From Cambodia: In the way of a where've you been update...From Ho Chi Minh City, I embarked on a two day trip through the Mekong Delta en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was a combination of boat and bus trips. Great seeing the river life - boat markets, fish farms, naked 'hello' shouting and waving children everywhere. The brown water and grassy wetlands reminded me of Louisiana; (and our guide seemed surprised when I said we have brown water too in parts of the USA). Spent a few days in Phnom Penh... relics of the Khmer Rouge regime and genocide mix with a bustling and colorful city. Lingering from our time together on the boats/buses, part of our tour group stuck together in Phom Penh. When that group faded out, I spent a night at the Mennonite Central Committee office/guest house. Nice folks and I got to spend the afternoon visiting a program called Youth for Peace; even got a free t-shirt. Next traveled by bus north to Siem Reap, home of the famous Angkor temples. Really, if you haven't heard of them - wait for the pics I will eventually post - they are amazing. Randomly (popular word in this blog), I ended up sharing a room for one night with two girls I met on the bus. Who among you can say you shared a bed with Cambodian sisters? Wait, I don't want to know the answer to that, thanks. Once established in a new room - because really, I couldn't share a room with my own sister very well, as much as I love you, Julie' - I headed off by bicycle (and it's a long and dusty way! I am brave and strong!) to the temples. Highlight - other than the majestic human greatness honoring 'god-kings' - was the return trip: I almost got attacked by a monkey! Split second thought as I looked into his eyes - It won't hurt that much if he bites my leg, will it? I was looking at him as he ran at me and paused at my right pedal; but he was looking at the bag of bananas hanging from my handle-bars, at least until he grabbed them and ran up a tree. And just two days before I complained that, unlike everyone else in Southeast Asia, I'd only ever seen a monkey at a zoo. Tomorrow I visit more temples. Next day I take a bus to the border-town of Poipet and spend the night with a girl I met in Laos who works there (formerly with MCC in Phnom Penh, hence my staying there; now with International Organization for Women or some such). I think. Or I'll just take a bus straight to Bangkok, depending. Either way I'm headed for Thailand in a couple of days. Finishing 'the loop' and heading south towards Malaysia where I'll spend Christmas. xx