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It was good to see everyone again at the Vietnam/Cambodian border and hear all the stories of travels! Almost like meeting old friends! Also nice to be home(strange though it sounds) in the big orange truck....gosh I love that truck!
Cambodia is a beautiful country struggling to re-invent itself after decades of civil war have destroyed it. Poverty is evident on every street corner....which I don't think I expected...but it's easy not to think about such things until you actually see them with your own eyes!
A visit to S21, the school turned security prison was sobering! Some may ask why people would want to visit such a place where almost 17,000 people were tortured and killed? It wasn't an enjoyable visit but certainly an educating one! As i walked round the 'museum' I was aware of a nauseous feeling I couldn't shake! I will never forget the smell from the cells...as if people were kllled yesterday....in relative terms it was yesterday really!
A cycle out to The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek helped to shift the nausea....which promptly returned as I noticed pieces of clothing stuck in the ground, apparently from people who wee buried here! 17kms out of Phnom penh and the place was full of kids begging...their parents hiding around the corner...so hard not to give to these kids but giving directly won't help!
On a lighter note, the cycle home was quite hilarious! The bikes we all hired were not exactly well maintained! My brakes didn't work(fortunately Phnom Penh is flat) but Jock had the worst deal.....a flat tyre which we ad to stop and blow up at every petrol station we came across and a edal which refused to stay on....I have an image of Jock surrounded by hundreds of scooters cycling with one leg...it will never leave me! Ended te day with a movie night...The Killing Fields, but I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Decieded to cool down with a swim the next day, so Rach and myself headed to the Olympic pool (yes i was surprised too!). As with every shop, buisness, taxi,office etc, etc in South East Asia there were of course a family living at the pool who came out to watch us have a swim! We were also witness to a domestic dispute as we arrived....no-one blinked an eye!
Strolled down to the river for some lunch and got caught in a monsoon downpour. The only shelter we could find was a Tuk Tuk with no driver so in we jumped hoping the driver was not far away! An hour later we decieded to brave the rain and find a Tuk Tuk that may take us home!
Stopped at the shops and found some cheddar cheese, spring onions and proper crackers....mmmm....guess what I did that night!
So onto Siem Reap and the temples....after Rach and I raided everyone's rucsacs and dropped off bags and bags of stuff to the local VSO who were delighted....nice to have a lighter rucsac!
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