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| Photo by Ernest Markwood |
CAMBODIA (1) 20091156 Kilometres – 30 Days26 May – 25 June 2009
26 May – Aranyaprathet, Thailand – Sisophon, Cambodia
– 56 Kilometres
Cambodia conjured up images of famine and
mass killings. I was eager to see what the country would hold – hopefully none
of the above. So, following a leisurely start, our path led to the border via
the border market. The market was a large area with a warren of covered stalls
selling the whole shebang. Many of the goods seemed from Cambodia which came in
a steady stream through the border post, pushed or pulled on numerous heavily laden
hand-drawn carts.
First, we’d to get a visa, which involved
filling in a form and providing a photo, and then a turn at the “swine flu”
checkpoint where our ears were probed and temperatures recorded.
Once in Cambodia, one knew straight away, you
were out of well-organised Thailand and in a place a tad more chaotic than what
I’d become used to in recent times. Cambodians drove on the right-hand side,
adding chaos as vehicles meandered between the lanes at random.
The Cambodians seemed friendly enough, and
calls of “hello” could be heard from behind banana trees as we biked past.
Sisophon, the first settlement reached,
marked the end of the day’s ride. We settled for accommodation to sass out our
new environment, change money, and locate a sim card. A rickety place upon
stilts came at $2 – and was considered a bargain even though one could see
through the floorboards. At first glance, things appeared less expensive than
in Thailand. The Cambodian Riel equated to 4160 Riel to the US$. Bank cards get
you dollars at the ATM (which could be changed in the bank or on the street to Riel).
At the markets, prices were quoted in Riel, Thai Baht and dollars. As in
Thailand, all drinks come with a straw, even a can of beer!
27 May - Sisophon - Siem Reap – 108 Kilometres
There’s such great excitement cycling into a
new country; everything is different: money, food, language, culture, and
countryside. As in Thailand, Cambodians grow vast quantities of rice and cows
had a more worried expression than in India as they weren’t as holy as on the
sub-continent.
The route between the border and Siem Reap was
brand new (in fact they were still busy painting the lines). One could pedal
along quite happily, past wooden houses upon stilts, grazing water buffalo, temples
and rice paddies. In the process, we were overtaken by motorcycles with up to 3
pigs tied onto the back, children on bicycles, and motorbikes pulling trailers
piled sky-high.
The rain stayed away and we slinked into
touristy Siem Reap and Mommy’s Guest House shortly before the rain came down.
28 May - Siem Reap - Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring
1000-year-old temples, came as a pleasant surprise. I spent the entire day
cycling around the ruins and feasted my eyes upon these magnificent structures.
Unfortunately, Cambodia is a lush and wooded country. These old structures are
constantly under threat of being taken back by nature. It became a day I wished
I had a better camera.
29 May - Siem Reap – Battambang - By boat
From Siem Reap I opted for a boat ride (bike
and all) across the Tonle Sap Lake to Battambang, but Ernest preferred to head
straight to Phnom Penh. I planned to ride along the opposite side of the Tonle
Sap Lake in the direction of Phnom Pehn. I, therefore, departed early morning
to reach the boat at the floating village of Chong Kneas (about 13km) south of
Siem Reap by 7h00. Depending on the dry or wet season, these villages move as
the lake rises or recedes.
Once aboard, we sped across the lake past villages
consisting of entire floating towns with schools, restaurants and police posts.
Most of these structures were built upon barges, rafts or stilts. Their sole means
of transport were by canoe, and each household seemed to have two or more. Small
children paddled to school; women rowed selling their produce house to house
and barges went to the market laden with coconuts and bananas - a colourful sight.
The trip took 8 hours and albeit fascinating, I was pleased to get to Battambang.
Once in Battambang, I searched out the popular
Royal Hotel which sported good quality budget rooms.
30 May - Battambang – Pursat – 110 km
Cambodia was, for the most part, flat and a
great place to cycle. I escaped the rain, even though I could see the rain,
sometimes to my left, at times to my right and occasionally dead ahead. I
shared my path with barefoot monks, cyclists, ox-drawn carts, and plenty of
motorcycles loaded with entire families.
