Our time in Thailand was finally over. We all met out front of VN Guesthouse at 5:30 to load our two vans. I must have heard Bobby wrong because I thought the trip to our next hotel would take 4 hrs if it was fast and six hours if it was long.

The van ride felt like a really long field trip. We drove on the outskirts of Bangkok which would be our only view during our trip. That is a huge metropolitan city. I had no idea. The traffic was insane around there. At one point I think I counted 20 lanes of traffic on the highway.

After a lot of gas stops, a whole lot of questionable gas station food (our method was to buy everything and see what was good since everything was about 10 cents), some really good Tim tam cookies and Lotta's Dolly Parton impersonations, we got to the border close to noon.

The vans could only get us to the border. We would have to get out, get our Cambodian Visas and walk the border. We were given some instructions on staying together, safety and how to answer questions.

Step one was getting through immigration. It seems easy enough. We all did it when we arrived in Thailand. As we walked in the room Bobby asked the lady at the back if we needed forms and she said no. We all got to the front of the line and were denied access because we needed forms. To the back of the room! Most of us still had our arrival cards but they had to be filled out. I still got mine wrong and when I got to the front the immigration flicker said "You still do wrong!" Luckily he handed me a pen and I was through.

We were then met by someone Bobby knew and led to the first building. We all filled out two more forms and handed over said form and passport picture to the man on duty. Within minutes we each had a Cambodian Visa. This is a breeze! Just one more stop and we would quickly be back on our vans for the las two hours of driving. We turned the corner and saw the arrival line. Oh my. This was going to take a while. Two hours later we had all arrived and found ourselves waiting in line for a bus. The bus would get us over to the transportation center where our Cambodian vans were waiting.

I honestly don't remember what time we made it onto those vans. We were all a but delirious. I don't remember much about the ride. Just that we got to Siem Reap and saw massive high end hotels everywhere. Then you enter the city which is high poverty. I couldn't fathom it. We pulled up to the Two Dragons hotel right in the heart of the City sometime around 7 or 7:30. Everyone literally through their bags in their rooms and headed next store for dinner. We had eaten from gas stops and what was supposed to be KFC all day.

But I can't forget the first meeting of our tuk tuk drivers. As we pulled up to the hotel, I could tell Hank was getting giddy in our van. I think Bobby may have jumped out of his before it stopped. I wasn't sure at first what I was hearing. These high pitched screeches? Cackles? It was coming fom the drivers. The most infectious laughs you've ever heard. We hire these guys for 5 days. To say the financial impact on their family is great would be an ne'er statement I'm sure. It's obvious the deep connection they have developed with Bobby and this trip. Already I was starting to get a sense of the Cambodian people.

The restaurant next door is a pizza joint that plays American music. I couldn't, and didn't, complain. We all vegged out and hit the sack.

Well, I'd like to know why not. I spent the day doing exactly that. After sleeping in to a very late 7am, we caught our tuk tuks at 10am or so. It was an hour ride out to the park and as usual it was an enjoyable one. The rides are a time to see the countryside, talk with our friends and ponder why there is a police car following us with his lights on.

Bobby was excited when we arrived at the park and saw no large double decker tour buses. Cross or fingers, this may mean less tourists to dodge inside. By the time everyone had grabbed snacks, gone to the bathroom and debriefed it was close to noon. We started a tad late from the hotel. Bobby explained there were seven tiers of falls. Some had good swimming while others had rock slides and jumping. I'm sure to no ones surprise josh and I were determined to reach level seven in our allotted seven hours.

Level two is where most of our group first jumped in. I asked Hank if he had ever done an ice plunge pool at a spa. He said no and I told him this is what it felt like. It took me a while to jump in. I wasn't as afraid of the temperature as I was the foot long fish that had to fear of humans. They would swim right into you which was unnerving. A group of us swam for awhile and Josh scampered around the shore getting stuck with his equipment. I found it amusing to watch.

Level three was a huge waterfall that was the most normal or stereotypical. Anna saw a great opportunity for a photo when the light was shining down on a boulder out in the middle of the water. She convinced Bobby to brave to cold water just as several European men dove in behind him and photo bombed every picture. It was priceless.

Level 4 was definitely my favorite. It was a series of natural rock slides. Josh and I made it there first and waited for a few others to catch up. The folks already at this level seemed highly confused on how to slide. They were climbing up the boulders, then back down. Standing at that top unsure of what to do. It's a slide people. My 2 year old had it mastered.

The funniest part was the local Thai boy who not only loved the slides but loved going down with the tourists. We got a kick out of him. Josh and I stayed there for a who,e and then decided to keep hiking. We knew not everyone was hiking and we could come catch back up.

Level 5 was a series of small mystic pools. The only way I know to describe it. We took a look and then kept walking. We knew everyone was ending up there. After level 5 the hike started getting a bit intense. There was a lot more climbing, not just walking.

Level 6 was a huge shear wall of waterfall. We were told we could physically climb the waterfall from level 6 to 7 even though it didn't look possible. The minerals had turned the rock surface to a full traction surface. Although we were told it was possible we got worried being by ourselves tha we were going the wrong path and would come crashing down. Josh still got halfway up for an amazing view.

