Before we start our new adventures in Siem Reap, let's talk about monitary exchange math. Going from one place to another can get pretty confusing. Not only do you need to remember "hello", "thank you", and "I will die unless I get to a toilet" in the appropriate language for each country, you also need to remember your exchange rate math too. And since your negotiating power evaporates with every split second of confusion, you need to execute your calculations with super-computer speed. So, here are a few shortcuts of exchange rate math:

India: 42 Rupees to the dollar - multiply price by 2 and a half and drop two zero's.

Thailand: 35 Baht to the dollar - multiply price by 3 and drop two zero's.

Malaysia: 3.5 Ringgit to the dollar - divide price by 3 and subtract 10% more.

Cambodia: 4000 Riel to the dollar - divide price by 4 and subtract 3 zero's. Plus they deal in dollars too. It's very strange to go to an ATM and get greenback spit out.

Vietnam: 15,000 Dhuong to the dollar - just give them half of everything in your pocket.

As you can imagine, problems occur when you blast from Malaysia through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in rapid succession. You end up paying $50 for a 2 dollar meal while greeting the owner with a thank you for having a lovely toilet.

When we arrived back in Siem Reap it was a holiday, I'm still not quite sure which day of observance it was, but it was the one where all businesses and most restaurants were closed from Wednesday to Sunday. We heard through the grapevine (hotel reception) that the place least frequented by Westerners would be Wat Bo, a 500 year old temple – so off we went. On our arrival we met a monk who spoke perfect english and he graciously offered to show us around. Money poured into donation bowls and apparently, since we saw it everywhere in the temple grounds, gambling doesn't enter the karmic arena (2nd row, 4th over).

Later that very afternoon, while riding rental bikes, we passed what seemed to be a music performance in progress. Upon stopping we realized it was actually a rehearsal session for a weekly Apsara (Cambodian dance) show. We stayed for a while to play with the children and before we knew it we were volunteering at the Sunrise Orphanage. The kids are all from pretty bad situations, probably worse than most people can imagine. But now they have a home, a bed, food, and a wonderful support network to help them make sense of the crappy hands they’ve been dealt. We decided to purchase bicycles for our time in Siem Reap and donate them to the school when we left. Before any of you start on the Brad and Angelina jokes (which are very old by now), I dare you to visit Sunrise and not end up working there! One great thing was I got to perfect my child twirling technique.

Right around the corner from our hotel was a collective of local artisans who make traditional stone and wood sculptures, silk clothing, and paintings and wall hangings.