Hello, I'm back in Battambang again. I left David in Siem Reap yesterday morning to get a 6 hour bus back here, while he got a flight to Bangkok to wait for his flight home. When I last wrote we were in Battambang, and that evening we went to a mountain with caves which are home to 5 million bats!! Every evening just before sunset there is a mass exodus from the caves with a stream of bats flowing out for several hours (see pictures). It was amazing to see - they all fly in an unbroken line out into the distance to feed. That evening we went to a party/social gathering held by one of Chris's friends, but didn't stay out too late as we were catching the 7am boat to Siem Reap. The boat journey goes down the river before crossing the Tonle Sap lake and takes an uncomfortable 7 hours, delivering goods and people to the various 'floating villages' along the lake on the way. The next day in Siem Reap we went the charity run Angkor Hospital for children, which is about the best free hospital in Cambodia (I had considered doing my elective placement there). We both donated a unit of our blood - and received a free t-shirt and biscuits. We also arranged to go back for a tour a few days later, which was really interesting, and a contrast to the state-run hospital that I will be working at. Doctors and nurses here receive only $15 a month from the government - and only hold down the post at the state hospitals for the status it brings, spending most of their time earning a living through private work Later that day we went to a landmine museum - which is a run by a former child soldier who was forced to lay landmines during the war, who has now dedicated his life to clearing Cambodia of landmines and also fosters about a dozen children who have been victims of landmines. We then went to see the first of the temples at Angkor at sunset - Angkor Wat - which features on the flag of Cambodia, and is also where Tomb Raider was filmed (hence the Angelina Jolie connection to Cambodia). The next day we set off at 6.30am to see the rest of the temples - trying to squeeze the best ones into one day. Unfortunately it rained in the afternoon and we were wading through the temples shin deep in water (see pictures). I'm due to start at Mongkol Borei hospital on Monday - however I've just found out the VSO lady who arranged the placement for me has gone down with Typhoid and is recuperating in Phnom Penh.... See you soon! Helen x