Cambodia part 2

Day 6 and 7

 

 It turns out that this is the hottest hot season in years, not just an occasional unusually hot day.  It is wonderful to be welcomed into the McCollough's home before we head up to Siem Reap. Their three girls and our two played hard all day each day - often for hours in their fish pond-turned-swimming pool, especially during the times the power cut out!

The only thing we really don't enjoy is their roosters' tendency to crow periodically from 3-7am right outside our bedroom!

Day 8

We took a minivan bus up to Siem Reap.  A simple enough, "smooth" journey.  Smooth in happenings and whatnot, but the road was anything but smooth! Grace was particularly frustrated that she couldn't easily use the Kindle, read, or even sleep because of the bumps, weaving in and out of traffic, and the sudden slow downs, etc.  Mommy was more than relieved to arrive - the last hour or so was just endurance.  Again, it is wonderful to be welcomed into a friend's house! This time with two boys and a dog to keep the girls occupied. Again, water is a major pastime in an after school water fight.

Day 9

Late afternoon church and supper out for Sunday.  We learn that the recent temperatures have been hovering around 45C.  Not sure if it is good to know or not!  We are drinking so much that we are quickly depleting the Bowden's water supply.  We call for another delivery only to discover that the water company is out of water for a day or two!!  So we boil water for the next few days. We arrange transport to Angkor Wat for tomorrow, all the while thinking we must be crazy in this heat.

Day 10

God is most gracious to us and the day dawns over cast and an estimated 20 degrees cooler than yesterday.  So much so, it is almost cool in the tuktuk on the way to the national park.

The girls start off with much curiosity and much enthusiasm,

 but soon it is hotter and massive, repetitive ruins are only interesting for so long.  The best part for them was rock hopping on the fallen stones laid out for rebuilding.

 It is hardly a place to visit comfortably 7 months pregnant in the hot season, but we are glad we went.  It was fascinating to see the expansiveness all the way down to the minute detail of wall decorations carved into the rock.








We had fun with one building full of small doorways.  Mommy almost didn't fit through!

We made it until just after lunch, and then went home to escape from the heat much to the relief of the girls who were past appreciating yet more ruins!