Tuesday 27 October to Siem Reap

Internet not reliable on the boat and a long travel day in the coach, hence a late post. Suitcases out by 6.30 so am really start. Breakfast onboard and then we bid farewell to all the cruise staff as we then board our coaches for the 5 1/2 hour trip to Siem Reap. Couple of stops along the way. Lots of rice fields, rubber trees and cassava.

I actually thought I'd landed in Cambodia's own Chateau Gezellig's front yard at the first stop!

Im still working out money as most shops want US money but you pay for fuel on Riel.

Our second stop was very pretty and then on to our hotel by about 1.30 where we had a late lunch in the restaurant.

No rest for the wicked, as by 2.45pm we were back on small coaches to go to the ODA school. Opportunities of Development thru Art provides free English and IT education for village children from kindergarten through to university. The gentleman who founded this place lived through the Khmer Rouge and although as a young artist he was offered a scholarship to study in Russia, he saw that this opportunity was not given to most so instead he taught art in a Japanese school in Siem Reap, but it closed after a year. 5 students were then left with no where to go so Mr Leng took them in to continue their education. He would be at the temple each morning trying to seek his art work which provided the money for their food. Long story short, an Australian woman bought one of his paintings, can back to where he was living and meet the students and heard their stories. She left but came back the next day and said she would stay for a month to teach them all English. She ended up staying 4 months and then ultimately 7 years, regularly returning to Oz where she would sell Leng's paintings and then return with the money which all went into what had become ODA. Some of the older children treated us to a "fish" dance and then the children showed us around the premises.

Lamva is 12 years old and does not speak very good English but rushed up to me when the children were asked to show us around so he became my escort. An older boy who we found out was 18, came and helped His English was very good and he wants to be a civil engineet. Lamva wants to be a pilot, bless him. He has lived at ODA full time for 5 years. We were told not to ask questions about their family or background. It is a very simple life, but the childten sll sermed happy and well cared for. A volunteer comes in 6 days a week and prepares a main lunch for them all. The other meals are made by the older girls.

We were shown all the children's art work and Lamva was very proud of the pieces he had painted. $15 US was a small price to pay to see the smile on his face when I bought one of his paintings! We were then back on the coaches to go to Ta Prohm temple which is often referred to as the Tomb Raider Temple due to its depiction in the Angleina Jolie film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. The temple and its beautiful surroundings have been left to gradually succumb to nature.

Eventually back on the small coaches and back to the hotel for a quick cuppa and shower before we head to the bar for happy hour and then off to see Phare Circus which is a uniquely Cambodian experience. Think Cirque du Soleil but very watered down. It was afusion of theatre, dance, music and contemporary circus acrobatics. Phare artists are students and graduates of the Phare Ponleu Selpak vocational training centre in Battambang, an organisation founded in 1994 by 9 young men returning home from the Khmer Rouge era.

It was a very long and tiring day so bed beckoned, but not for long as there is a very early start next morning!