Cambodian Basix

Suwuh suh dei, or something like that - basically G'day in Cambodian.
Yesterday was a long, long day. Up at 5.45 to get on the road by 7am. It was about 4.5 hrs to the Thai/Cambodian border. I love Thai roads, so smooth and, even thought the drivers do drive at high speed, rather erratically, you do get there neither shaken, nor stirred.
The group is pretty good. There's a 19 y.o. from England, a couple from England just out of uni (although she's Aussie) a couple from just south of Auckland (who I believe will be accompanying me all the way to Beijing - how uncanny is that??), another Aussie from near Newcastle, 2 girls from Norway about to start med school and of course Sambo (shortened to Sam for obvious reasons of skin colour) our local Cambodian group leader. We're waiting for 2 people who missed departure to catch up, if they can, at some point.
The drive to the border was a good time to get to know everyone a bit better, as we watched the last of Thailand whiz by through the bus windows.
Once into Cambodia, the increase in poverty was immediate. However the locals were lovely - which is odd for the border post towns. The bus, however, well the bus was fine, it was more the roads! They are known here as the Dancing Roads ; ladies, get your sports bras ready. If you can think of the worst road undergoing roadworks, or perhaps an area commonly used for 4 wheel driving, and then double it, you're starting to get an idea of the condition of these roads. Apparently the government own the airlines, subsequently you get no spending on the ground.
So everyday we have seen people with missing limbs, really quite sad. Many of them don't beg, unlike some of the children, they do, however, try to sell guide books or historical novels to support themselves. I'm finding it strange that they work in $US here, rather then the local currency, Riel, while still valid, dollars are preferred, and accepted, change is given in a mixture of both currencies as they do not deal in US coin.
I'm heading to the Temples tomorrow, so hopefully I'll get to upload some pics then.