant for dinner. By this time it was gone 6pm and as we had arranged the same tuk-tuk driver to take us to Angkor the next day (today) for sunrise at 5am we thought we would have an early dinner and then early night! We ate in a Kymer restaurant and then went back to the hotel.

Today we have spent the morning in Angkor. We were picked up in the dark at 5am.....and the journey was pretty chilly but still warm enough for shorts! We bought our 3 day ticket which has our photo printed on (costing $40!!!!!) and then got to Angkor Wat (the biggest temple in Angkor) in time for sunrise. It was pretty spectacular and there were loads of people there. Then when it got light enough we had a proper look round before all the tour groups arrived! I must say it wasn't what I was expecting at all....I was expecting a mass of building/ruins, whereas there was far more open grass and vegetation within the Angkor Wat site than development. We then grabbed some breakfast as a place which our driver recommended (and got himself a free breakfast for the priveledge!!) and then went on to a few more of the temples. They were more what I was expecting with a mass of structure. My favourite so far has to be 'Bayon' which has loads of faces in the stone. Another good one was a pyramid shaped ruin which you can climb to the top of. We did of course, but in doing so we looked like spiderman as the steps were so steep and when we got to the top I regretted being so eager to climb as I coul no longer see beyond about 5 steps looking down! I got back to the bottom though.....although it took a while! Flip-flops were perhaps not the best shoes to be wearing!!!!!

We then came back to Siem Riep and have since had lunch and swapped some books ( 4 for 1!) and are now using the afternoon to chill and catchup on blog stuff before heading back to Angkor tomorrow mid-morning until sunset. We will see probably one of the most famous of the temples - the one with the trees growing out of it tomorrow as both mine and Sam's camera batteries ran out before we could see it today!!!

I shall edit this same blog entry to include all that when I next get a chance ..............

Well as promised here is the update from Siem Riep, sorry it has taken so long!

The second day at Ankor started mid morning, and we were picked up by another guide, who told us the one from the previous day had asked him to take us. We started on the larger route around Ankor, looking at a few different temples, but the highlight of the day was definitely 'Ta Prom'. This is the famous temple that is being taken over by trees and was used in the Tomb Raider film. It was just amazing seeing these huge trees and roots incorporated in the buildings - in fact it seemed like they were holding the temple up!!! After this temple, we went to Pre Rup for sunset, arriving in good time so we could get good seats at the top!!! (It consists of a serious of tombs which you climb up and so, at the top the view over the area is magnificent!). Sunset was good - Ankor Wat is located in relation to the sun, and so on the horizon at the point where the sun goes down we could see Ankor Wat in the distance. There was a guy selling beers at the top and so the atmosphere was quite good! Once the sun had gone down, but before it was too dark we headed down the (very steep) staircase and got our guide to drive us back to Siem Riep in the moped run carriage!!!! We went to a place for dinner called the Red Piano where Angelina Jolie herself apparently visited during her visit to Cambodia to film Tomb Raider!!!!