Back to high speed internet

What a treat this is, far faster than the dial-up speed of Cambodia, and it's free at the Sheraton, have to love that.

Flight back to Bangkok was good, even had a jet, no propellors.

Got to the Sheraton however my room wasn't ready so I had to go and check out the streets of Bangkok, off to the MBK Centre, but no retail frenzy, then off for a walk on the Sky Walk which is a walkway right under the Sky Train (photo attached, you'll see it in the middle of the road if you click and enlarge it) which goes up the middle of various streets around 20m off the ground, caught the Sky Train back to the hotel via the Siam interchange, I must admit, it's pretty spooky being on a train 20m in the air, especially when it goes around corners. Then got the free hotel ferry back from the train station when it ended at the river. Photo of the river from my room attached. And another of only part of the city skyline.

Took in the evening at the terrace bar just watching the barges, dinner ferries, water taxi's & buses go by. Decided to stay off the solids for the night and just enjoyed the view and the breeze.

Today I had a sleep-in then off to the MBK Centre to spend, not much though, just a few small gifts for folks back home.

About to hit the pool for a few hours, check out the peacocks, then off for the buffet dinner, which is about the best one I've ever seen, then some Euro2008 viewing.

When we stayed here 2 weeks ago they were setting up for a function so I took some photos of their set building, don't worry, Rentals aren't in trouible yet.

Anthony Spaz is in town but he hasn't emailed he his details, so I will be having a quiet one before Panthip Plaza tomorrow for software and then to the airport and home to my girl!!!

Take care, weather is here, wish you were beautiful.

Weiry

Phnom Penh

Had a great flight from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, 35 minutes, not a bump and had a fantastic view of Tonle Sap lake as the plane flew right along the edge, even managed to pick out the flooded forest and floating village that we visited a day or so before. And then saw the Tonle Sap river merge with the Melkong at Phnom Penh, was fantastic to see it from the air and exactly how big the Mekong is.
Plane was packed with Koreans, the Americans of the Orient, honestly they have no idea about anything other than themselves, they're loud, selfish but they are the biggest visitors to Cambodia, so they are good for something.

But now back into the city, roads are chaos and it took Mr. Ben Wee, my driver and guide here, 45 minutes to drive us the 10km to the hotel, scooters going everywhere, absolute chaos.
Checked into the hotel, very nice I must say with a top floor river view looking at the 2 merging rivers.
Went to the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) on Sunday night and had a few drink with a couple of Kiwi's who where shooting documentaries in Thailand and had just ducked over for the weekend. Then all hell broke loose and it pelted down and around 20-25 degrees to the ground and all the rain blew straight into the FCC, floor was awash, but quite funny none the less, the FCC is a second floor balcony room, quite and a rooftop garden as well, those guys flew down the stairs absolutely sodden. But had a great night anyway.
Monday Mr Ben took me to S21 which is a genocide interrogation prison (photo attached) of the Khamer Rouge (KR), which is pretty stark and bloody depressing, it used to be a high school but then Pol Pot's cronies turned it into a gulag. Then drove around checking out the city sites, glad Ben was driving as I wouldn't have coped AT ALL!
Then we headed off to one of the 438 killing fields (photo attached), again bloody depressing realising that 2 million people were executed by their own people at these various places all over Cambodia.
Well that was enough death and disaster for me for the day so back to the FCC for happy hour then Ben took me to a couple of bars and pubs, fun night to make up for the morbid day.
Today we went to the Russian Market to have a look around and then over to the lake (photo attached), which isn't going to exist for much longer as the Government have just sold it to land developers. Heaps of watercress growing that is sold to the restaurants and tons of little bars jutting out over the edge of the lake. Had lunch at the FCC then walked past the Royal Palace (photo attached) and now I'm back in the hotel and watching the daily afternoon thunderstorms, it's black everywhere.
Nothing on tonight as I have a very early start in the morning for the flight to Bangkok, where I'll try to send more correspondence.
Weiry

Off to Phnom Penh

Ian H headed off this morning back to Bangkok for a couple of days & I head off to Phnom Penh late this afternoon, not looking forward to the flight as there is heap of thunder at the moment and I think it's about to pelt down. It is wet season after all.
Thanks for the comments Scratch and emails Cindy, I'll write more when I get there.
Weiry

Stewing in Siem Reap

It is so hot over here that we have to have 2 changes of clothes per day, and then another for going out at night, the humidity is thick. But we are getting some great storms in the late afternoon/evenings.

Checked out the Land Mine Museum the other day, unfortunately no photos were allowed, incredibly depressing. America dropped 50% more bombs on Cambodia than it dropped on Japan in the entire 2nd WW, scary, and all because of Vietnam. They should get over here and dig up all the mines they planted as well, they reckon the country may be clear of land mines by 2020!!! In 2002 Cambodia was 3rd in the world for land mine deaths behind Afghanistan and Iraq with 550.

We visited the orphanage the other day, with Mr John Teng, and took them 100kg of rice and donated a couple of hundred dollars, the lady that runs it has no support and she manages 47 children, it costs $1200 per month just to feed the children which is basically rice with some pork or fish when funds allows. They do have a Japanese man who supports them by raising money in Japan and a few of the children have sponsors who help pay for them to go to school, which costs $120 per year excluding uniforms and books etc.

Went down to the drowned forest and floating villages yesterday, about 40km out of SR, better than the ones I went to last year near SR. Houses on 6-8m stilts, the rains are about to hit Cambodia and around September the houses will need the stilts and water will be 1.5m over the road, simply amazing.

We headed down to the old market yesterday arvo, then started a pub crawl to get home. Ivy Bar, Night Market, Temple Bar, usual places, and managed to count 33 women in 3 hours who wear their pyjamas during the day around town, it's a very weird fashion statement. Suffering a bit today but managed to check my ticket to Phnom Penh, thankfully, as I would have been at the airport 8 hours earlier than I needed to be. Off to PP tomorrow so will right more once I settle in there.

Weiry

Now in Seim Reap

Hello!

We ended our stay in Koh Samui with a few nights with some young Aussie guys, Daryll & his brother Ben, completely opposite but lovely guys, see attached photo. Then off to Bangkok to meet up with Ali & Frosty again and also Ian before he & I headed to Seim Reap and the others flew home.

Beautiful buffet at the Sheraton, as always and an early rise for Mandy who had an 8am flight.

The first 3 days here have been exhausting to say the least, weather is extremely hot to the point of 2 sets of clothes per day and drinking 3-4 litres of water as you just continually sweat.

We have seen most of the temples at Angkor; Angor Wat, Bayon, Angkor Thom, Ta Prom, Preah Khan andalso some outlying ones, Banteay Srei (my favourite) and had a mountain walk to get to Kbal Spean, which was hell.

We have since deided to have 2 days off as both of our knees are shot. We are going to the orphange tomorrow with Mr John Teng, our guide, to take rice and donate them some money to buy fish & pork etc.

We then have Friday & Saturday with John then I'm off to Phnom Penh.

Will write more later.

Cheers!