Cambodia was an astonishing country. Partly
because I knew nothing regarding its history and secondly because I never envisaged
the cities so developed. Towns had all the modern cons, including fancy hotels
and well-developed tourist infrastructures. The countryside, nevertheless, remained
rural with primitive farming methods.
31 May - Pursat – Kampong - Chnang – 95 km
The section between Pursat and Kampong Chnang
made a great day of cycle touring. Shortly outside Pursat, I discovered the
famed Bamboo train. The train was more a trolley than a train. In the company
of heaps of villagers and their goods, we sped off - bobbing and swaying along
warped tracks and over rickety bridges in a southerly direction. The ride was a
slow process, as once a trolley was encountered heading in the opposite direction,
all had to get off. The trolley lifted off the tracks to allow the northbound
one to pass. Then all got on, only to repeat the process a little later. At
around 11h00, I hopped off the trolley and headed to the main road. This
involved a thirty-Kilometres cycle along a rutted and potholed dirt track.
I can report Cambodians indeed eat snakes as
I spotted villagers selling fried snakes. However, I didn’t try the snake but
instead opted for the bread roll served with ice cream and condensed milk sprinkled
with a touch of sugar!
Fuelled by the sugar, I rolled into Kampong
Chnang, early, where a comfortable looking guesthouse lured me in. I met John
and Rosie from New Zealand, whose son was working in Cambodia. Following a
beer, Dallas, their son, escorted us to a restaurant. Not merely was the
evening a great change from my general instant noodles but a great lesson in
Cambodian table manners. Upon the table was usually an array of utensils in a
glass of water. Cambodians generally eat using a spoon and fork, unless there’s
a bowl of soup in front of them, in which case it’s a spoon and chopsticks. One
thing you don’t find in Cambodia or Thailand is a knife. It’s impolite to put
the fork into your mouth – instead, the fork is used to push food onto the
spoon. Shared condiments are always available, including chilli or pickled
green chillies, sugar, garlic flakes, fish sauce and soy sauce. I never saw
salt. To me, the biggest surprise in Southeast Asia was (and still is) the
habit of indulging in slurping, lip-smacking and any other noises you can find
to convey enjoying your meal. Of course, you won’t get yourself in trouble eating
with your mouth open or putting your elbows on the table. Still, I found placing
my paper napkins or bones straight onto the floor under the table, challenging.
In the bigger cities, nearly all restaurants provide a bin under the table.
Still, these items go directly under the table in more traditional areas.
1 June - Kampong Chnang – Phnom Penh – 93 km
My path passed small rural communities, rice fields
and sugar palm trees while stupas and temples dotted the countryside. I passed
ox carts laden with the famed Andong Rossey pottery heading to the bigger
markets.
Again, I was in the company of merchants on
bicycles, carting their wares to villages. Gone were the days of Thailand’s
fancy petrol stations with 7-Eleven shops. Instead, they were replaced by a
multitude of small stalls selling petrol by the litre (in Coke or Pepsi bottles),
or in a big drum operated by a hand pump. Here one could get refreshments, i.e.
water and cold drinks.
Once in the city, I headed to
“backpackerville”, an area sporting budget accommodation on the lake. These
rickety wooden structures were built upon stilts over the lake and not simply
provided a good sunset but a cool breeze from the lake.
The area had no shortage of eateries and one could
pick between Thai, Vietnamese, Italian and Indian. Albeit expensive, I couldn’t
resist the Indian restaurant and had my fill before retiring.
2-5 June 2009 - Phnom Penh
In Phnom Penh, I again ran into Ernest. First,
of course, we did the usual laundry, internet etc. However, I used the time to
explore Phnom Penh’s well-known and bustling markets. The markets were massive and
crammed with shoppers and traders, selling anything imaginable, from rolls of fabric,
meat, jewellery, dry food and veg. I was so inspired; I even bought souvenirs
for my family and friends.
Sending the parcel turned out to be a mission.
