Market, Visa and Nothing but reading

The Market, we being the Dutch pair and Myself were off to what is called the Russian Market, not really sure why it is call the Russian Market but it is, We meet up for breakfast and it was decide that we would take bikes out to the market it was only about 3-5 km away so not too far. Nienke hired a bike from the guest house and we headed off, I really love the roads here the traffic is so much fun in this city, I have heard that Ho Chi Min is more crazy so I am going to have to pass through the city on my way north. Anyway back to the story at hand. We went to the market.
Like most markets in Asia they sell everything, from angle grinders to little trinkets. When we got there we headed for a drink as it was a late start and the temperature was getting up again, it did however look like rain. While we were sitting down Ellea the Dutch Guy did not look good, he went a greenish color and started sweating profusely. We kept an eye on him and after 15 minutes or so he settled back down. Not sure what it was about.
After this little episode we headed into the market, Ellea and Nienke were out for shopping and I was just there to have a look, I think I lost them about 4-5 times as they slipped into these small shops to try and strike a bargin, haggling the locals over 25cents to get that right price. I have to say after 2 hours I was ready for off, one thing I did buy was fruit, it is one of the best things I have found in Asia is how cheap the fresh fruit is.
After the market we headed back and I did some emails and had a chat with Treve from Work, well done for getting Skype up and running, if you would like to Skype me I come under stevethecyco (thanks Norm) times can be arranged through email.
15-16th not much really happened, I went and got a two month VISA for Nam, read my book and hid in a Air con café for a few hours, my stomach was still not right so would be here for a couple more days, caught up with Nienke and Ellea that night so we headed into town as Nienke is off to Vietnam to start a 3 week tour of duty there. Had a pretty good pasta dish and a pizza which I have to say was fantastic.
I head south on the 17th, have not heard from the Germans so will be carrying on south on my own, it is about 2000km from one end of Vietnam to the other but I think a train will be used over some of it. I am really looking forward to Nam, I have been told lots of good things.
So just a quick mileage to date.
Singapore 52km
Malaysia 849
Thailand 948
Loa 528
Cambodia 585
Total to date 2962
So by the time I rock over into Vietnam I will have hit the 3000km, I have to say it has been getting harder not easier for some reason, Maybe I have hit a plateau and the 3000km mark will be the beginning of renewed enthusiasm.

The killing fields and S-21

Pol pots killing fielding’s and his sanctioned torture chamber were on the cards today. I had had a crap nights sleep due to stomach problem, my breakfast from the day before had caught up with me and so had not had that much sleep, but I wanted to see the Killing fields and S-21 Museum. I heard a couple on another table talking about going so I invited myself into their little group.
So we had me, Cory a loud American, what a surprise there and Anika for Holland, Cory nearly had a argument with the owner of the hotel of the price of a Moto for the day. The American was not listening to what the guy was saying, So both me and Anika were cringing by the time he had finished and I was thinking what have I got myself into.
We headed off to the Museum first and a video about the lives of people who lived or for some did not live through the ordeal. It was interesting but on a arse pain scale it was not that gripping. Arse pain scale being how long it takes for my arse to start hurting from sitting down for too long. I felt sorry for the people who had to live through this and realized that I had meet people who had lived through it. It is kinda weird to think that it really was not that long ago, and that they were still fighting the last time I was in Thailand 12 years ago.
After the movie I just wondered through the cells and the torture chambers, photographed some of them, I did wonder if it was morally right to photograph such things, but then of cause it is, like world war one and two, we should remember these things so hopefully they won’t happen again, that’s right it is still happening, thanks again America. Will the human race ever learn to put aside our differences and get along. I wonder when seeing things like S-21 if we ever will. And yes I can hardly get on my High horse as yes I have felt that some people are stupid and should not be in charge, or put themselves in a position where there are not getting all they want, but I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to wipe them off the face of the earth.
I did realize that I would have been one of the people in the graves as I don’t think I could have just stood by and watched it happen, but of cause you never know till you are in that position. I wondered through and finished looking around I had been there for a good couple of hours so I had seen most things and read a lot of the stories. I think the thing I found most interesting was the map that showed all the torture prisons and the fields were people were buried, there were a lot.
I had finished looking around and headed back to the moto, I brought me and the driver a drink and sat and chatted to him while I waited for the American and the Dutch girl. Once they arrived we headed out to the killing fields, now the first thing that you see is a massive pagoda filled with skulls, 9000 in all, it is eye opening to have it put in front of you.
I think what stood out for me most was the cloths of the people that were stripped off them, cloths still stuck in the ground around the sunken holes where people were buried, once away from the pagoda you see a few bones in storage type places but you don’t see any in the ground or anything, so really if you took away the clothes sticking out the ground it’s just a field with holes. The killing fields done really show the injustice that was done there. Now this is just my view, other people I am sure would feel differently.
Once we had finished with at the killing fields which I would like to point out is owned by the japans which is something I don’t think they should have done we headed to the Palace, which I have to say is crap, and that’s all I will say about it, will maybe a bit more $6US for crap.
Later on that night caught up again with the dutch girl, by this time I was glad not to see the American. She introduced me to a Dutch guy who is riding around Asia who she had meet in Lao, so we sat down and had a chat, he had started in North Thailand and then Lao and Cambodia, after this he is back to Bangkok and then off home after 9 months of travel. It was interesting talking to him as he has had some of the same experiences as me.
So that was my day at the killing fields. Eye opening, horrific and Bazaar that people can still do that to each other.

