This will be short...just checking in to let you know I'm safely in
Bangkok...up to the point of getting here was beautiful. I got to the
airport with Michael early enough to take an earlier flight which left at
5:10. The flight was nice...very roomy and only 1/2 full. I arrived at the
airport which is huge and immigration was excruciating to get
through....then customs. I had a contact through Hospitality Club..they
could not host me but they recommended a place....the cab took me there and
I didn't want to stay there but no one spoke English...so I just gave up and
thought I'll bite it and stay for one night and regroup. The place is not
good. I decided to come into town to find internet and perhaps another
place to stay....This place I'm at is so out of the way...there is nothing
there...I mean nothing and the only way into town is by motorcycle.. So I
daringly hopped on the back of a motorcycle...it was a terrifying
experience. All I wanted to do was go downtown and the guy was driving all
over through the traffic and everything. I have never been so scared. Then
after there was drama about how much I owed him and he kept following me.

I fin ally got rid o him and hopped on the subway and am downtown...after I
write this I will try to find a place to the next two nights, go back to
that hell hole and spend the night. I'll give you an update tomorrow..thus
far...I do not like Bangkok!

Greeting of peace to you my friends and family..again I write to your from
Siem Reap. After I wrote last night..I explored the city which I absolutely
love. Has a great vibe, friendly, clean and safe! Michael and I went out
to eat at a super fancy restaurant and couldn't spend more than $15 between
the two of us. We didn't get home until 11 pm.

The alarm awoke me at 4 am!!! Yes, that early...we wanted to get to Angkor
for sunrise....we were there by 5 am...we had a private tuk tuk driver for
$14 for the day. Words cannot even describe Angkor...it is like machu
picchu, Petra, etc. words cannot do it justice. It is the largest
religious building in the world and covers 1000's of sq km with numerous
temples. Some built as early at 700 AD but the most famous Angkor Wat and
Angkor Thom were built in the mid 1100. The Portuguese discovered them in
1520 or so. It was also nice to get there early before the heat. I
literally move and begin dripping buckets of sweat. There were a fair
number of people there for sunrise. we spent time exploring and climbing
the ruins and then went to Angkor Thom which was equally stunning. At this
point it was 10 am...and the heat was becoming unbearable I had already
drank 2 liters of water (my average each day) and was getting a little light
headed...so we rested for a while. In the afternoon we went to a few more
temples and one was wonderful in the jungle with trees growing out of the
temple and gnarled roots bigger than my body thrusting through the stone of
the temple. It was like Indiana Jones! There were monkeys climbing the
ruins as well. The weather cooperated with us until the last 20 minutes at
sunset....the dark clouds gathered and thunder roared across the sky. then
monsoonal rains fell and it felt great! I was already soaked with
sweat..what was a little rain water going to do.

There were also 100's of Buddha’s in the temples and I learned a great deal
about Hinduism and Buddhism today. I have already taken over 500
photos...of course the ones with me...I look like a disaster with sweat
stains all over!

by the way..when we entered the park there was a sign..Warning Severe Dengue
Fever Threat! I had to take a pic. Our Tuk Tuk drive brought us back and
Michael wanted to sleep....I went out to hear some Khmer music...drums,
pipes, etc. Awesome...it was a group of men who have lost limbs from
landmines. And they raise money by playing Khmer music. I bought there
CD..it's for a good cause. Cambodia still has a ton of land mines and there
are warnings at Angkor to not go off the path because of land mines.

So...it's now 7 pm....going to go to dinner. Tomorrow is our last day
together. Michael is going back to Angkor but there are things in Siem reap
I want to see. WE both have flights out of Siem Reap tomorrow evening...he
will go to Hanoi...and I will be off to Bangkok...

Now the real adventure begins...I have no plans, no reservations, just me
and my bags showing up in strange city, strange land and I will have to
forge for myself and become centered on just for today...where will I eat,
where will I sleep, where will I visit. thus far, things have gone
well....my health has been holding up well...though I did start to get a
toothache two days ago...but I took some amoxicillin to clear any infection.

The poverty hear is astounding and the children beg in the streets all day.
They swarm you like flies "one dollar, one dollar". It very disheartening.

well, I think that is about it for today’s adventures....

Hello my friends and family...I send you peace and greeting from Siem Reap,
Cambodia. After emailing last night....Michael and I went out to
dinner...very nice place and I had a traditional Cambodian meal...Chicken
and Ginger with spicy fish cakes in oyster sauce with a coconut shake. It
was delicious. After we went to a club...The blue Chili which was a lot of
fun....it seems that clubs and disco are the same everywhere in the
world...the same music. However, we met some very nice people and chatted
until about 1 am.

