'Are you ready for the next episode?' (copyright Calvin Broadus and Andre Young Y2K)...Well what a day of fun we've had. Firstly having spoken to the British consulate in Phnom Penh they said all borders (land) are all now closed, and they thought the flights from Siem Reap to BKK were also cancelled - we then had a few different options...

1) Go to PP and get Visa for Laos/bring Vietnam Visa forward (it starts on 11/3) and go to one of those 2 instead.
2) Try to fly to somewhere else - Silkair (Singapore airways) has flights twice a week although they are about 250UKP+
3) Go and visit more rural parts of Cambodia and wait for it all to blow over...(our Cam Visa lasts until 20/2)

Well after having consulted a couple of travel agents they told us the flights to BKK are running (at least that's what they say...) so we are braving Siem Reap airlines (OH MY GOD) and a propeller plane on Sunday - the 2nd. All flights for tomorrow daytime (there's no way I'd fly at night as well) are full so it's Sunday. Having had a pretty stressful day we're going to find a nice place to see in the Chinese New Year tonight and tomorrow and sample the local brews (yes there is a beer called Angkor, but weirdly enough it's produced in Sihanoukville...s'pose they couldn't fit 'Sihanoukville' on the tin...)

That is about that I suppose. I cannot tell you just how stressful it is to be in a foreign country where very few people speak English and you cannot get out...hopefully this will be the one and only hitch but somehow I doubt it...! Now off to the hotel to try to get a refund for the bus ticket and book another night there.

We should, therefore, be in BKK for Sunday night and will stay for a few days before going up into Chiang Mai et al. It appears for the time being that the stream of tourists to Cambodia may turn into a trickle which is such a shame because it is an outstandingly beautiful country and all the people we have met have been the friendliest met so far...

As Jen has put above a big thanks to Neil who is going to help us ship some stuff back to the UK - quite why I packed a complete set of thermals and a fleece I have no idea.