Making Friends

Julia and Claire (below) got a fish massage the other day in Phnom Penh, but I could not bring myself to put my feet in the tank. The whole idea gave me the wiggins.



















Tonight we went to the night market in Siem Reap and wandered around. Claire and I bought Same Same, but Different t-shirts because we are Tourists. And we all had a 'foot spa' and massage. I didn't take a picture, but imagine a warm night and couches and lotus scented water and fragrant tea and a slice of water melon.


I forgot to put in one of my favourite statues, yesterday. This is a happy lion outside Angkor Thom. We sat outside Thom for an hour and ten minutes wondering where in the hell everyone had got to. I did a couple of circuits of Thom, thinking of Latin words to take my mind off the heat, looking for everyone, but it was deserted and I started to feel a bit Picnic at Hanging Rock.
























This is the only picture I have taken of Siem Reap. Largely because I was knackered today after yesterday's bout of extreme temples and stomach gymnastics.

We have become slightly obsessed about that thing that travellers become slightly obsessed about and were discussing it on the way home from the night market just now. Julia kept making us walk ahead of her. I got the hysterical giggles, especially when... but no, this is not the time or the place for fart jokes.

Magical spelling will protect the country

I have washed the film of DEET and sunscreen off my skin, brushed my teeth and laundered today's clothes in the sink.

Today involved some of that less pleasant side of travelling, and while the others were having lunch, I spent some quality time in the toilet with Terry Pratchett and Guards! Guards!

It was a big day of visiting temples. I was a little distracted by things and I am not really sure which ones, but Angkor Wat was involved. I should go and look it up.

There were figures of semi-nude women all over the walls. I loved their tummies. Each tummy was unique and some had been carved by the hands of someone who loved women's tummies. Some of the women looked like they were about to dance out of the walls.

I touched noses with Buddha

The whole thing was worth it, because at the end of the day when I left the top of the last holy place to the several thousand tourists watching the sun set,

 

I got to feed an elephant.

I have had a mango shake and some fried rice for dinner and hopefully that will work out well.

A walk through the market in Phnom Penh

 I learned to say 'thousand', 'hundred' and 'thank you very much'.