Don't let the bed bugs bite

Unfortunately we don't have much choice in these pound a night rooms - you should see Candi's and my legs. We're hoping they will let us into Oz without subjecting us to some serious cleansing and debugging procedures! We've upgraded to one pound fifty in the hope of avoiding the wee mites. The standard of accommodation isn't the only thing different about Cambodia. The recent struggles were instantly obvious this side of the border and development can be seen everywhere, but unfortunately so can poverty. All towns and cities are rife with beggars and children pester you all night to buy books and bracelets and gamble with them in a game of noughts and crosses. Still, it's a great and interesting place and the people are very welcoming.

Phnom Penh has a lot of touristy things on offer. I went to the Royal Palace which was nice but not as grand as its counterpart in Bangkok. The Tuol Sleng museum was probably the best thing, even though it left me filling sick to the stomach and totally speechless. It was originally a school, which the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison called S-21 where they committed torture and genocide on a terrific scale. The site has hardly been changed since those days which added to the experience in a huge way. The buildings have been set up with a lot of information and photographs of the people who were brought and killed here, and items such as insturments of torture and original cell foundations. On a happier note, I saw some monkeys and an elephant at Wat Phnom where there was an exhibition about Australia and the support it gives to Cambodia. I managed to gash my hand on some steps and was worried I may have caught mad monkey disease , but I seem to be ok. I was also blessed by a monk at Wat Ounalom in a tiny little shrine thing (could have done with that before the hand incident!) which was quite cool. We've had some good night out in PP too, meeting lots of people from England (even some guys from Seaton and Beer Dad!), eating Banoffee Pie (a few lucky people will understand) and trying to cope with the owner of our Hotel who was very touchy feely with me and Ryan. Candi was trying to work out who he wanted more!

We've spent the last few days in Sihanoukville on the South Coast. The water wasn't great and it was cloudy a lot of the time (still managed to get burnt!) but we had fun. The beach was full of handicapped men begging for money, ladies offering hair removal, manicures and pedicures - or in my case obsessing over my legs and begging me to let them work their magic! - and children selling all sorts of goodies. I made friends with a few of them and bought a picture from Wathy - supposedly a portrait but the girl has black skin and hair bless him! Again we had some good nights out, meeting up with some guys we know, eating a Khmer Fondue (shark, baracuda fish, prawns, veggies and noodles in a clay pot sitting on a gas stove in the middle of the table - a sort of DIY job and all you can eat for only one pound fifty!), drinking 25p beers and Ryan staying out until 7am this morning!

We're going to Siem Reep tomorrow which is our doorway to the Temples of Angkor. See you on the other side!