So I spent an unforgettable 22nd birthday sightseeing in Phnom Penn. Although it was quite depressing and very emotional learning about Cambodia's struggles through the Pol Pot regime, it was all worth it as at the end of the day we got to visit Komphak's families village (our guide). We had an early start at the genocide museum, Pol Pot's first torture detention centre. It was an old converted school which had been modified to hold hundreds of people in disguisting conditions where they were tortured for information that they didn't even had. His regime was only present 30 years ago and was responsible for the slaughter of over 3 million people....men, women and children. The genocide museum had pictures all over the walls of the faces of the people that were murdered there and was so haunting to see. After this we visited the killing fields which was only 20km outside the city. It was here that Pol Pot's soliders killed hundreds of people at a time, exectuting them one after another into mass graves. We saw the monument that was errected in honour of the people that died at this site. It was bout 15 metres high and had the skulls of 8,000 people in from the surrounding fields. We walked round the site and it was covered with mass graves as far as the eye could see. It was unbelievable to think that this only went on less than 30 years ago.

To lighten the mood Komphak took us to his village to meet his family. We'd driven through so many villages on our travels through Cambodia and managed to see what everyday life was like at the home stay in Takeo, but it was so special to go to his house where his family all greeted us so warmly and affectionately. The group classed Komphak as a friend and to be taken to his village where no western people had even been before was an honour. We arrived to them putting out chairs for us and serving us coconut milk. The whole village had gathered for us arriving and as we walked round to visit his godparents house we had accumulated quite an entourage hahaha. We'd had the impression that when Komphak said he lived outside of Phnom Penn it might have been in an actual house as he was a tour guide and had quite a lot of money compared to others. In reality he lived in a simple Cambodian village where the houses were made out of bamboo and he had the happiest family in the world. The majority of Komphak's wage from being a tour guide was given to his family to help support them...as it is so big, and he is happy to do so. His family struggled so much through the Pol Pot regime. His uncle, brother and sister were killed or died from starvation and to see them now and be allowed to visit there village was the best birthday present ever.

At the end of the day we all sat down to a beautiful meal in Phnom Penn with the group. Komphak had arranged a birthday cake for me which was made by the restaurant. It said "Happy Birthday Brown Philippa".......loved it!!!!!!!

The next day we spent travelling to Ho Chi Minh City with Komphak, where we had to say goodbye. I have loved my time in Cambodia, the people are absolutely amazing and I was so sad to say goodbye. I know this will not be the last time I'm here though.......