Update - Counrty Side - Cambodia

The Southeast Asia portion of the overland trip is almost over. We just spent a couple of days at the beach in Southern Cambodia and now we are headed towards Bangkok, Thailand. We are expected to arrive on September 24. I'll be staying in Thailand during the month of October. My plans are to fly to Chiang Mai, which is city located in Northern Thailand, and check into a guesthouse for four weeks. While in Chiang Mai my plans are to enroll in a Thai Cooking (5 days) and Massage Class (5 days). The rest of the time will be spent reading, relaxing, writing, trekking, bike rides, etc. While traveling over the last six months, we never stayed more than 4 days in a single city (except Cairo where we stayed 5 days). I'm looking forward to staying put, in one place for 4 weeks.

In late October I will fly to Australia where I'll embark on another Overland Trip - down the east coast of Australia and up through the center of the country. See link for intinery details. I'll be staying in Australia until December 8th when I'll be flying back to the State. At least that is my plan for now.....

The "Day After" – Sihanoukville Beach, Cambodia

Look closely...exhaustion set in.

Beach – Sihanoukville, Cambodia

The beach in Cambodia can be sun, sea and sand to some and sex, drugs and rock'n'roll to others - see pic above - of the day after.

Royal Palace – Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The official residence of King Norodorn Sihanouk of Cambodia

Tuol Sleng Museum – Phnom Penh

In 1975 Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security forces and turned into a prison know as Security Prison 21 (S-21). It soon became the largest such center of detention and torture in the country. Almost all of the people held at S-21 were later taken to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek, southwest of the capital, and executed. Detainees who died during torture were buried in mass graves inside the prison grounds. During the first part of 1977, S-21 claimed a average of 100 victims per day.

Photo Exhibit - Tuol Sleng Museum - Phnom Penh

On a slightly smaller scale, but just as horrific - this museum reminded me of the genocide museum in Auschwitz, Poland - a sobering experience.

Killing Fields of Choeung Ek– Phnom Penh

Between mid-1975 and December 1978, about 17,000 men, women, and children (including 9 Westerners), detained and tortured at S-21 prison, were transported to the extermination camp of Choeung Ek to be executed. Many were bludgeoned to death, to avoid wasting precious bullets.

The remains of 8985 people, many of whom were found bound and blindfolded, were exhumed from mass graves in 1980. Fragments of human bone and bits of cloth are scattered around the disinterred pits. More than 8000 skulls, arranged by sex and age, are visible behind the clear glass panels of the Memorial Stupa, erected in 1988.

Angkor Wat - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat was a definitely highlight of the Southeast Asian portion of our trip - pictured here during a sunless sunrise. Angkor is one of the world's biggest religious building - with its soaring towers and extraordinary bas relief. It is one of the most inspired and spectacular monuments ever conceived by the human mind. However, weather conditions were less than idea during our visit to Angkor - there was a plethora of umbrellas.

The majestic temples and monuments of Angkor, built between 9th and 13th centuries when the Khmer civilization was at the height of its extraordinary creativity, constitutes one of humanity's most audacious architectural achievements. From Angkor, the kings of he Khmer empire ruled once a vast territory that extended from what is now Southern Vietnam northward to Yunnan in China, and from Vietnam westward to the Bay of Bengal.

The hundreds of temples constitute the sacred skeleton of a much larger and spectacular administrative and religious center whose houses, public buildings, and palaces were constructed out of wood - because the right to dwell in structures of brick or stone was reserved for the gods.

Random Photos – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Landmine Museum - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the worst landmine affected countries in the world due to almost three decades of conflict. The museum operates on donations, no entrance fee is charged. Landmines and related relics can be viewed first hand at the museum. The museum also offers the experience of walking through a simulated minefield. Making the visit even more sobering was the landmine victims on hand that serve as museum volunteers. Many of the younger landmine victims/volunteers are supported by the museum. Check out the link.

Sleeping Monkey, Siem Reap, Cambodia

While sitting at the landmine museum, watching a DVD on landmines, this monkey climbed on the table and into my arms and then quickly got comfortable. After napping for a bit, I passed the monkey off to Cath, who then passed it off to James, on whom the monkey peed on.

Prasat Hin Phimai - Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

When the Angkor Empire was at its peak, present-day Northeastern Thailand formed the empire's western frontier, through which temple trail linked Prasat Hin Phimai and other nearby shrines with Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Phimai temple, like other Khmer monuments in this part of Thailand, predates the Angkor Wat complex.

XiengKuane Buddha Park- Vientiane, Laos

A park inside a temple - Wat XiengeKuane was erected in 1958. I'm really not sure why, nevertheless, it provide us with a daytrip. There were a lot of buddhist statues...

Motor Scooters – Vientiane, Laos

We quickly learned the best mode of transportation to tour an Asian city is a motor scooter. Cath, James, Yi-Ching and I rented scooters over a 24 hour period. Lots of fun - except for the muffler burn I received on my leg and running out of petrol. The latter wasn't my fault. I was provided a scooter with an empty petrol tank on the outset and was told the petrol station was just down the road. It wasn't just down the road. It was a lot further.

Group Photo - Boat Trip – Mekong, Laos

A portion of the road between Luang Prabang and Vientiane (the capital of Laos) has been plagued by attacks on motorist and buses by armed gangs. Approximately 25 people have been killed on this stretch of road in 2003. Since 2003 no attacks have occurred, nevertheless, Exodus, our Overland Sponsor, prohibits their Overland Trucks when carring passengers to travel this road. As an alternative we hired a boat and followed the Mekong River south from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. The trip took two days. We spend the night at a small village, Pak Lai, located on the Mekong. Much of the days were spent reading on the boat and watching the sites pass - very relaxing.

Sunset - Mekong, Laos

Kuang Si Water Falls –Luang Prabang, Laos

Just another example of the Laos' natural beauty - this particular multi-tiered waterfall tumbles over limestone formation into a series of cool, turquoise-green pools. Its located near Luang Prabang. We camped near by and spent the day swimming in the many pools.

Luang Prabang, Laos

Monks loitering

Luang Prabang, Laos

Riverside Market - Mekong River