No trouble for the K60 scout
Battambang has been a relaxed stop but now it was time to go to the capital: Phnom Penh. As we had already experienced hostels being booked out due to the high season, we had booked ahead. Our room was secure for three nights (so we would get two full days in the city) and we “just” had to get there…it is about 300km to the southeast.
Starting early-ish to take the pressure off the day, we cruised along the main road for an hour and a half. The only annoying part was that the GPS kept crashing; we had put a new audio book onto the SD card and it couldn’t cope with the format. So, we only had each other’s company for the day. Woe is me. =P
After 1 1/2 hours, we stopped at a roadside shop to get a cold drink and sit somewhere more comfortable than the bike. Again, Cambodia blew us away with its friendly people as the shop owner asked us if we wanted to join into his lunch. So short after our own breakfast, we were not up for it but it was very nice of him to ask. His family, including kids and elderly people, was around, probably living in or behind the shop. An old lady sat down in a hammock after lunch and dipped her baguette into her milk coffee with visible pleasure. Some old colonial habits die hard.
Back on the road, we continued to cruise along at 80kmh. Rocinante approved muchly of the speed as the temperatures didn’t rise as high and fuel consumption was at an all-time low (as we discovered at the end of the day). Overall, temperatures have been amazing lately, dropping a bit under 30 degrees with a wind so that it feels nice and chilly on the bike.
One of 140 floating villages on Lake Tonlé Sap
When we made it close to the shore of Tonle Sap, the largest lake of Cambodia, we decided to take a detour and actually look at it, instead of just passing by. As soon as you turn off the main road, the seal disappears. A road of red dirt lead to the horizon but it wasn’t even a challenge for the Heidenau tyres. It will be a totally different story in the wet season though…
The further in we got, the poorer the people and the houses got. There is no deluding yourself that Cambodia is not a very poor country. At the end of the road, basically before it leads into the water, longboats are tied to the shore. Some are used to ferry tourists to the floating villages on the lake but they all look like fishing boats as well. A bit of a fair was being constructed, too, which gave the whole place an even more depressing touch.
The road will be cool once the 4 lanes are sealed …
Lunch was unspectacular; afterwards, we continued our ride. Close to Phnom Penh, the whole road turns into a construction site. Everything was red dust. It flew everywhere from all the cars and trucks using the road…the bike and us were covered in a layer of red when we arrived at our guest house. The guest house is on the cheap end of the spectrum but close to the riverfront and the middle of town. When we walked towards our “dining for a cause” restaurant a bit later on, we realized that “the middle of town” is also “the middle of the red light district”. Sex tourism must still be a big thing as there are so many bars and clubs catering to it. Also, the house rules of our guest house have some disturbing points listed from “no child molesting” to “no kidnapping”. 🙁
Dinner was lovely in the not-for-profit restaurant Veiyo Tonle which is another training restaurant; this time, it also supports 24 children with food and school supplies. Wanting to spend a bit more here as it is for a good cause, I ordered “chocolate lovers’ tea” as dessert. Unfortunately, due to Chinese New Year, the company who makes the cookies had already closed down for the holiday and didn’t provide the fresh cookies so I couldn’t have it.
You must be logged in to post a comment.