Suprise, Suprise, Chuck!

Now I always thought I'd be the sort of person that couldn't be surprised, I thought perhaps I'd know what people were up to - well in a long list of things I'm discovering about myself this holiday this was another, my friends up to birthday surprise mischief under my very nose!!

I was very spoilt by my friends on Thursday night, they had managed to arrange a number of surprises in cahoots with my mate Trix. It started with pressies, fab as always and one of which I may have to leave here, it's called a Linga, but I'll allow the more curious reader to Google that fella and find out what it is! Needless to say with my reputation for always getting pulled across for additional screening at airport security, this item would do me no favours!!

We take the disco Tuk Tuk into town again, once again we cruise through the main bars, pullings doughnuts, this time in front of a copper with Michael Jackson 'Don't Stop Till You Get Enough' providing the backing. The policeman whistles him to stop, he clearly has had enough! We jump out and get some food, then we're off on a circuit of the main bars. I really like Siem Reep, it's got a nice atmosphere and the lively bit is all close together. We head up to a lovely bar called Miss Wongs, with a name like that I know it must have some gay connection - sure enough the owner is and he's just a really lovely guy called Dean.

It's here that the final surprise of the night has been laid on by Trix and Mac, it's abirthday cake! I'm really touched, not just any old cake it's all decorated and has my name in the icing, they've managed to pull it all of in less than a day!! It's massive, but the bar is cosy, so we share the cake around with our fellow punters! I'm loving the town so much and seeing my long lost friends that it's suggested I stay here another day - so I do! Even at 10:30pm it's possible to make the relevant arrangements in this country!

One of our last ports of call is the towns only gay bar called Linga (seriously look it up!) it's just me and Mac left now, it's quite late and most people have gone home, a few eager male escorts try and make an advance on me, but their inappropriate touching is making me feel rather uncomfortable! I head home giddy as a pig in shit! And promptly try and call my flat mate to tell her how happy I am - it goes to answerphone - message done - pass out!

FRIDAY

Have a much more relaxed day, Mac picks me up in the morning and takes me to a war relic museum, I'm astounded by how recent some of the pieces are. However, the main order of the day is to relax and thank fully Mac knows where and the guy that runs it.

The day is spent lazily by a lovely quiet pool, the place is called Aqua, a few beers, food and music, it's a great way to chill. In the evening I join Mac and Trix for a meal in their home and then Trix and I end up back in town again! Needless to say it's not a quick pint and once again I'm home at 2, this time there's the burden of packing and being up in 4 hours time to get the morning bus back to Phnom Penh.

SATURDAY

Remarkably I'm up, but even better I seem to be in reasonable shape, when I got in last night I made myself a Berrocca and Alka Seltzer cocktail, thinking it might fight the hangover while I slept! It has. So not only do I make it early to the bus, I'm so early they allow me on the earlier departure, this turns out to be a small mistake.

2 hours into my journey the coach breaks down and we have to wait an hour for a replacement to pick us up, also the old bloke sat next to me seems to have a bladder issue and has got up and pushed past me 5 times in these first few hours, I suggest we swap places.

Normally reading on abus would make me want to vom, but for some reason today I'm having no problems and finish off one book and nearly an entire other one.

I'm very excited to see Tash and Tim at the hotel, they've come here to use the pool for the afternoon, Rich is enraged at the $8 fee, I flash my room key and barge past him 'laters losers!!' Talking of the hotel, it's put the rest of the trip in perspective, not that it really needed it, more a case of dotting the i's etc. Well once again it's late and I'm skirting details, but this should at least have kept you going for your mug-of-tea-and-Rich-Tea-break.

Tomorrow, final day expect tears, or something!