Glad to be leaving Bangkok this morning and the relative luxury of my nice 'deluxe room.' Pick up took us all to the Cambodian border about three hours, then lots of stamping and US dollars dispensed before getting on very cramped mini-bus for 6 hour journey to Siem Reap for the temples of Angkor. There is a massive change entering Cambodia from Thailand and you realise nearly straight away that this is a really poor country - the MAIN road from Thailand is a red dirt track with potholes everywhere - just about the time I said imagine this road when it gets dark, it got dark - my god this one road is home to buses, trucks, vans, cars, bikes, mopeds, cows, dogs (proves they don't eat them here then) and countless other obstructions. Passed a tanker that had literally keeled over into the water on one side of the track that seems to serve as waste outlet and washing facility (no bubble bath or shower cap included here). We hit something on the way too, there was a mixed opinion of what it might have been but I'm sure I saw a flapping white wing and heard a quack. We had a kind of guide too, some interesting advice/opinion about Cambodia - although the people are friendly, you do sense some anger and resentment over the way their country has developed - basically no schooling, no jobs and no future for the majority of people - you can't blame them. Anyway off to see temples tomorrow with a guide - you negotiate a price for everything here, usually in US dollars too, just takes a bit of getting used to and a bit more patience. Sort of felt like real travelling today, some of the things I saw were very memorable - also got to meet some great people on the bus which is cool - guy from Syria called Osama (oh yes) - got kept at the border for ages poor guy.