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Cambodia's a funny old place. The stuff that happened in 1960/70s have definitely left there mark. I've been here almost 2 weeks now, and I've seen only a handful of grey-haired people. Outside the towns, rusted gateways that lead to empty plots line the roadside. And, thanks to being the country with the most landmines in the world, an incredibly high proportion of the population are mutilated in some way.

It's too hot to do anything in the afternoon. You can't drink the water. The polticians are bent. The cops are essentially drug dealers. They're sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam, two countries vastly richer than themselves. And the food's pretty awful.

Yet the Cambodian people are so bloody friendly. People share food with you on the bus. Stop and talk about anything with you. Help you find the place your looking for (although they will suggest it's quicker if you jump on the back of their motorbike: "only one dollar good price!"). And always with the smiling. It kind of puts the misery most people wear in Blighty into perspective.

And the sense of community here is incredible. People help each other out with work. If you book a tuk-tuk through your hostel, you can be sure that it's the owner's son/brother/cousin that will drive. And when you get to your destination, they either wait for you or get their mate to take you back. You haven't paid the first bloke yet, you just give the money to the guy that takes you back and you asume they share it out later.

Anyway, just came back from Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand and, though it's not half as bad as the islands on the Thai side, big resort hotels are being built there right as I speak, and the first few sunburnt package-holidayers are creeping onto the beaches, so i'm sure this country will go the way of many others before it. Which is a bit of a shame. I pretty much adore Cambodia but, like i said, it's a funny old place.

Shipping off to 'Nam tomorrow, which should be quite fun. Especially as it's Chinese New Year on Sunday! Partying in Saigon? Yes please.

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