Today was mainly spent on the bus. We set off shortly after breakfast, and arrived at our hotel close to four in the afternoon.

The rain that had fallen steadily through the night, and was still falling at breakfast, subsided by the time we were boarding the bus. We drove through Phnom Penh and its outskirts, moving from close-built neighbourhoods of stucco and brick and concrete buildings through areas of sporadic structures made of metal poles and corrugated aluminum walls and roofs. Scooters parked in the yawning doorways, and folding tables and chairs visible behind them. Men sitting smoking and talking as they watched without interest as the bus passed. Cows or buffalo grazing aimlessly along the verge.

We passed small villages and towns. Arched gateways at the entrance to roads that seemed to lead nowhere.

The weather shifted from sun to cloud then rain, and back again. The light rose and fell as we drove on. I watched scooters bearing one, two, sometimes three people in the oncoming lane ploughing through flooding streets, the water nearly reaching their feet, wearing translucent ponchos in green, yellow, red and orange, some with large polka dots.

We made stops to get coffee, have lunch, and get our passes to visit Angkor Wat tomorrow, before ultimately arriving at the Angkor Aurora Hotel in Siem Reap. It’s a very nice, small hotel, and well appointed. The room is large, with a comfortable king-size bed.

After settling in, Yang took us all for an orientation walk through the neighbourhood and over to the night market, where we sampled fried crickets, “water beetles” (i.e., cockroaches) and coconut worms. Local delicacies, according to Yang, and really not all that bad once you get past the idea of it. We went as a group for dinner at a nice little restaurant not far from Pub Street.

After dinner Adele and I, along with a few others, attended the Phare Circus, which was really fantastic. If you ever find yourself in Siem Reap, I I highly recommend seeing a show.

Now it’s time for sleeping. We need to be up super early to hopefully see the sunrise at Angkor Wat. More tomorrow.