Day 5 - Back to Phnom Penh

I have to say that if Tripadvisor asked me, I would not be recommending the 7 Makara Hotel in Kampong Cham. Yet again the dreading cock crowing and dog barking woke me at 5am (despite the earplugs) and then someone starting singing and moving furniture around. Luckily we were picked up by Mr Cheay's Tuk Tuk quite early and taken to the Mekong Crossing for breakfast and then our taxi driver from Phnom Penh collected us at 11am for the trip back. It takes about 2 hours travelling but there are lots of things to see on the way especially as the life out here is so different from England. There are very few concrete or brick houses out in the countryside ( although more are being built as skills improve) so all are made of wood and/or corrugated iron and the majority are traditionally on stilts.
It is also amazing, and more than a little bit scary, how they drive, as there doesn't appear to be any highway code whatsoever. Everyone drives in the middle of the road until something comes from the opposite direction and then they take evasive action!! Motorbikes, scooters and pushbikes are loaded to the breaking point with goods or people ( I have counted 6 on one motorbike) and all cars toot their horns everytime they overtake as a warning!
It was a relief to get back to the peace and tranquillity of the lovely Hilary Boutique Hotel and just in time for lunch!
We lounged around the pool for the afternoon until it was time to get ready to meet our Photographic guide, Erik de Vries, and our American guest, Greg. We all made our introductions and then went by Tuk Tuk into the city for dinner and a briefing about the plans for the week ahead.
Both Joanne and I like Erik's work and are keen to see how he can help us to take better photographs, but are a little apprehensive as to how we will cope with the very crowded street market assignment that is first on tomorrow's agenda ( Greg has previously been on a workshop with Erik so is a bit more in the know ). The trip sounds really well organised and our first day will be in Phnom Penh and then we start to travel up through various towns until we reach Siam Reap.
We returned to the hotel about 10.45 which is later than either of us have actually stayed up since we arrived so we went straight to bed ready for an 8am start in the morning.