So unfortunately for you the Welshmen is back on blog duty, hence the delay - but don't good things come to those who wait?! (probably not in this case)

Anyway we broke up Phnom Penh into two segments since this was our central hub to get to Sihanoukville and Vietnam also.

On arriving into the capital, it was just so chaotic, particularly the traffic with motorbikes and tuk tuks whizzing around everywhere. Getting off the bus was also a mission with crowds of people blocking the door and all calling out to me. I thought maybe somehow I had become famous in this part of the world, but no, turns out they just wanted my money via a taxi ride. They would soon be disappointed though as Sara had already decided that we were going to walk (2 miles with our backpacks - this 'Inca training' is going too far!)

There is not a lot to note from our first stint in Phnom Penh, other than our visit to Tuol Sleng museum (also know as S21 prison). I'm not going to give you an in depth history lesson on Cambodian genocide, but it is crazy to think that in the modern world, this being less than 35 years ago, that your own government would kill 2 million plus of their own people. S21 was used as a base where 'prisoners' were held and tortured until either admitting to fabricated confessions against the Khmer Rouge regime or sometimes to death. The now converted museum has graphic pictures of such events, although gladly they can't be seen in too much detail.

Following on from S21, upon our return to Phnom Penh we paid a visit to the Killing Fields. This is the place where those held at Tuol Sleng were transported to be executed by the lorry load. The Khmer Rouge didn't discriminate either, families were wiped out so that there would be no one left to seek revenge. Even babies were killed in the most inhumane way ever by being held by their legs and smashed against a tree before being lobbed into one of the many mass graves (which would be concealed every night so the activity of this site remained hidden). It is a pretty horrific place to visit, as can be seen by the pictures which show the memorial which contain the skulls that were discovered. Even to this day they are still finding small bones, teeth and clothing that are brought to the surface after heavy rain.

Our time here has not been all doom and gloom - on our last evening we decided to have a splurge and go to a bar in a 5 star hotel. Well when I say splurge, we all know how much of a Scrooge Sara is, so it was half price cocktails ($4) which came with free nibbles. It was really swanky and quite chilled with a guy playing the piano in the background - it almost felt like we were we were part of some elite club. It was also a chance to somewhat dress up a bit and a reminder that I do own clothes other than shorts and t-shirt! I think it's going to be hard to wear a suit again...

So that brings Cambodia to a close. The friendly nature of the people has made it an enjoyable place to visit, however a lot of tangible aspects of Cambodia's history have been destroyed primarily by the Khmer Rouge. As such we have managed to claw some time back for the eagerly anticipated Vietnam. We have heard so many good things that we have high expectations, but have also been warned by other travellers that this is where they got hassled the most...I'm intrigued since I didn't even think it was possible to get hassled any more than we already do! It must be Sara that gives us away as being foreigners since my blonde hair and blue eyes so blends in with the SE Asian look!

Xx