We left northern Laos a few days ago and headed to South to the edge of the Mekong and a place called four thousands islands. We spent a couple of days on a tropical island (complete with palm trees and wooden huts on stilts). It was really pretty and chilled out reading in our hammocks watching the sunset over the Mekong. We spent one our days cycling rund another island, inlcuding along the bumpiest 'road' ever on bikes with no suspension in the midday sun - fun!! Did venture to one (of about 3) bars which we thought looked cool and full of people but then looked at the menu to find they sold 'happy meals including happy birthday cakes, happy pizzas and happy shakes' hmmm!! We left the island yesteday (having bought what we all thought was a mini bus ticket, for a 9hours journey to Phnom Phen) At the Cambodian boader some evil little man took us all (about 13westerners) to a hut and told us it was 8000real for the boarder police and that we had to pay in real (and he would change dollars for us?!) After he'd taken our passports to passport control (round the corner but we didn't know) and we then walked round and were given them back stamped he had the nerved to tell us he'd just ripped us off and we'd just paid him for no reason. We were all v mad but there was nothing we could do. It was then a tuk tuk ride for about an hour during which time it poured with rain and I ended up at the front end fo nicely wet! Despite being promised a mini bus we arrived to find a tin box on wheels in which the back door had to be tied shut?! We crammed in, all 10of us and our bags, and were driven through the v bumpy roads of Cambodia. We finally arrived at the first stop about 6pm only to find out the capital was still an 8hours ride away. During our 'fun filled' journey we went through the most massive pot hole, so big my head hit the ceiling of the bus and then van filled with dust?! They also stopped about 11pm and tried to tell us they had no more petrol could we stoppped, we all shouted so much they did find some and carry on. There was also no air conditioning so we had the windows open but as the roads are dirt tracks we were all literally caked in red dust (it turned to paste in the heat - a very attractive look!) I have never been so dirty in my entire life. We had to bully them again when they tried to drop us at 'a mates guesthouse' in the city but we all talked at them for so long that in the end the driver obviously decided the only way to get rid of us was to take us to one we wanted! Definately an experience!!!! Now in the centre, quite nice but very dirty. Did get porrige for breakfast and have even found somewhere that does toasties for lunch (mmm) A slight cop out but since we barely ate or drank anything for about 19hours yesterday we have figured it ok to eat western food. Take care, Louise xxxx