Temperature 44c and rising! Ruth got dehydrated yesterday. I looked after her so she is doing the blog today. WELL WE BOTH MADE IT UP FOR. 05:00DEPARTURE, WE STAGGERED THERE IN THE DARK, WHAT A DAY TO FORGET OUR TORCHES. WE WATCHED THE SUN RISE OVER ANGKOR WAT, I'VE HAD MORE THRILLING MOMENTS BUT WE CAN SAY WE DID IT, I EXPECT WE'D HAVE BEEN CROSS IF WE HADN'T. HOWEVER ANGKOR WAT ITSELF WAS STUNNING AND REMARKABLE BOTH FROM IT'S SIZE, DETAIL AND PRESERVATION. APPARENTLY IT ONLY TOOK 37 YEARS TO BUILD, THEY MUST HAVE HAD THOUSANDS WORKING ON IT. WHEN WE CAME OUT FROM CLIMBING THE CENTRAL DOME ( A FEAT IN ITSELF) , WE SPENT A GOOD 20 MINUTES WATCHING THE ANTICS OF PEOPLE WHO'D COME INAPPROPRIATELY DRESSED INVENTING VARIOUS WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THE RULES TO GET INTO THIS CENTRAL TEMPLE. THE RULES ARE SIMPLE COVER YOUR KNEES AND SHOULDERS, NO DRAPED SCARVES/SHAWLS ALLOWED. I HAVE TO SAY IT REMINDED ME OF DOING UNIFORM CHECKS BUT IT WAS MUCH MORE FUN. ONE LADY TRIED ALL SORTS AND WHEN SHE STILL WASN'T ALLOWED IN, SHE HAD A STROP, WITH HER POOR PARTNER TRYING TO REASON WITH HER. EVENTUALLY SHE CAME BACK, HER HUSBAND/PARTNER TOOK OFF HIS SHIRT AND WORE HER SHAWL WHILST WAITING FOR HER TO RETURN. TOMORROW WE HAVE A LATE START 06:30 HRS AND A GRUELLING JOURNEY BACK TO BANGKOK. WE HAVE THREE HRS TO THE BORDER, THEN WE HAVE TO CHANGE BUSES FOR A FURTHER FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TO BANGKOK, APPARENTLY THE SCENERY IS STUNNING, SO I HOPE THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAVEN'T FLOWN BACK. WE HAVE TO DO A NIFTY BIT OF FOOTWORK AT THE BORDER, HOPEFULLY THE QUEUE WILL BE SHORT BUT IF NOT APPARENTLY WE CAN BUY A V.I.P./FRONT OF THE LINE PASS BY GIVING A 10$ BUNG TO A CORRUPT OFFICIAL (OR I SHOULD SAY ANOTHER CORRUPT OFFICIAL)! WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME R&R IN THAILAND SO THE BLOG MAY DRY UP A BIT, ALTHOUGH WE DO PLAN A BIT OF KAYAKING AND MAYBE A FEW RASTA BARS (DAVID'S IDEA) SO A FEW MORE DAYS ON THE ROAD AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE SETTLED IN SOME LUXURY FOR A FEW DAYS. WE'RE OFF OUT SHORTLY TO DO SOME LADT MINUTE SHOPPING IN SEARCH OF ANOTHER BOTTLE OF BLUE SAPPHIRE GIN AT ONLY £6 A BOTTLE AND TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO TWO CANADIANS WHO HAVE DECIDED TO FLY BACK TO BANGKOK AS THEY HAVE A LONG 12HR FLIGHT BACK TO CANADA TOMORROW TOO, SO OF THE ORIGINAL 13 WE WILL BE JUST 3. On reflection apart from Angkor National Park we would miss out Cambodia if we were to do this again. All in all a brilliant trip with loads of very positive experiences and amazing sights. Yes we are tired and ready to settle down for a while but just brilliant!