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Final report from SE Asia everybody!
After a very delayed bus trip finally made it to Battambang, Cambodia's second largest city. You wouldn't know it though, it has the feel of a large village! I met a great Dutch girl and we rode on the back of a motorbike out to some eerie caves, sadly another Khmer Rouge slaughter site. The ride out passed through several villages and we made it back in one piece (there are no helmets in Cambodia!)
I paid the extra and took the boat to Siem Reap, highly recommended the journey is stunning, passing through floating communities all living on the riverside. I arrived in Siem Reap, gateway to the Angkor Wat complex. It's a decent town in itself, some brilliant food and an entire street called Bar Street with a pub called ''Angkor What" slap bang in the middle. Ingenious.
I hired a driver for a few days and he zipped me round so many temples. Angkor Wat itself lives up to expectations, it is enormous and a real labyrinth inside. My favourite was Ta Phrom, check out the photos, it's where they've left nature to run its course and so the trees have taken over! Bayon was another contender, hundreds of faces staring at you, there's nowhere to hide. The wet season put paid to any sunsets, but then you can't have everything...
It was sad to say goodbye to Cambodia, but first I had to contend with the road from hell. The roads generally in Cambodia are now tarmac, but between Siem Reap and the border town of Poipet it is potholes, bizarre diversions and mud roads all the way. The badly kept secret is that the airlines pay kickbacks so that the upgrade of the road is forever put on hold. That way people fly. I'll fly next time! It took eight hours to reach the border and it's only 150km! The bus was a nightmare, but I enjoyed the ride, you learn a heap of patience out here. And the funny thing, once we crossed back into Thailand, perfect roads and an aircon minibus. Hallelujah.
And I've uploaded all the photos. Finally!
Lerve
Jonny
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