....the rest of Cambodia!

First chance Lis and I have got to actually spend a little time on a computer! I have done and seen so much in the last ten days!

Before leaving Siem Reap in Cambodia we took a boat trip across Tonle Sap Lake (the largest lake in Asia) to visit the floating village. A village which does exactly what it says on the tin - it floats on water. The people living there are all Vietnamese refugees and they live in unbelievable poverty. I honestly cannot describe the way of life for these people and I hope that my photos convey just how moving an experience it was. As we were getting to the village, small boats were coming up along side ours with small children in them holding a snake around their neck. They were trying to pass us the snake to hold in exchange for a dollar. Boats with mothers with a baby asking if we wanted to hold their baby for a dollar. Really heartbreaking stuff.
However, the mood lifted a little when we got to go to a small marketplace and buy food to take to the local school. The school consisted of 2 classrooms jam packed with kids, the majority of whom were orphans. We got to hand out food to the children and play with them, amazing experience!

The journey to Cambodia's capital - Phom Penh then began. By the time we arrived there we only really had time to have a quick explore and grab a bite to eat. However we still found the energy to hit the town for a night out. With buckets of your favourite cocktail working out at around a quid it would just be rude not to.

The highlight of our time in Phom Penh was definitely the visit we took to the S21 prison and the killing fields situated just outside the city. I honestly cannot explain how shocking and emotional this experience was. The former security office 21 in 'Democratic Kampuchea' was created on orders of Pol Pot for the detention, interrogation, inhumane torture and killing of innocent Cambodians during his 1975-79 regime. Of the tens of thousands who entered this prison, no one ever escaped and only 7 people survived. Only 2 of these survivors are still alive today. We were so lucky as we had the opportunity of meeting Chum Manh, one of the survivors. Most days he sits outside the prison in which he was detained, physically still suffering and affected from the torture he endured to tell his story.

The killing fields were the areas where those who survived such prisons were taken and brutally killed. The killing field we visited was truly haunting. Here 20,000 people were executed and murdered. The 129 mass graves and 8,000 human skulls at the site bear testimony to this unspeakable crime. As we walked around looking at each mass we were literally stepping on bones and teeth which had been brought to the surface of the ground due to teh heavy rain in the wet season.

SO after all that a few strong drinks were definitely in order!!!!

From Phom Penh we headed down to the Southern coast of Cambodia to Sihanoukville - backpackers paradise! Lots of bars and cafes along the beach. We used our time here to chill out have some beach time, take a boat trip to an uninhabited island, get our nails painted and legs threaded on the beach for a few dollars and of course drink a few more buckets.

We were really sad to leave Cambodia. I WILL be going back there one day.

Right now I am in Hoi An in Vietnam, beautiful place! Will write about my Vietnam adventures later....got shopping to do just now :)

Loads of love from Vietnam
xxxxx