Hotel Phnom Penh

... ten or more times into tiny, lightless cells, where they were held between torture sessions or before being trucked off to be executed. Communication between prisoners was strictly prohibited, including screaming in pain from torture (so as not to alert other prisoners to their fate). Interrogations were scripted, and exacted by electrocution, various forms of water torture, dismemberment, poisoning by scorpions, etc... <br><br>We hired a guide, a survivor of the ...

This really was just a pit stop on our way to Kratie and then Laos, but it took a couple days because we had to wait for our Laos visas. Besides arranging the visas and onward travel we had one other noteworthy experience. <br><br>A couple weeks ago Kevin and I had started toying with the idea of sending a package back to the U.S., for two reasons. One, to send some goodies back to friends, and two, to send some souvenirs of ours home so we wouldn't ...

... to find out...<br>Anyway we had a really nice meal in a cafe nearby and relaxed on our first night in Cambodia. It seemed a cool place, much poorer than neighbouring countries. There were a lot of poor looking people, rubbish dumped at roadsides and the roads were full of holes, yet there were a lot of really big new 4x4 trucks, Lexus cars and a few jaguars on the streets.<br><br>We awoke to discover that Pete had been feasted on by an army of bedbugs all night!! Poor Pete ...

... br><br>2 Aug - day trip round the city with a tuc tuc. We were taken to the S21 prison, the Killing Fields, Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. What a depressing day. S21 and the killing fields are a must see as this is a huge part of the Cambodian history but boy is it sad. The Pol Pot regime (Khmer Rouge) was a fascinating communist experiment that devastated Cambodia. A quarter of the Cambodian population were killed ...

... up and got a Thai massage - which turned out to be the BEST Thai massage I've ever had - even over the ones I had in Thailand last year! This lady had hands of steel that worked out all the kinks and tightness in my calves from all the walking I've done. She pulled, bent and contorted by limbs like Gumby and had me feelin like a wet noodle! We loved the experience so much that we went back the very ...

... Laos) - it was her last day in Laos and great to see her...<br>That night we ended up in a group of about 20 (representing 12 nations and 4 continents!) and took over the reggae bar (the only lively place on the island) - lots of beers and a big 'happy birthday' cake for birthday girl Becca....<br>There was a beatiful storm on the mainland... fork lightning etc...<br><br>Day 2 - about 10 of us went for a walk to the other main island, Don Khon... we visited a massive waterfall ...

... Cambodia, Sarah and I read a book called First They Killed My Father by woman recounting her experiences as a five year-old girl during the Khmer Rouge Cambodian Genocide in the 1970s. This book gave us an appreciation for the recent painful history of Cambodia and prepared us for what we were about to see. <br><br>Our first night in Phnom Penh we walked around the city looking for some cheap eats. Surprisingly, Phnom Penh was an ...