Group travel - not my thing

Hanuman group photo at Phnom Banan. Can you spot the only foreigner amongst this group of Khmers?

I'm back folks. Group touring isn't really what I enjoy and this trip did nothing to dispel that long-held view. I really prefer to 'do my own thing' when travelling in Cambodia and this trip to Battambang, Banteay Chhmar and Siem Reap added more weight to that preference. I'm a stickler for time-keeping and making the most of my daylight hours so touring with a group of 27 Khmers, and young ones at that, doesn't really suit that mind-set and that was again much in evidence on this trip. However, it was a great success from the point of view that practically none of the group had previously visited the places we saw on our travels and the whole idea behind this FAM trip was to introduce them to tourist attractions that they can feel comfortable in recommending to our clients, having seen and experienced the sight for themselves. And they loved it. And for me, revisiting Battambang and Banteay Chhmar at any time is a great idea. I've always enjoyed the vibe I get when I'm in the second city and Banteay Chhmar remains one of my favourite temples, even though our visit was a whistle-stop one in the truest sense of the word. More later.

Having just ran around Banteay Chhmar, I was hot and sweaty for this pose next to the 32-arm Lokiteshvara on the northern wall of the temple