Hello everyone!!! Well, we finally made it to Sydney, and it is fantastic! The weather was a bit dodgy ( Aussie lingo) for the first few days but it is bright and beautiful today. We still have some things to blog, such as Ko Chang, which is extremely beautiful, and our 3rd trip to Bangkok. We will get to it soon. Other than that, we are just trying to find work, because we need to make some extra cash if we are going to stay out until May. We are planning on renting a camper-van for the last month and a half, or maybe only the last month, depending on dough. I have found some part time work with Dave (our friend who is letting us stay with him) at the beach, renting surfboards and bodyboards for a week, but I'm still looking for something at night. Kelly starts the jobhunt on Monday. Our next blog should be a good one, but then it will probably be until after the new year for our next update. Just wanted to let you all know. We really appreciate all the nice comments, it always makes our day when we hear from our friends and family. We will be thinking about all of you on Christmas (don't be sad Mama) and soaking up the sun. Actually, I will be working, but it's still a day at the beach!

Hello!  Bri and I are now in the fabulous town of Siem Reap, Cambodia which is about 10 minutes from the Angkor temples. For anyone who isn't familiar with Angkor (I know I wasn't) let me give a little history lesson and quote from "Ancient Angkor", which is the book we bought from one of the many many children working and begging around the temples.  "The Khmer civilization centered on Angkor was one of the most remarkable to flourish in Southeast Asia.  Between the 8th and the 13th century, a succession of Hindu and Buddhist kings created magnificent temples in stone.  Their elaborate carvings and intricate architecture amazed the first Europeans who visited in the 19th century and continue to fascinate today".  This place was absolutely amazing.  The people in Cambodia are extremely friendly and the town of Siem Reap has a great deal of bars and restaurants serving fabulous Western food.  Interestingly enough, Siem Reap uses American money.  There currency is the riel, but when you go to the ATM, US dollar spits out!

We traveled from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam to Siem Reap on a 12 hour bus, which really isn't bad at all for us!  We loved Vietnam but were definitely ready to move on.  Ho Chi Minh was a bit larger of a city than we prefer, very similar to the chaos of Hanoi.  It was a very interesting and educating experience going to the tunnels.  Let's just say it was a bit awkward for us.  The film we watched was made in the 60s and was very anti-American.  I have lots more pictures of us crawling through the tunnels on my digital...it was too dark to use the iPhone which has no flash. We were sad to see Sam and Iain go but we know we will see them in Australia.

Bri and I are leaving for Koh Chang, Thailand tomorrow.  We were originally suppose to fly from Bangkok to Sydney on the 2nd of December, but there are huge protests going on in the Bangkok airport which has stopped all planes for the last 4 days.  So we have a few days to kill, but we figure there are worse places we could be stuck. We hope it will all clear up by Dec. 7th when we are scheduled to fly out.  That's it for now.  Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We miss and love you!

Angkor, Cambodia

Prasat Kravan- built in 921, this temple is the only known example of its type in Khmer art...it was the last temple we went to and we were exhausted by this time

Srah Srang-built in the mid 10th century and remodeled in the late 12th century.  The lake has retained its water for more than nine centuries

Ta Prohm-built in the late 12th century.  This is where the movie "Tomb Raider" was filmed.  This was probably our favorite of all the temples.  The temple was chosen to be left in its 'natural state' as an example of how most of Angkor looked on its discovery by Europeans in the 19th century.  It shows the significant amount of work that must be done to prevent further collapsing.  

James (from Australia) and I being part of the tree in Ta Prohm

Bri reenacting Tomb Raider in Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm

Me being a dork as usual

Ta Prohm

Ta Keo-built in the late 10th century.  This temple mountain was never finished because it was struck by lightning and thought to be bad luck.  It's one of the only temples that isn't covered in carvings which all tell a story.  It's a lot higher than it looks

Ta Keo again

Chao Say Tevoda-built in the middle 12th century 

Bri in front of Thommanon-built in the 12th century

The Bayon-built in the 12th century, but construction probably started around 1200.  Bri's climbing to the top

The Bayon again-this was another one of our favorites.  The temple has tons of faces carved into the stone, so his subjects would always feel they were being watched

Bri couldn't help himself 

Ceremonial Khmer garb

"It's really big"

One of the many faces at The Bayon

You can see the faces in the top of the tower

Bri and James outside the Bayon

Lee, our tuk-tuk driver. He took us around the temples all day (5 am-3 pm, yes, we actually got up at 5!) for $15.

Guardian heads outside the south gate of Angkor Thom

The south gate of Angkor Thom

Angkor Wat at sunrise- built between 1113-1150.  The name means 'the city which became a pagoda'.  It was the grandest of all Khmer temples and considered a city in itself.  Very impressive

Bri and I are sleepy but happy we got our butts out of bed so early

There are tons of monkeys around Angkor Wat. This is a mohawked one who wasn't afraid to get close.  We also some got some great footage on video

Inside Angkor Wat

Showing the size of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Us missing Sam and Iain

The sun's up now

Carvings 

Bri posing with an invisible Sam

Trying to show the enormous size of Angkor Wat, it goes on forever!

With James (Australia) and Alex (Austria) after touring Angkor Wat

Cambodia

The sunset outside our bus window on our way from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The ride was a bit like one at an amusement park.

You can't see it that well, we have a better picture on my digital, but those ladies are selling cockroaches and tarantulas in the bowls on top of the buckets for food.  Yum Yum give me some!

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Saigon)

Iain, Sam and Bri having a Thanksgiving dinner of New Zealand steaks and mashed potatoes.  No turkey :(

Thanksgiving...see the Christmas tree in the background?

Getting ready for Christmas in Vietnam

Bri and Santa outside a mall

Cu Chi Tunnels

Shooting an M16

Bri's turn.  It cost 10,000 dong per bullet, we bought 10 and shot 2 each on single-fire, and sprayed the last three... Awesome!!!!!!!

These were the types of photos they had displayed by the different styles of traps

This is the most deadly and painful trap the Viet Cong used, apparently the spikes would lodge under your armpits and leave you hanging there suffering.  Difficult to look at.

This was a U.S. tank that was blown up by a mine.  The mine was made from materials taken from a U.S. bomb that did not explode.  

Kelly using the "door" to the tunnels, impossible to see when the cover was on

Almost closed

She's out!!

This was a swinging door pitfall. Either side you stepped on was deadly

Mui Ne, Vietnam

The White Dunes

Kelly sliding down the dune.  It looks like she is going fast, but trust me, she's barely moving.

The sliding gang... Kelly, Char, Iain, Sam, and Alex.  A solid crew.

Kelly even looks sexy in a dorky helmet.

Gassing up the "hogs"

A lazy "dog day afternoon"

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Sleeper buses... I won't miss these

Seeing this picture inspired me to trim the beard.  I think it also made the owner's wall of fame.

Lunch with Charles, the owner, and the rest of the gang.