Cambodia

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firstly if the spelling is a little off or if this is missing some letters, We are at a dingy internet cafe with a keyboard that seems to have seen its fair share of backpackers
where to begin...
Well we arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday (19th)..at around 10 or so.. when the airport doors opened we were nearly knocked off our feet by the sudden heat....
We caught a bus (which at the tie we thought was a very average, bog-standard bus..but have since realised that that was the super-luxury type) to Khao-San Road and found ourselves some accommodation and then spent the rest of the day and night wondering around, battering with the street sellers and trying to get a feel for the life in Bangkok- what a crazy city. Thursday we went out to see the floating markets (previously mentioned in the last brief post) which was fatastic and a real eye-opener into how these friendly humble people live. We got a "bus".. (translate - a minivan with about 10 othres) out to the markets and then onto a "long-boat" and then taken along the river to the markets which are as they sound, littered with markets and stalls along the banks with anything from clothing to fruit and spices. We left the floating markets and went to see the Cobra show on the way back, you really cannot believe how these guys handle these snakes, its incredible but sad at the same time as the conditons that the others snakes and reptiles are living in is just too too sad...and makes you realise that we are human beings put them there by paying the money to see them "perform"..anyway so then thursday night was spent on a roadside cafe on Khao-San road drinking beer and having dinner as the world went by, first time we felt relaxed.
Friday morning we were up early to catch the bus to Cambodia and thats where the fun began...the first 4 hours or so were fine, actually bliss in comparison to the 10 thereafter... As soon as we crossed the border in Poi-pet it all became like some dream.... we had to get all our bags off the "luxury" bus and walk across the border - one side tiny beautiful children running at your feet asking for food/water/money...the other a truck load of squealing pigs that had been crammed ontop of one anoter..a true eye-opener. When we crossed the border we were met by a guy who told us he was our guide (us and the rest of the bus) and made us sit and wait in this random dusty, hot and smelly bus station, we all thought it was a scam and were waiting for someone to pull out a gun and tell us we were being robbed....but it was fine. We were then bundled onto another bus...this one....Cambodian Style....think 1980s schoolbus - shared leather seats, no aircon, 40 mile, top speed.... 10 hours of dirt road and no aircon so all the windows were open... a real character builer if nothing else...
We arrived in Siem-Riep (where we are now) and booked into a guesthouse, followed by copious warm beers and cambodian dinner. We have met two Kiwi girls and an Irish couple and the 6 of us have been pretty much joined since the bus trip, so its great to be in a crowd experiencing this all. Last night we went to Angkor Wat and climbed up to the top of one of the temples to watch the sunset (there is no sch thing as Health and Safety here... the steepest tiniest stone steps..and no railings..vertigo goes out the window)
This mornin we were all up at 5am, to go back to Angkor Wat to watch the sunrise and then we explored the others temples.
Tomorrow we start our journey to Vietnam startiong with a boat ride to Phnom phen and to the killing fields the day after.

We are loving this journey so far, its very humbling.... Bran keeps telling me that i can have the fishermans pants, the scarves, the carvings....but I am not allowed to bring a Cambodian child home.... Im working on it.

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Comments

[Sue]

ADventure time !
Wow ! YOu two are really seeing another side of life. Don't think I'd better go there - I would be leaping on top of trucks to save pigs , and organising the kids into strike action!! Em and O send love - have just spoken to them on their way to CT. Look after yourselves - and don't drink the water !!!!!!!! Keep posting - lovely to hear about your movements( if you know what I mean........) LOve Sue xxx

[Toni, Craig and Arlen]

Jealous!
Sounds like you two are having a WONDERFUL time - we are very jealous - especially since it has been snowing here this morning!!! Keep sending news and stay safe:) Lots of love, XXX

[Gay]

Cambodia
My loves your adventure has only begun - enjoy every minute of it even though the conditions seem bad at times, it must make one realise how lucky we all are. Miss you both. all our love