After an amazing few days in Siem Reap it was time to board my 7 hour VIP bus to Phnom Penh (VIP meaning wifi on board and air con woohoo) the first night I was staying in a different hostel to the rest of my trip so after checking in I took a walk to the next hostel I was going to be staying in so I knew where I was going and headed straight to the Mad Monkey bar. To my surprise when I walked in I saw Carl, Hayley and Jay who I met in Siem Reap as they were there for another night we arranged to have drinks the next day before I headed back to my hostel for a relatively early night.

So the next day I moved on to Phnom Penh Mad Monkey for the rest of my stay and got ready to go out/just drink in the bar that evening with the guys from Siem Reap as well as a couple of couples we had also met. Happy hour was officially extended whilst Jay made cocktails behind the bar for us all and we ended up playing drinking games and consuming lots of cocktails in the hostel bar. I also arranged with the couples to go to The Killing Fields and S21 the next day.

I awoke the next day to meet everyone to get our tuk tuk to the Killing Fields first thing followed by S21 prison. I will admit I didnt know in much detail what happened only a mere 40 years ago to the Cambodian people all I did know is that there was mass genocide under the evil dictator Pol Pot however nothing could prepare me when I went to learn more. We walked round with headphones as we listened to the audio tour of the Killing Field and the atrocities that occured from men, women and babies being killed for no reason apart from one mans idiotic ideals. I cant write too much about this as it is hard to describe the way you feel unless you are there and would urge anyone to go to these places when in Cambodia as it puts all other worries into perspective. Also just in case anyones wondering why I chose the picture for this blog it is because all the braclets and the were many more are tied around posts where the baby and child mass graves were found so as a sign of respect all the people there leave this small token in respect.

The next day was pretty chilled with me walking extremely far and in circles to find the gluten free bakery in Phnom Penh called Bloom and sat down for the most amazing cup cakes - simple things and all that!! When I arrived back at the hostel I received a message on fb to tell me that James one of the guys from Siem Reap was spending his last night in Mad Monkey PP and we arranged to meet for drinks as he promised me the best Amok in Cambodia. So James, myself and a few more people from the hostel proceeded to a little cafe down the road for an amazing (thought not quite the best) dinner and plenty of drinks and catch up before James departed the next day and I had my last full day.

My last day was spent as usual with lots of organising of my stuff before making one of my final flights in a while to Singapore the next day before the BIG one to Oz!! That night however I met two other Brits and we all fancied a curry so made our way to the riverside and had the most amazing Indian curry I was gutted I hadnt found this area earlier though as this is where all the main bars appeared to be - although I was deffo glad to be leaving as the next day was the kings fathers funeral and all alcohol was to be banned for a week!! That night we also helped out one of the children - before you enter Cambodia you are told not to buy things off the many, many children selling things on the street which is in itself difficult as they are super cute and really intelligent many of them speaking at least 2 or 3 languages!!
So this particular evening this one girl kep approaching us so we gave her all our leftover food which may sound a bit superior however there was so much left I couldnt see it go to waste and she was so grateful and happy it reflected the same feelings on me good times!!

With leaving Cambodia just wanna say this was one of the most fantastic places I have ever had the pleasure to visit. Everyone always focuses on money to bring happiness but the majority of people here dont have much yet I have never seen so many smiles and joy on the faces of people. This is what I will remember and cherish until my return when hopefully I can also make a difference in their lives.