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.
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 …
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