Hey everybody, hope you had a great time over christmas and the new year. Christmas was a little quieter than expected as i managed to get ill 2 days before - had to go to a clinic and be hooked up to a drip, all very dramatic!!! I am fine though, was just an infection so cleared up with antibiotics in time for new year.

They don't really celebrate here but there are many ex pats and tourists so there was the obligatory fireworks over pub street and partying till dawn. We got soaked by people throwing water from the bars and then rained on a little by the fireworks above!! A very good night though very strange to be celebrating these things in the heat.

Speaking of heat has suddenly got warmer again, i thought it was their winter for a while yet but maybe not as the high temperatures and humidity have returned. The kids are happy about this as it means they no longer have to shower in the cold in the morning. Although they employ many other tactics to avoid their daily wash!!! I am still very much enjoying working with them, it has been a real eye opener to how little some people have though, and there are plenty of sad stories that you hear more of the longer you stay. Green Gecko is definitely a very worthwhile organisation though and Tania does a great job. Check out www.greengeckoproject.org for details and pictures of the kids.

Elliot is off to Bangkok on monday so i have the room to myself for a while!! Have to start earning my keep as well so will be doing 4 nights in the bar so i can stay. The girl in the photo is Surey, she sells postcards on the street and works so hard. We often see her all day and then out into the small hours, she is a real sweetie and has stopped asking us to buy stuff but will come over for a chat instead. There are loads of kids like her though, they often are the main bread winners for the families and so have to go to school (if they're lucky) and then work all day and night. These are the kids that Tania is trying to help and educate. I wish i could stay longer and make more of a difference but off to Bangkok in 3 weeks to meet Ben. Will be doing my best to return to Siem Reap and see the kids again.

All the best for 2007 everyone, hope it is a great year. xxx