Hello from Cambodia.

It was a bit of a mission to get here, but we made it...

We crossed the border at Poipet, a place which has recently recieved our 'most hated place award'. After getting our visas and arduous things like that we wanted to find some transport to Siem Reap. We asked some moto drivers about getting to the transport stop and then for some reason they started to fight, so we slipped away. The next option was for a ride in the back of a pick-up truck (normal form of transport), but we think we must have missed the last one because none showed up. So we spent a couple of hours trying other options, avoiding getting on a bus notorious for cons. Other options failed so we got on a bus notorious for cons, as a night in the dust of Poipet wasnt looking comfy.

The bus had 3 drivers, and towards the end we established the reason for this:

Driver 1 was for driving erratically.

Driver 2 was for sabotaging the bus so we kept breaking down and having to wait for repairs.

Driver 3 was for apologising for delays, and trying to sell us his dodgy accomodation because the bus would conveniently arrive so late that everywhere else would be full or shut.

So, after many stops because the bus needed washing or repairing, changing old tyres for older ones, stopping at cafes for an hour at a time or because the driver (1) forgot his phone (driver 3 apologised) we made it to Siem Reap. We managed to find accomodation somewhere with no connection to driver #1, 2 or 3. Its so unfortunate that our only choice was somewhere very posh and cosy with a TV and fridge (still cheap).

Yesterday we explored Siem Reap and paid a visit to the land mine museum. Cambodia has lots of land mines, so we have to be careful not to stray off the path too much. The man who runs the museum was previously a conscript to the vietnamese and Khmer Rouge. He now clears land mines with a stick and a trowel and cares for orphan children who are victims of the mines. Working purely on donations, 'making my country safe for my people'. He helps to train other people and employ them to clear mines and educate children about what they look like so they dont play with them. If you want you can check out the website: www.cambodialandminemuseum.org, its a worthy cause if you feel like donating.

Last night we got rather wet when we were walking about the town, Siem Reap caught the tail end of a tropical storm. We've dried out now, its back to blistering sunshine!

Today we visited the temples of Angkor, one of the 7 wonders of the world. It was ok. (joke). The tourists were funny because adults make the peace sign like year 5 when posing for photos. We have plenty of photos of tourists doing funny poses (and a few of the the sights). The temples were very impressive, especially Ta Prohm, the temple where they filmed Tomb Raider and Angkor Wat. We returned via the laundrette, so now we are especially happy as we have clean clothes.

Tomorrow we are going to volunteer at an orphanage just up the road. There's 600-and-something kids there, who we will be helping teach english to. Then we're off to Battambang the day after, over the Tonle Sap Inland sea.

Zoe is now getting over the gut problem!

Thats all for now,

xxx