The night before posting it, Ernest (in true Ernest style) securely boxed, wrapped
and taped up the items. However, the following day at the post office, staff
insisted upon reopening the parcel to check the contents (Ernest volunteered to
do the “opening” to ensure the package could be re-sealed). Another problem was
the postage cost, many times that of the contents!
One can’t visit Cambodia and not see the Tuol
Sleng Museum (a former school converted to a prison and torture house by the
Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s). In these forlorn-looking school buildings
thousands of people were detained and tortured to death, or sent to nearby
killing fields and buried there in mass graves. The visit left me in a dark and
depressed mood, and to cure this mood, I went shopping. I bought a new camera,
as my existing one got wet some time ago and was never the same afterwards.
6 June - Phnom Penh - Traeng Tratueng – 91 km
New camera in hand, I set out and clicked
away all day. The photos weren’t all good, but the quality was unmistakably
better. During the day, we met the New Zealanders John and Rosie and their son
Dallas along the route. What a small world. The good shoulder cycled on until then
vanished at about that point, and the rest of the day was spent grinding into a
headwind on the gravel next to the narrow busy highway.
Once in Traeng Tratueng, we couldn’t decide whether
to visit the nearby national park. However, the 30-Kilometres uphill ride, and
the fact one would be directly into the wind made us settle for roadside digs.
7 June - Traeng Tratueng - Veal Rinh – 97 km
The day was marred by a strong headwind and
horrendous traffic not a combination that makes cycling enjoyable. Luckily, the
rain stayed away but passed so close we could smell it. Once at the junction community
of Veal Rinh, taxi drivers came running, all offering us a ride to the coastal city
of Sihanoukville. According to them, Sihanoukville was too far to cycle (roughly
fifty kilometres) and claimed no accommodation existed in Veal Rinh. Declining
their offers we surprisingly (or not surprisingly) located a guesthouse along
the main street a few metres from the taxi stand.
8 June - Veal Rinh - Sihanoukville (a.k.a.
Kampong Som) – 50 km
In the morning we again met the New
Zealanders on their way in the opposite direction. Our chat was followed by a
short scenic ride to Sihanoukville, a large and lively touristy coastal city.
Once in Sihanoukville the Markara Guest House
right across from Occheuteal Beach was a perfect choice. The beach sported
numerous restaurants beside the water’s edge, creating an excellent place to
sip a beer and watch the sunset.
9-10 June - Sihanoukville (Kampong Som)
A few days were spent swimming and unwinding.
Then, finally, I handed in my laptop to be cleared of the ongoing viruses and
did the usual rest day chores.
11 June - Sihanoukville - Ream National Park –
30 km
Barely on the bikes, we reached Ream National
Park, which I found far too tempting to pass by. However, asking around a basic
hut upon stilts over the river was uncovered. Once offloaded, we rented a rowboat
to explore the nearby mangrove swamps.
The place had no running water or electricity.
The plank floor had wide gaps and the water below was clearly visible (we’d to
take care not to drop anything). However, the vista from the front deck made the
lack of amenities worthwhile. We sat overlooking the nearby stilted hamlet, fishermen
laying nets, passing boats, and the surrounding mangroves. By evening we ate
our noodles on the deck, watching the fireflies. Life doesn’t get a great deal
better than that!
12 June - Ream National Park - Kampot – 81 km
An incredibly scenic ride ran next to the
coast, past river mouths and stilted fishing settlements. We headed towards
Bodi Villa, along the Kampot River, as the place was rumoured to be a natural
retreat. It was unusual as our bedroom consisted of a floating deck with woven
bamboo sides, and what a view! One could dive out the open river-facing side of
the room straight into the river. Getting onto the raft was a tad more complicated.
Ernest complained of feeling seasick, he could be such a drag, and we consequently
only stayed one night.
The strain of constantly being in each
other’s company started to show. Ernest and I’ve known each over 30 years.
Still, neither of us has previously lived permanently with a partner, and at
times the reason became painfully clear!