This morning...we sort of took it easy and I went for breakfast and met some
local which I always love as I learn so much about the culture. One of them
was Khmer....which is a more indigenous type person here most Cambodians are
a mix of Khmer, Chinese, and some French. The Khmer are very proud of their
indigenous roots though they tend to get the poorer jobs...much as the
indigenous of US and Latin America. They explained to me that so many
people were exterminated in 1975-1979 that a whole generation is missing and
over 65% of the population is under 40 here!!

They also explained to me in great detail the process in harvest rice,
family ties, how they move to the city and then back to the home and that
most homes have a multi-generational home with 10 people. His name was
Amok..and I could have talked for hours...but I wanted to go to the Russian
Market which Michael joined me for. It was wonderful....I always enjoy the
local markets to see the fruits, vegetables, meat slaughter and hanging,
etc. The smell and sounds....it's a bit hectic but it's always a cultural
experience in the markets.

We then had a 12:30 bus to catch to Siem Reap...which should be the last of
the long bus rides..it was 6 hours ride to Siem Reap but it wasn't too bad
as we splurged and go the express $10 bus!! So it was pretty stylish. WE
arrived In Siem reap and the place we are staying at is wonderful...it's a
resort type place, pool, the whole tropical atmosphere and wonderful staff.
It has an outdoor swing, Air conditioning, even and upstairs lounge in
each room! All for $40 a night which is very high end!

So now I’m doing my evening email check and will go to dinner. We are
getting up early tomorrow to go to Angkor Wat. Each trip has it's crown
jewel. Petra, Machu Picchu, Teotihuacán, Tikal...Angkor is the crown jewel
of this trip! We are leaving at 4:45 am to see the sun rise above the
temple and will spend most of the day there. But we hired a private guide
and transport for $14 for the whole day!

Well, I guess that is my journey for the last 24 hours. I hope that all is
well back home and that you are doing well. Take care.

Greetings friends and family from Phnom Penh, the capitol of Cambodia!
Well, after I calmed down from yesterdays apocalypse now adventure we went
out to get our money and to eat. The currency is the real but almost
everyone use US Dollars and the prices are listed in US Dollars. I don't
even remember my head hitting the bed last night and I passed out! I slept
all the way to 6:30 this morning.

In Contrast to Vietnam...I love Cambodia...it is such a friendly place,
everyone is helpful, laid back..excellent vibe! People want to engage and
talk to you. This is like Latin America with an Asian flair to it....Would
highly recommend this place so far. Plus, the price is unbelievable...5
star hotel for $30 and this morning I hired a private driver in a Tuk
Tuk...all day, anywhere we wanted to g..$15!! He even waited while we
toured around and then drove us to the next stop.

So our adventures today began in Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. It was a high
school that was converted in 1975 by the Khmer Rouge Regime to be a holding
places for those to be executed. It was the sort of like a Cambodian
Auschwitz....10,000 of thousands of people were tortured and exterminated.
From there we headed out to the actual "Killing Fields in Choeung Ek.
There were 1000s of skulls placed on top of each other from the victims in a
temple wall. Very sobering. It is amazing that this Genocide happened
during my lifetime! And the sad fact is I knew nothing of it until I
planned this trip. I never learned about it in History. After touring the
Killing Fields we headed to downtown Phnom Penh where we went to Wat Phnom
Temple! Very interesting. We then went to the main market which was a
heroing event but I bought a lot of stuff which is great but unfortunately
I have to carry it around for 2 more weeks. WE then braked for lunch and
then went to the Royal Palace...which was beautiful...pagodas, temples,
inlaid with gold, etc.

I learned that the King of Cambodia (figure head) abdicated to his son three
years ago. before he abdicated he allowed gay marriages. It turns out his
son, the now current king is gay and used to be a ballet dancer. It's a
constitutional democracy here and last week the Prime Minister legalized gay
marriage and his daughter is a lesbian married to an American! Even the
Cambodians are ahead of the American Government with social justice! Who
would have thought it!

The sun was out all day today and was grueling in the heat...so we wrapped
up our tourism this afternoon and Michael is swimming in some pool and I'm
doing my daily update. I think tonight we are going to have dinner and hit
some clubs!

Tomorrow we head to Siem Reap..near Angkor....We are booking a luxury
bus...no stops, 4 hours and air conditioned. WE only have 3 more days
together and then I will finish up the rest of my countries by myself! As bad as some of the traffic, the heat, the long bus rides...it's all good...it's all part of the journey and always makes for the best memories and story telling.