Cambodia- December 2005

Phnom Penh- The people here are so friendly! On our first day in Phnom Penh we visited the National Museum, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. We caught up with some Dutch guys we met on the bus the day before for lunch at 'Friends', a restaurant set up to train street kids. The next day we went to Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields, it was really sad. The following day we took the bus up to Siem Reap.



Siem Reap- We spent 5 days in Siem Reap checking out the markets and taking electric bikes out to the temples at Angkor. Angkor Wat was amazing! We also saw the Bayon, Baphuon, Terrace of Elephants, Phimeanakas, Ta Kea, Ta Prohm, Prah Khan, Neak Pean and Pre Rup. We spent another day taking a tuk tuk out to Kbal Spean and Banteay Srey, a long way on a dirt road but well worth it! We also went to the Landmine museum just out of town.

Battambang- The next morning we got on the boat to Battambang. 8 hours later we were finally there! We spent 2 days going out seeing the countryside with two moto drivers Sam and Thony. On the first day we went out to Wat Phnom Sampeau and the killing caves. Another really sad place, they say 10 000 people were killed here during the Khmer Rouge. We got back on the motos and went out to Wat Banan, a temple older than Angkor Wat. Sam was filling us in on his Aussie slang, so funny! We made our way to the Bamboo railway. The locals assemble a bamboo platform and motor on the railway tracks to transport just about anything. Next day we went out to Wat Norea, an orphanage run by local monks who look after children affected by HIV, and Kamping Poy, a huge dam made by hand during the Khmer Rouge. We went out on a little boat with a man and his son. The boy was picking us lotus flowers and singing, it was awesome!


Phnom Penh- Next day we caught the morning bus back to Phnom Penh. We spent the rest of our time in Phnom Penh at a local orphanage. On Christmas eve we went to the market to get presents for all the kids. On Christmas Day we went to see the kids again and out came the powder. It was everywhere!!! Later that day all 30+ of us got into 2 tuk tuks and headed out to the water park. What a way to spend Christmas, the best yet! We didn't want to leave but we had a plane to catch back in HCMC.