Cambodia

Cambodia - a quiet un-touristy place to chill out and hang out with the locals right? Well not exactly. My preconception was that of remoteness, travelling for hours amongst wilderness and nothingness - people so glad to see a western face, their hospitality would be most welcoming. Being picked up on a motorbike and taken to a large double decker bus, we proceeded through Thailand to Poipet , the land border of Cambodia. Children rush over to you once you step off the bus, sheltering you from the heat with umbrellas, walking alongside you, matching you pace for pace. Motorbikes with families ride past, pick-up trucks overflow with locals sitting on the roof and all this is everyday life. A minibus takes you on the seven hour drive to the small town of Siem Reap. There are no cemented roads, only dirt tracks with craters. Covered in dust and aching from limb to limb from the bumpy ride, you're swamped with children approaching you from every angle, pleading with you to buy drinks and food. Their English puts you to shame as they ask your age, then quote facts about your country. The journey takes you past small villages with huts on stilts where chickens, goats and buffalo are roaming around. Children abandon their push bikes for a swim in the nearby river and happily play.

Pigs tied on the back of motorbikes are being transported along, and oncoming traffic heads towards you as you marvel at the skill of the driver. A local from a privately-owned guest house who has been travelling on the bus, takes you to her abode. It's clean and welcoming. From there, you can visit the temples of Angkor, only 15km away by moto. To hire a driver for the day costs $6 USD, although entry to the temples is costly at $20 for a day pass and $40 for two or three days. A visit to Siem Reap is not complete without seeing this mystical place. You can go elephant trekking around the temples or buy authentic gifts such as paintings or handmade bracelets. From here you can catch the boat to the capital Phnom Penh. The express boat is expensive at $25 but only takes 6 hours compared to the slow boat which has a leisurely pace. The express boat is very overcrowded so be prepared to sit on the top deck in the baking sun, as only Cambodians have tickets for indoors. You have to scale the edge of the boat to climb on. Herds of local people greet you when you arrive, waving pictures of their hostels at you. As there are so many to choose from, I recommend escaping the noise and pace of the city and staying by the lake. Phnom Penh is very busy and full of motorbikes which seems to be the preferred transport in the city. Riding in the traffic is an experience, moto's take you from place to place for a small fee. You can use the local currency - Riel or American dollars. Guest houses are very cheap, starting at $3 for a double room with a fan. Between December and February it is worth paying the extra for air-conditioning. Guest houses also have a range of tours and act as travel agents so you can book your onward travel. Highlights in the capital are: the Killing Fields: which were discovered only 25 years previous during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. Prisoners from S21 prison were brought here starved and forced to work on the rice fields. There is a huge memorial containing the skulls of the deceased. The S21 prison used to be a school until 1975 when the Khmer Rouge began their reign. The central market is a busy hub of gifts from fake rolex's to local cuisine. Sample the local fried locus or maggots. Beware of all the sellers who bombard you with their gifts. Beggars follow you and disabled locals try to sell you postcards. It's hard not to wither under their persuasion. A six hour boat journey takes you north to the unspoilt town of Kratie, a place off the beaten track. From here you can travel further to witness the hill tribes. We stayed at Star Guest House $3 a room. Bottle nose dolphins are the major attraction here, you can hire a small long-tail boat with a captain to take you onto the muddy waters of the Mekong River, when the engines are off, you can watch the dolphins surface.

Cambodia is my favourite country, full of history, culture and friendly locals, who are so pleased to see you - you won't stop beaming during the whole time you're there.