13 June - Kampot – 14 km
Following an early morning swim, the route to
Kep led through Kampot and I assumed the plan was to ride to Kep. Ernest, nonetheless,
wanted to stay in Kampot which had more conventional accommodation. So I
strolled the streets of Kampot with its ensemble of old French colonial
buildings, coffee shops and pizza restaurants.
14 June - Kampot
The one downside regarding Cambodia was the
feeling of constantly being overcharged. I guessed the price difference wasn’t unusual
as all countries have “tourist prices” in popular areas. Still, the inflated
prices weren’t the same as in Africa, or the Middle East where bartering was a
way of life. One felt the quoted price in Cambodia was because you were a
foreigner. Patience and a sense of humour (neither of which I’ve following a
long day in the saddle) were thus needed when shopping for even the smallest
item.
At least there appeared fewer snakes than in
Thailand, no doubt due to their prominence on menus. However, ants were a far more
significant problem; anywhere one stopped, one could get attacked in no time.
15 June - Kampot - Kep – 25 km
Twenty-five Kilometres along an uneven,
statue-filled route, brought us to the sleepy seaside village of Kep. Almost
all junctions were marked by a statue making directions easy, i.e. go straight
at the rhino and turn left at the horse. En route we spotted a bakery and
bought a loaf of bread. The challenge was to uncover something to put on the
bread (unsuccessful).
Kep didn’t offer any noteworthy attractions and
following a stroll along the coast, I think we’d seen everything. Ernest bought
more to eat from the Crab Market, a long row of little restaurants/shops
offering largely grilled seafood.
16 June - Kep - Kampot – 25 km
I tried going to the nearby island the next
day, but the weather came in, signifying the rainy season had arrived. I
decided to call it quits and return to Kampot, where there were more
facilities. Once in Kampot, I explored the market and, like all other markets, found
it crowded, hot, cramped and with a vast range of products. This included massive
quantities of MSG, totally necessary with instant noodles. Heavy rain, thunder
and lightning confounded us in our room the rest of the day.
Drugs in Cambodia appeared semi-legal and not
unusual to encounter the Happy Herb Pizza (pizza ala ganja). However, drinking
tap water was a big no-no. Still, the unfiltered water proved no problem to
Ernest. He purified the water by adding two parts of Mekong Rice Whisky to one-part
water.
17 June - Kampot
The rain continued through the day, but I used
an hour or two of clear weather to investigate the nearby cave temples on the
back of a moto. We slipped and slid through mud, past rice paddies and small hamlets,
until reaching the cave. Once there, kids offered to act as tour guides. A
stone staircase took me up the hill. It descended into the cave, where the kids,
for extra income, pointed out the shapes of various animal outlines on the cave
walls. Inside the cave, I uncovered a 7th-century brick-built temple dedicated
to Shiva. The view of the surrounding countryside from atop the hill was
magical.
19 June - Kampot - Takeo – 85 km
Ernest and I parted ways once more, the
weather looked clear and I set off towards Takeo. The ride was along a narrow,
bumpy road with potholes the size of small cars. The ride finished in Takeo around
lunchtime, giving plenty of time to walk to the market. The grilled dog spotted
was passed without a glance and I decided to stick to instant noodles.
20 June - Takeo
My guidebook stated a boat operated to Angkor
Borei. Unable to negotiate a reasonable fee, a moto was hired. The reason a boat
was recommended soon became apparent as no roads appeared. On the back of a
motorbike, I flew through rice fields, potholes and along dirt tracks. Bouncing
like a rag doll, arms and legs flailing, I desperately clung to my camera bag.
Once in Angkor Borei little remained of this 5th-century city. Once, the area’s
capital, was by then a poor community with only a few houses upon stilts. The small
museum housed a few artefacts unearthed in the area.
The nearby Phnom Da was fascinating and
featured an overgrown temple atop a hill accessed via 142 stairs. In addition
to the temple were a few human-made caves. After spotting a bright green snake
slithering from the cave ceiling, I took it as a sign to retrace my steps and return
to Takeo. Upon my arrival, I also discovered Ernest there, according to him, simply
by chance.
