Update of cambodian adventures... Arrived in Siem Reap from bangkok after a few hours by bus, then a 4 hour taxi journey along a dirt track... only suffered 1 puncture! Siem Reap alot bigger than i imagined, lots of fancy big hotels catering for the non-backpacker. Stayed in a beautiful hostel where had free tea, bread, jam and bananas- bonus.

Spent an incredible 3 days at the temples- they are awe inspiring - incredible stuff. From Angkor Wat at sunrise, to the 200+ faces looking down on you at Bayon to the trees gradually infiltrating at Ta Prohm. Simply stunning. Travelled around by tuk tuk with our driver Mr Lee - made it far easier as swamped by people whenever you left a temple...

From there travelled on a boat - meant to be 6 hours but took 9 and on a wooden bench not up there for comfort. Beautiful floating past river side villages - some of which actually based in the water on stilts. There checked into Royal Hotel, and found out shortly that just about gang warfare in the town concerning moto drivers to take people around. If you stay at certain places the only drivers you can use is through the hotel - noone else will take you due to politics and fighting...

So, there got ourselves 2 drivers and headed off to see the Killing Caves - gruesome. 10,000 people killed there by Khmer Rouge including 1 cave for children... at the top of a hill, and climbing up there in the midday sun proved that girls do sweat, and also do sweat alot..... More lighthearted fun was on the bamboo train later, simply a platform on wheels that is powered by a motor along the train tracks - slightly more entertaining when done in a thunderstorm and monsoon rains so soaked thro. Locals stared at us as if we were mad...

Next destination was Phnom Penh - another busy tuk tuk filled city. Whilst there visited the infamous S-21 prison where people taken who the Kmer Rouge felt were against them. A horrendous place - people were tortured in despicable ways, and photos there prove it along woth photos of all the inmates - soul destroying. Then onto the killing foelds where alot of them were taken to be executed and buried in mass graves - a total of 9800+ bodies there... And this happened in my life time, so scarey that humans are capable of such things.

Also managed to visit an orphanage, eat delicious food in a cafe run by former street kids funded be an NGO and a wee bit of shopping in the markets - so not all depressing stuff. PLus have a massage at Seeinh Hands, where all masseurs are blind - worthy cause...

And now in Ho Chi Minh City where arrived yesterday - even more hectic and busy than previous cities been to as expected. Extremely hot and humid - am actually looking forward to not bein hot on return to uk! And meeting tiz today, friend from cardiff - and we have 3 weeks travelling up thro vietnam which is very exciting...

All for now - love to you all

jenxx