New years day was spent on a boat from Battambang to Siem Reap. Disadvantages: Slow No food or loo on board Uncomfortable Advantages See floating villages Get to sit on the roof - such fun See another way of life - it is the bus so as many locals use it as tourists - it also picks up the usual packages etc Bird life Beautiful scenery that is constantly changing Lunch stop at a local floating cafe If you can sleep anywhere - a chance to sleep...

Friday - Started with a cookery class that involved a visit to the market. We then made Fish Amok, Fried Spring Rolls, Beef Loc Lac and banana pud. The first three were great and the pudding wasn't bad. I was also given a cook book that will enable me to cook at home for the next year!! It was great I would really recommend anyone coming to SE Asia booking one. In the evening we went to the circus. Not I hasten to say an English type circus but a Cambodian one ...

Well I never - we arrived at the "mountain" where the Killing Cave and bat caves are found to be offered a choice, walk or use a moto. I thought to myself - I can do it, it is not that steep, I am not that old..... when I heard Kathryn say let's take the moto!! I loved it and more to the point so did she. The Killing Cave had an atmosphere that is difficult to describe without using the word dread. It is not over done but everyone, including children, just fell ...

We looked into tours to Preah Vihear but they all just went to the one temple so we booked a private car to pick us up at 6am, at 6.15 we started to worry. At 6.20 we asked the receptionist to ring up - driver had the wrong time and wrong hotel. So we had breakfast and set off at 6.50. It was 240km but on very good very quiet roads (once we had left Siem Reap). The actual journey north was lovely through some of the prettiest countryside Cambodia has to offer. ...

This morning Kathryn has gone to the National Museum to learn all about Cambodia. I dare say I should have gone with her but come on I have been there before and I felt she needed her own space!! So I decided to indulge myself. Went to the best place for western coffee (western prices) sat down and checked my finances - what will my pension cover? Decided it would cover an Australian haircut (Australian prices!!). Now there I was innocently thinking about how ...