Level 7 was the top of the waterfalls where the springs emerge from the mountain. The lead breathtaking of the 7 but we loved the hike. The best part of the level was the monkeys. On the way down Josh stopped to take photos. I was growing impatient and told him people were waiting behind us. He said "ok, just turn around slowly and smile right now" What? Why? Has he been drinking the river water? "So I can get you and the monkey in the same picture!" Monkey? What monkey? I had no clue what he was talking about. Sure enough two monkeys were right behind me. Like 5 feet right behind me on a rock. We stayed and watched them for a bit. The coolest part was when one started drinking from tg waterfall. I mean really. A lot of people have seen monkeys. A lot of people have seen waterfalls. How many people get to see a monkey drink from a waterfall?

After the monkey encounter we headed back down, much quicker. At level 6 we found our group we had left. Some of them were playing in the water. I watched what I'm convinced was a photo shoot for a Thai album cover. Then Bobby tells me he has an idea for a photo and asks me to get Josh in the water with me. I'm not sure what Josh was thinking but he decides to push me into the water, from the rocks. In the midst of doing this he himself slips knocking out my feet and causing me to take him onto the rocks. Somehow I got blamed for this even though I had no clue what was happening. His punishment wa we made him go into the waterfalls and take lovey dovey pictures while fish bit him. I got a kick out of that.

It was almost 4 now and we heard the staff starting to close up the park. Our group started the trek down and out. Another tuk tuk ride back. Josh and I got dropped off at the market down by the big bridge. We had let the other group but found Anna and Lotta. I quickly found a cheap pair of Thai pants like I had wanted. The market wasn't big and they were closing up shop. The four of us walked back to the hotel and checked out some of the street life on our way.

We enjoyed our last dinner in Thailand, settled our bill and called it an early night. We leave for Cambodia at 5:30. I'm so excited!

For those who are wondering, I'm really enjoying traveling with a group. (I won't make any generalizations for Josh since he is sound asleep) I think a couple are reading this so I won't say anything bad :) Our friends know that Josh and I are pretty private people socially. The challenge with the two of us traveling together is not only are we naturally shy, but we are also a couple. That can be a disadvantage. I am finding it fascinating to gradually get to know these new people. We are definitely making some friendships that will last past this trip. I feel very lucky to met such neat people to experience this with.

A migraine and a long van ride sure will help me get a good night's sleep. I must have slept a good 10 hours and woke up ready to ride some elephants. Of course I ordered the banana pancakes I had heard so much about. Super fluffy with banana pieces throughout. Yum. Josh was happy to finally have some ham/bacon.

Our tuk tuks were set to leave at 9:30. Our drive out was interrupted briefly when we saw a jaguar cub in front of a furniture store. Not normal, but being a group of photographers, everyone jumped out to take some pictures.

Most of the time when we've gone on excursions on vacation we have spent the first half an hour getting directions, safety talks, etc. not here. Love it. Within minutes Josh and I were sitting on the back of an elephant. I'm fairly certain that when Josh got on the guys said "here's a big one". Our driver/guide claimed to not speak English, but as soon as I said something about the elephant eating, he said "don't worry, I get him".

We rode around on a seat on the elephant a bit. We were the first in line so when he asked if we wanted to ride on his head, we had to ask a few times to make sure we weren't having a language problem. We weren't. Josh climbed down and on we went with him riding on an elephant's head. We switched a ways through and continued on.

While riding an elephant like that was cool, nothing compares to riding an elephant rodeo style in a river. Elephant #1 was having none of this blowing what on me crap. I was on a full on rodeo trying to stay on this gigantic animal while she went forwards, backwards, up, down. Just when I was about exhausted they had me climb on the other elephant where I proceeded to get blasted in the face with water. Over and over over. I kept telling my guy I was done. After I told him tge fourth time, and he didn't understand, he declares Rodeo! No, no rodeo! The elephant swings her head side to side and I swiftly fall off. My leg muscles were gone.

I tried my best to get Josh out there in the river but it was to no avail. He was happy taking pictures. There are some of those experiences you just can't believe you get to be a part of. This was one of those. I've touched elephants. But never experienced up close.

We had a super quick lunch back at VN Guesthouse and all the girls figured out what to wear that would cover their shoulders and knees for the Tiger Temple. It's run by monks. I wasn't sure what to expect when we got to the Tiger Temple. Heck, what IS a tiger temple. Bobby stayed back so Hank led us to the Tiger Canyon. There were basically two options. Option 1 hand your camera to a volunteer and be handheld around to visit the tigers while volunteer takes a photo. For free. Option 2 was to pay $30 for a group to do the same thing and one person to take a pictur with a tiger lying his head in your lap. We went the free route. Being led around in this maze of lines with tigers that could easily kill us at any time was a rather odd feeling. They are beautiful and docile creatures up close.

After we finished that part the temple was closing. Each day 20 tickets are sold to stay and watch the tigers get exercised. Apparently no one knew other than is and one couple. After everyone else cleared we filed into a "cage" about 4 feet high. Lets be honest. If a 300 lb cat wants to kill me I don't think 4 feet is going to stop him. We spent half an hour watching, very up close I might add, as these large cats played, jumped and rolled. One said cat appeared to want me for dinner and kept locking in on me. We almost had a national geographic moment when a temple deer tried to come down into the canyon. Not a smart deer. And one tiger decided to make a run for it and climbed the waterfall. The very brave tiger handlers addressed the issue by whipping out a camera and slingshot. Again, if the tiger really wanted to escape?

When we got back to our tuk tuks we found one of them with hood propped up and the driver hunched over it. Not the view you want. Thirteen of us managed to cram into one tuk tuk and we became even better friends.

Another night on the porch chilling, editing and just plain enjoying Thailand.