21 June - Takeo - Neak Luong – 131 km
The day’s route was in poor condition, narrow
and extremely busy, making a soot-laden and exhaust-inhaling ride. Halfway
through the day, my front luggage rack broke, a problem but duck tape and cable
ties soon allowed proceeding to our destination.
Roadside stalls sold all kinds of nibbles,
including dried frogs. At first, the idea was to cycle ninety kilometres and resume
the ride in the morning. However, we missed the place we’d in mind and ended
the day’s ride in Neak Luong. Neak Luong was situated along the opposite side
of the mighty Mekong and a ferry operated from Kampon Phnum. Mercifully, the
ferry ran 24/7 as we slinked into town long past sunset. The food vendors who
operated onboard sold all kinds of unidentifiable items as well as the ever-present
deep-fried frogs.
Neak Luong sported various accommodation types
near the ferry terminal and we located a ground-floor abode. So large was the
room one could wheel the bikes right inside.
22 June - Neak Luong
Neak Luong wasn’t a place you wanted to
linger, but the Vietnamese visa was time-specific and valid only on the 25th,
and we’d three days to kill.
With no bridge across the river, all buses
stopped in Neak Luong to catch the river ferry. This resulted in an abundance
of food carts, none of which failed to amaze. In Cambodia, nothing was sacred.
One could buy practically anything from tiny, deep-fried birds to cooked
turtles and crispy crickets. While everyday cuisine to Cambodians, these items
left me nothing but jaw-dropping.
The sad story about Neak Luong was an
American B52 mistakenly bombed the town in 1973. As a result, many citizens (137)
were killed and 268 wounded. The U.S. government offered $100 to the families as
compensation and fined the aircraft’s navigator $700.
23-24 June - Neak Luong - Svay Rieng - 65 km
A short ride headed to Svay Rieng, which sported
a comfortable hotel. We were operating in low gear as entry into Vietnam was on
the 25th and the subsequent two days were spent in Svay Rieng. Our
early arrival made convenient shopping at the market which sold a huge variety
of fruit including mangosteen and rambutan. Ernest bought a rice meal cooked in
banana leaf but couldn’t identify the filling. Svay Rieng didn’t have a great
deal of exciting sights except strolling beside the river dotted by numerous mobile
food carts.
The fascinating thing regarding accommodation
in Cambodia was even the lowest of the bunch came with disposable toothbrushes
and a comb (not disposable and generally pitch black). The state of the combs indicated;
that they were in high demand. Who on earth would use a well-used communal
comb?
Being vegetarian, I usually preferred checking
the menu. Still, the amusing part in Cambodia was that one was scarcely inside
the restaurant, and you were seated - a glass of ice water in front of you. Thus,
perusing the menu and inquiring what ingredients the dish contained often
resulted in having the prepared meal served in no time. This speedy service generally
meant Ernest enjoyed two meals.
25 June - Svay Rieng, Cambodia - Cu Chi,
Vietnam – 87 km
Under scores of “Hellos”, we departed
Cambodia and entered Vietnam. Already having visas, the border crossing was an
uncomplicated affair.
Once underway, the notorious motorbike
traffic was immediately evident. Although the road was in good condition, the
traffic was horrendous. Once in Cu Chi our first settlement, we stayed the
night to check our new environment, change money, and check prices. The Vietnamese
currency is Dong, equating to seventeen or eighteen thousand dong to one U.S.
Doller. Visiting an ATM resulted in returning with a bag full of money, and I realised
I needed a larger wallet.
My idea of investigating the Cu Chi tunnels
went out the window. My cycling partner was uninterested in any detour. He
claimed he was cycling around the world and not there to sightsee.
From the onset, one could tell the language would
be a huge problem. By evening, we found the menu solely in Vietnamese, not
strange; we were in Vietnam after all. The restaurant owner kindly phoned a
friend who could speak a little English. Still, we couldn’t manage to order
simple vegetable fried rice. Instead, we received shrimp-fried rice (close). Starving,
I guzzled my fair share, digging out the shrimp Ernest happily added to his
meal.
