Day 4 - Kambuchea

"One dollar! You want this for one dollar?!" That's what I'll remember about Cambodia. The street kids persistently trying to sell you ANYTHING they can. And there's so many of them. It breaks your heart seeing all of them on the streets day and night, and you just can't help falling in love with them once you start talking and playing with them. And then you realise why so many travellers want to adopt them, because despite having lives that I could never imagine, their personalities just win you over. And they're so cheeky! AND fluent in English. I've also been asked several times if I'm Cambodian (Thai when I was in Bangkok). I might do what my bro was planning on doing and say I'm Maria Gonzales from Mexico. I bet that could work. As long as they don't speak Spanish.....

Siem Reap was fascinating with Wats (temples) dotted in various parts of the city. But after spending half a day visiting them, we decided to just chillout in front of a lake/man- made reservoir (?). Next thing we knew, a bunch of kids had already divied up the four of us between themselves (very enterprising businesskids) and conned us into being their customers by giving us "presents". They said they didn't want anything in return and that we didn't have to buy anything from them if we didn't want to. Yeah right. Suckers!!! But then after spending almost 2 hours with them you can't help but buy something/anything from them. I'd already been forced to buy 6 bracelets from 2 kids earlier in the day and I found myself giving money for a 3rd 2L bottle of water that I really didn't need. Steve said he doesn't think he's ever spent so much on lemon tea and batteries. Sophie spent quite a lot on one can of coke. As for Hannah. Well let's just say that saying no was not an option. But that's ok. We had a fantastic time with them.

Today we visited the Killing Fields and S21. There are no words to describe what I saw. There were still some blood stains on the tiles in the cells in S21. And bones and clothes half buried in mass graves of the Fields. Yeah. I really don't know what to say. Cambodia had 7 million people before the Khmer Rouge regime. When it ended just over 3 years later, a 3rd of the population had been massacred. Surrounded by beautiful butterflies as I walked through the Fields, it was impossible to imagine that such a peaceful place could've ever been anything else. Until you see the craters and bones......

On a lighter note, tomorrow we head to the beaches of Silhanoukville. I can't wait!! Azure blue waters, here I come.

P.S. Point 2 from post 1 has been disproved. My group is awesome!! As for point 1, no starvation yet. Will let you know when we head to Vietnam.