cambodia has been a lovely place - great people and such basic lives in stilt houses.

PP is slightly different - busy, garbage problems and children urinating in the street. However there are many sights and experiences here which many miss heading straight to angkor.

we had a lovely walk along the river and stayed at lakeside #10. All the hostels back onto the lakeand have restaurants on stilts with fairy lights (and very cheap beer!) from where we watched sunset. we enjoyed our stay there.

We visited the killing fields and S21 (a school used as a torture prison under kymer Rouge) which was depressing and yet had uplifting moments. It is difficult to comprehend it only happened thirty years ago. the memorial is 10m high and filled with the skulls of the deceased which were recovered from the many mass graves.

We paid $6 to visit the National Museum - the best part was the building it was in. The rest was lots of headless buddhas - culturally important but a bit repetitive. We both them somehow managed to walk in the back of the Royal palace and walk the route in reverse until we reached the ticket booth and realised we were supposed to pay. The palace was huge and stunning although the 'silver pagoda' was disappointing with its 4m squards of silver flooring!

Our last day in Cambodia was Khmer/buddhist new year - traditionally people throw water at one another. The closest we got was a boy spraying us with a water pistol and another pointing a lazer in stu's face (although these mjay or may not have had something to do with the new year!). We visited the NACA orphanage where we were met with huge smiles and excitment. we sung heads shoulders knees and toes and taught them transport pairs card game (thanks to father xmas!) - they now know useful words such as articulated lorry and fork lift truck! We left them the game as well as lots of other things (clothes, shoes etc ) to lighten our load (just call us mr and mrs brangelina!). The turtle decided to stay with them - but fear not duck fans, he came with us!

Somehow managed to get everything on our 30 hour flight with some dodgy weighings / Stu's foot supporting the bag on the scales! 

Love from the place with chicken feets and cow hooves for sale just about everywhere!

Mel and stu x