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