The weather is really nice now. It's warm and sunny and I feel like spending time outdoors. What I don't feel like is writing this blog. But, if I don't at least make an effort it will never get done.


So, umm...

On the second day in Siem Riep I hired the tuk-tuk guy for the day. He came to the hotel after breakfast (a very simple but well done western style breakfast). I spent the whole morning and most of the afternoon touring the 'must see' temples of Angkor Wat and the surrounding area. My driver would take me someplace, drop me off, I would walk through the area and he would pick me up on the other side. It was all nicely organised. I'm not going to write much about what I saw because, as I previously mentioned, it's one of those things you have to go and see yourself. I could write "I went to xxx temple which was built in xxx by xxx for xxx..." but it really doesn't mean much unless you're standing there looking at it. Even then, once you've seen a few of the temples it gets a little repetetive. So, I'll just post some photos and add a few comments.

So I set off in the morning with my driver, Mr. 6812.


I saw some rocks with faces on them...


And some temples with faces on them...


And some temples that used to have faces on them...



Along the way I saw a strange tree that seemed to have grown into the shape of a monkey...

I saw the remains of a big reclining Buddha...

I climbed all the way to the top of this temple...

Then got stuck behind a Japanese tourist who took about ten minutes to climb down...

I saw a girl being washed by a monk...

And a boy collecting water...

I met some smiling boys who wanted me to take their photo. I did. Then they wanted me to pay for it. I did, but just a little...

The boys then had their photo taken by another Japanese tourist. He didn't give them money, but gave them some candy instead. They were happy. I guess it's ok to take candy from strangers in Cambodia...

I climbed this temple...

At the bottom I met this girl. She was selling beads and other things. We talked a little. Apparently she's 5 years old and works here pretty much every day.

At the top I met this boy. He was selling postcards. I told him I didn't want any postcards, so we talked instead. He asked me where I was from and I told him I was from Australia. His reply (in a pretty good Aussie accent): "Oh Australia! G'day mate! Bonza! Fair Dinkum!". He then gave me a 5 minutes speech about Australia. He told me about the currency, current and previous prime ministers, area and population, states and capital cities, the national anthem and a few other things I can't remember. I was stunned. Not only did he know all this stuff, but he was able to tell me about it in very good English (which is pretty good for a 10 year old Cambodian kid who doesn't go to school). My Japanese students study for years and couldn't put together even half of what he said. The result - I bought some postcards. Which reminds me, I sent a postcard home. Did you get it? When I was handing it over at the PO counter in Siem Riep I figured that there would be about a 50-50 chance it would arrive.


The last temple I visited was the 'Tomb Raider' temple, which has been overtaken by nature.


After visiting the temples I went back to town, had a rest, got some dinner and then had an early night. Nothing particularly interesting.