Here with the Khmer

We started off today with a leisurely breakfast before our flight to Cambodia. You can stand your spoon up in the coffee so this morning I requested some hot water to slow down the potential heart palpitations. Our group gathered in the lobby and headed off to the airport. We have a great bunch of travellers in our group and you can sit next to anyone comfortably. To boys have been excellent and I have had a number of positive comments on their behaviour. One of the ladies told me on day 2 that "we have decided your boys are allowed to breathe the air". She is a scream and is always the person coming out with the comments no one else is game to say out loud. 

I was sorry to say goodbye to Laos. It has been my favourite place so far and funnily enough the one I had least interest in prior to the trip and would never have chosen on my own. It is completely unspoilt although I understand a 200 room hotel and a golf course is in the process of being built. It is a shame in one way, however the people are very poor so the tourist dollars will be welcome to them. Get in quickly while it is still small and charming!

Our guides provided a cute boxed lunch from a well known Lao bakery that was quite nice. We had to transit through Pakse but this was only a 20 minute stop. There was no one at the customs check in at  Siem Reap (!) so we headed through quite quickly and loaded into our bus for the short trip to our hotel. Our local guide here is Mr Shorty - he is a lovely, gentle man with a good sense of humour. When we arrived at the hotel he told us that when we was young he used to pick fruit from the jungle where the hotel now stands. Now the Cambodians pick dollars from the American tourists in the same place.

Our connecting rooms were missing again, but Tony and the front desk sorted it out and my room was upgraded to allow us connecting rooms. The hotel is lovely, with huge rooms and lush tropical grounds however we only had a quick refreshment break before heading off to our afternoon activity. 

Our destination was the moat around Angor Thom. We were provided with a drink (hooray wine!) and escorted onto little gondolas, complete with a selection of Cambodian afternoon tea treats. There was a drink boat, that punted around with us proving refills. One of the boatmen sang us a traditional Cambodian song. The moat area was picturesque and peaceful, and the song echoing across the water was magical. Tony encouraged us to sing back so team Starrett replied with a rousing rendition of Waltzing Matilda. Josh then revealed that he had always thought that the "jump-buck" that the swagman shoved in his tucker bag was a girl. He was quite surprised to find out it was a sheep, not a person. 

Dinner was 'on our own' so we caught a tuk tuk to a restaurant called "Sugar Palm" with Angela, Allan, Rose and Ginny.  Our meals were very good and the bill, which included two courses as well as drinks for the boys and a cocktail for me, was $10 per head.