The Beach

Rode along Cambodia's sw coast line from Otres Beach to Kampot. Torrential downpours, consistent headwinds, and saturated sand roads eventually gave way to sunshine, huge paved shoulders and no traffic. Multiple coca colas and coconut cakes also assisted moral.

Stopped to clean the drive trains after the rains let up. Needless to say, when whities hang bikes from trees to fuss with them, kids show up to giggle.

Took a day to explore Kampot. Rented a motorbike and cruised up to Bokor Hill Station, an old French casino/hotel development abandoned to Khmer Rouge forces before it was ever completed. Now it is a neon-orange, lichen covered ghost town.

For dinner, cruised out to the fishing town of Kep, and enjoyed their famous peppercorn crab while the sun set over the Gulf of Thailand.

So long Cambodia. Despite the rocky start, riding single track along the banks of the Mekong has been a trip highlight.

Angkor Watt

The scale of these ruins is impossible to describe. As is the history they have hosted: colonial wars, Khmer Rouge atrocities, the Vietnam War. Not to mention 1000 years of monsoon rains, and aggressive jungle vegetation.

What are our cities going to look like in a thousand years?

Kratie to Siem Reap

5 days of great riding along the Mekong through small villages. Roads ranges from freshly paved to rooted single track. The bikes continue to slay all terrain.

Oh yea, and Cambodian beer can technology is from 1982.

Strung Treng to Kratie

Introduction to Cambodia was a bit rough, with a nutty home stay and some off the beaten track riding (read: variable road conditions, no services, land mine warning signs, slash and burn agriculture in process).

But...after hitching a ride the last stretch to Kratie, the relationship with Cambodia has been reset. Things cambodia has that are awesome: a rice / coconut milk / bean snack conveniently packaged in bamboo, scooters on the road that are essentially traveling markets (see photo), some amazing sweet treats, lovely people, and 'highway' brand peanut butter. Holla.

Next up...a 4 day dirt road ride to Angkor Watt.

Crossing into Cambodia

Goodbye to Laos, home of the 'wholehearted people'. What a great place.

At the border, the requisite series of $1 to $2 bribes to make everything work....and Cambodia!

Next up, working through the Mekong Discovery Trail, a very progressive tourism initiative along the Mekong: www.mekongdiscoverytrail.com

Dangerous Scenes [1 of .....]

Take note of the proximity of the bikes, the cigarette, and the can marked 'gas'.

Oh, and this is on a boat.

Savanakhett to Champasak

A four day ride, about 300k, including a first 100k day.

The trick on the long days is getting on the road before sunrise, riding until it gets just short of ludicrous hot, taking a siesta after some sticky rice and mango, and riding again as the evening cools off. And beer. Beer is the other trick.

Next...continuing south to the Cambodian border, crossing on the 4th.