** some of these pictures are disturbing ***

  Phnom Penh was an unexpected destination on my 4month trip but I'm glad my friend suggested going there. We flew on AirAsia from Bangkok and landed in the capital city in 1hour.

Cambodia is the poorest country I've visited and this was immediately obvious on the taxi ride from the airport, with poor quality housing and the roads full of motorbikes, often with 4 people on each. Despite a growing tourist trade, the quality of life for many Cambodians is still very low, with only 41% of the population having access to safe drinking water and the highest under 5 mortality rate in East Asia/Pacific.

The country has suffered a horrific history over the past 45. Between 1970-1974 750,000 Cambodians were killed by American bombers destroying suspected Viet Cong targets in Cambodia. In 1975-1979 the Khmer Rouge period killed 3million through mass executions and starvation/disease. All 'potential opposition' were killed, this included intellectuals, educated people, professionals, religious enthusiasts, foreigners and even people who wore glasses. 1 in 4 of the population were killed in this 4 year period!

We visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Musuem, former school then S-21 prison. 14,000 - 20,000 spent time here for 2-7months, including whole families. The victims were tortured until they confessed to crimes they often had no knowledge off, then made to sign confessions, basically their death sentence. This was a truly shocking place to walk around, seeing the tiny cells, torture equipment and viewing the graphic photographs of victims. It was a sickening and emotional visit.

After the victims confessed to non-existent crimes, groups would be transported out of town to the killing fields, often under false promises of freedom. The Choeung EK killing field was one of over 300 across the country, where the most barbarous cruel crimes very committed. At Choeung EK 20,000 people were killed and left in mass graves. In order to save bullets, men, women and children was killed in horrific ways. Walking around the Genocidal Center was very
upsetting, especially as victim clothes and bones were visible in the ground throughout the site and 8,000 skulls had been taken from the graves and placed in a memorial tower. I left the site feeling numb and disturbed. One of the Khmer Rouge propaganda saying stayed with
me “"Better to kill an innocent by mistake than spare an enemy by mistake." 

Despite this horrific history, Cambodians have been the friendliest group I've meet on this trip. Many speak English and they do no hassle you in the same way as Bangkok, once you say no thankyou you are left alone. The accommodation was cheap, beers were 40p in some bars and
the food was a high standard. We ate out all nights, with my favourite meal was fresh spring rolls followed by water buffalo stirfry. Other interesting dishes we saw on menus were beef with red ants and pregnant squid. 

My hotel was interesting, a nice room but the window looked out onto a corridor. The plug sockets also sparked ever time I connected my plugs. At breakfast the coffee was served
with sweet condensed milk.

As taxis and tuk-tuks were cheap we used them to get around the city. We visited the Royal Palace, an art exhibition by a local artist called Dany Chan and a russian market. At the market our tuk-tuk driver was happy to wait 2hours for us, in order to get the return $3 fair, and we browsed the weird and wonderful stalls in near 40 degree heat.

On our last evening it rained heavy for 1hour and all the streets completely flooded. The view from the upper floor of the hotel made the streets look like rivers. Kids played in the water and locals continued wizzing alone on their motorbikers, feet kept high out of the waterline. Within a few hours the water had disappeared again.

I didn't want to leave Cambodia but we had a return flight to Bangkok. I was shocked by the evil acts man is capable off, but also left touched by the kindness of the Cambodian people. This is a country I'd love to return to and volunteer.