Well, we think that someone was listening to the fact that Gemma was highly disappointed not to be flying to Phnom Penh because the bus was ace! Complete with stewardess, toilet, food and drink it was just like being on a plane apart from we didn't have to queue to check-in! And best of all, it didn't stop at any crappy shops and restaurants for us to by overpriced food just so we can use their pit of a toilet!

So, after a very pleasant journey we arrived in Phnom Penh and decided that the tuktuk driver who was telling us the walk to the lake was 3 km was having us on. We knew where we were and we can read a map, so we walked. We weren't where we thought we were. It was hot. The backpacks were heavy (we've been shopping again!). It was 3km.

So, arriving very hot and exhausted, we were delighted by the gorgeous setting overlooking the lake and basically picked the guesthouse with the nicest bar - perfect for sunset beers!

This is definitely the hottest place we've been . . . let us put it in context - even Gemma is seeking the shade at every available opportunity! THAT's how hot it is! And it's supposed to be the cool/dry season - yeah, right!

As we are going to Angkor Wat - the ancient, grand and beautiful symbol of Cambodia - we thoguht it only right to find out a bit more about the far more recent and far from nice side of Cambodian history. We spent the day with a tuktuk driver and went to Tuol Sleng, which used to be a school and became a prison/torture chamber under the Khmer Rouge regime. We also went to the area, known as the "killing fields" just outside Phnom Penh, which are fairly self-explanatory. We don't want to say to much about it, other than that it was a day we were both deeply affected by and remain incredulous that the leaders of the Khmer Rouge have yet, nearly 40 years on, to be tried for their war crimes. Needless to say, after this harrowing day, we declined the drivers kind offer to take us to the shooting range!

The next day we decided we were due a spot of exercise and spent the day walking . . . and avoiding the sun! We went via Wat Phnom (another buddhist temple!), the Russian and Central market for shopping and the river to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, which we loved. In our opinion it is just as beautiful and far less busy than the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Though the quietness was mainly due to the human ability to follow each other! The queue was heading right, so we went left and had the place and some cooling sprinklers pretty much to ourselves.

We liked Phnom Penh. It has a great atmosphere and feeling about it and we're really pleased that we stopped here on the way to Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor.