Hello fans, its my turn to have a bit of a writing session. As we last left you we were about to go out on Koh Sang rd, this turned out to be a rather heavy night. The next day was a very early 5.30am start off to the boarder with our new found friends. Having gotten through the border without anyone smuggling drugs into our bags, all 14 people were told we had to get into one pickup truck with all our back packs and drive for the next 7 hours and as our guide says “never try never know” so we did and what an experience our bums are still recovering. The journey for those of you thinking this is not too bad was at no point on tarmac and we also crossed 2 rivers floating in the pick up being towed by a tractor as you will see on photos.

Well after a well deserved shower the next morning we went to the temples of Ankor they were amazing even got to see the temple where Tomb Raider was filmed. Anyway check the photos I am sure you will be impressed. That night was a rather different experience in a bar where you were given your drinks and also a permanent marker and told to find a place somewhere or anywhere in the bar and leave your mark. Another early morning followed to the largest fresh water lake in Asia where we saw a floating village including a floating hospital, church and school. After having cooled off in the lake we went to the landmine museum and learnt a few very disturbing truths about the horrors that war can do to a country. Having had a huge culture shock from this we went to the children’s hospital of Siem Reap which is run by a famous Swiss doctor and I (Will) gave blood. So was feeling very good about myself that day. (Thanks Amy and Luke for suggestion). This hectic day was followed by me and Laura having a blind massage which Laura loved and for some reason the blind lady that gave my massage was obviously in the mood to torture me so I came out battered and bruised.

Our guide called “V” simply because none of us could say his name took us to a very rural village. Where we went on a bike ride and boat trip to an island where we gave out books and pens etc to the poorer children and then had a foreigners against Cambodian children football game there were 6 of us and about 40 of them is was mad. Very uplifting day. Our next day mostly consisted of traveling and in the afternoon we went to Krati to see fresh water dolphins they have no nose so they look rather odd. They are a very endangered species only 80 – 100 left in Cambodia and only 5 places in the world to see them. Unfortunately I wasted all the battery looking for dolphins on the camera and missed one of the best sunsets ever so was in trouble for that!

Phnom Phen was our next stop the capital city, but on the way we stopped at a road side restaurant for locals lunch break and were told by V that we could try deep fried spider, need I say more please see the picture to believe this one. Once we were in Phnom Phen we got the privilege of seeing the famous water festival and had prime views on a roof top restaurant on the waters edge of Mekong river. Fantastic night with fire works, boat racing and parties every where all topped off with the fact we got to have some western food and caprioskas. Another very early start to go to the Killing Fields making a very sad morning and a reality check as many bones and clothes and dug up graves still there with a recorded 8963 bodies recovered from just this site. From here we went to S21 the prison where all the dead were tortured and held before they went to the mass graves. We then caught another bus for 5 hours to Takeo where we stayed the night with a local farmer and his family. After eating home made Khmer food we inevitably ended up drinking just so we could sleep above the cows and chickens. After saying good bye to the family we left for Sihanoukville on the beach. After hiring a scooter we went to Ream National Park taking a boat trip through the mangrove and then trekked through the jungle to the most secluded beach we have ever been to.

We are heading off to Phnom Phen again tomorrow and going shopping in the Russian Market, Lauras heaven, Wills hell. Then off to Vietnam, as ever Laura and I will keep you all up to date keep posting messages we love them.

Lots of Love Will and Laura xxxxxxxxx