Crossing over to Cambodge!

---

Hello hello,

So after a few days of relaxation (as I say travelling is tough work) on Ko Chang, we set off for Cambodia.

After an all day bus journey, we arrived late at the border crossing town of Aranya Pathet and were reluctant to cross the border as Siem Reap (our destination) was still a further 2 hour journey. As always a Tuk Tuk driver was at our service and insisted that he take us to the border. We are on our way, then all of a sudden we turn off onto a dark side street where a little man appears from nowhere shouting "WELCOME TO CAMBODIA!!" - mmm... nice try pal! Despite their hardest efforts to convince us that at the other end of this dark road lay Cambodia we decided to turn back and wait until the morning, all the while watching some other poor mugs hand over 1200 baht to these conmen!

The next morning we explained to the Tuk Tuk driver "no border, no baht" and hey presto we are taken to a full blown hustling bustling border! As we cross the border into Cambodia, even the uniformed officials try to scam money out of us - on this note, Dad I now know what it feels like to be a walking talking cash machine!

Finally after a day of travelling we arrive in Siem Reap and turn up at yet another guest house who appear not to have our reservation and almost end up sharing with a random Russian! We finally got settled and were looking forward to having a gander around Siem Reap and seeing what it has to offer, besides the famous temples.

We took a trip to a local war museum where an ex-soldier guided us around. Apparently they called him the 'cat' as he has exceeded nine lives and was shot eleven times during the civil war. He had various bits of moving shrapnel under his skin, was missing a leg and was blind in one eye. However he was still able to show us the various tankers, weapons and mines which had been used during the war and it was shocking to hear that there are still millions of active land mines all over Cambodia.

We then went into the town centre and had a feast of Khmer street food, which we are already loving and is a nice change from the oh so noodley Thai menu!

Tomorrow we are exploring the Angkor temples, stay tuned...

Claire and James x x x x

---