SIEM REAP

So, again not sure what to expect from the Angkor area given that all I know is that it houses the best temples in South East Asia. The bus drops us off in a Shanty town and you can tell that my lack of information on the area isn't unique with everyone else asking eachother "is this the place?, are we there?".

Thankfully the less than developed area turns out to be about 5km out of Siem Reap and once I've wrestled past the Tuk Tuk drivers and choose one the area I get dropped off at is very nice, with many of the bars and restaurants not looking out of place in any city in the world.

Besides a couple of late(ish) nights out my time in Siem Reap was pretty much the same as that of Phnom Penh and Cambodia in general - the place is great and the people are so friendly although besides the obvious tourist traps that bring people here I didn't find myself wanting to stay any longer unlike the time I spent in Laos and Vietnam.

With that in mind, as well as some persuasion from others, I have decided to cut my time in Cambodia short from the orginal 3 weeks to 1 month and head to the beaches in Southern Thailand.
With other plans I have, it means that I'll be a beach bum down there for just under a month, not sure if the lack activity will get me before then but at least I might actually get a tan in the process!

My travel plans beyond there are a little skecthy at best, as my nice neat circle acros South East Asia appears to have gone out of the windo so am now kind of just looking at countries / places I like the look of and heading there - random changes of direction of course will be updated as I take them!

Pics attached show Angkor wat at sunrise - (first time I've actually got up at 5.30 am and not had to!) as well as a school stop sign I liked and an example of the vertical steps you need to climb to see some of the places - not good in 35 degree heat with a hangover!

Heading back to Bangkok next for a short a time as possible but will update from there as well if anything of note deems it necessary....