Cambodia (January 20th - February 9th 2009) Bases: Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh Main sights: Angkor Archaeological Park, Battambang bamboo train, Phnom Banan, Phnom Sampeou, National Museum, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Choeung Ek Memorial (Killing Fields), Wat Phnom, Central Market, Russian Market, Foreign Correspondents Club Top 3 experiences: 1) Seeing sunrise at Angkor Wat (obviously!) 2) Catching a glimpse of day-to-day life in a rural homestay 3) Coming to terms with the Khmer Rouge Daily budget (travel, food and accommodation): US$25 = 18 pounds My rating: 8/10 Overview: The past is everywhere in Cambodia. It's unavoidable. At the temples of Angkor, you come face to face with a millennium-old civilisation that holds its own against the Egyptians, the Romans and... read more

Beijing (January 2nd - 10th 2009) Main sights:The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City, Olympic Park, Tian'anmen Square, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution Top 3 experiences: 1) Sitting on a frozen lake in the Summer Palace 2) Walking on the Great Wall of China 3) Separating fact from fiction in the Military Museum Daily budget (travel, food and accommodation): 200 Chinese yuan = 21 pounds My rating: 7/10 Overview: It's a cliche of travel blogs everywhere to start with a sentence like 'Beijing is a city full of contrasts'. Bleurgh. But that's exactly what I'm going to do... Beijing is a city full of contrasts. Specifically, I'm thinking of the weather. When we booked our trip last summer, the British newspapers were full of talk about ho... read more

Here's our plan for China and south-east Asia.... read more