The road to Phnom Penh

I have been told the road to Phnom Penh was bad by a few people, have to say besides being a narrow road it was not too bad. I had had a good start to the day and was making good time towards Phnom Penh, the traffic was not too bad.
I had stopped for breakfast and had a bit of a dodgy meal, my stomach was doing a bit of rumbling and at the time I thought it did not sound good. The bacteria of my stomach it seems were fighting for survival and it was a battle they hopefully would win. So with my stomach gurgling I battled on, 75km to easy. As I neared the 40km to go mark the road got busy and narrow.
There was only a little dirt path down the outside for me to escape on to and this was used a few times. Now here in Cambodia there seems to be a beeping of the horn rules. One beep is I am coming through, two beeps is I am coming through get out of my way now, three beeps is this is going to be really close if you don’t move now, and four beeps is the last thing you hear before the impact. One other thing is never look behind you and you could see how close death is.
So with the roads busy and dusty and the crazy driving I edged closer to Phnom Penh, I had stopped counting the close calls where the cars were ½ a foot away and I was just counting the ones were my arm hairs got brushed by the cars, bikes and trucks as they went passed. I stopped a couple of times to have a drink and escape the madness. Who needs adrenaline sports just ride on a bike into Phnom Penh.
With only 10km to go the traffic had come to a stop as they were doing some road works up ahead somewhere, if you were on a bus it would have been quicker walking into Phnom Penh I am sure, lucky for me and the bike we weren’t and headed down the outside of all the cars into Phnom Penh.
I eased over the friend ship bridge just before lunch which I thought was perfect timing. The roads were crazy as in most Asian cities, the rules for city riding are never look behind you, once you decide to move across the traffic keep going at the same speed. If you hesitate or slow your speed this is where problems happen, you become unpredictable and this gets you in trouble.
I easily negotiated the traffic like I had lived here all my life, NO FEAR, I am sure one day I will push my luck and get hit but will worry about it when it happens. I am pretty impressed that the trailer has not been hit, I keep meaning to buy a new bright flag for it like the one I lost so long ago in Malaysia but just have not got around to it yet.
Phnom Penh is a crazy place and there are less road rules here than anywhere I have ridden before, cars, bikes and moto’s run red lights all the time and if there are no lights you just have to edge out into the traffic and hope it stops as you shoot across. It’s good fun. Yep it is confirmed I am crazy.
I found my guest house after a few looks at the map, got told to move on by a cop at one point when I had stopped at the side of the road, there were no signs to say I could not but I am not one to cause trouble with the police, will leave that to my sister to do.. Found out later the President of Thailand was in town and would be passing through at some point.
Made it to the Guesthouse with no real problems and have settled in for a few days, have not heard from the Germans yet, but hope to soon, if I have not heard from them by Monday evening will head off south anyway.

Rice paddy fields and a storm

90km was on the cards, up earlyish and off, the Cambodians I have found are up really early, by the time I get on the road at 6am they are up and about. Headed off out of Kampong Thom towards Skun, not a big ride today so I relaxed into it and just took my time, the land since Siam Reap is pretty flat with vast expanses of rice paddy fields.
In Malaysia and Thailand the rice fields were all machine plowed and planted, here in Cambodia it is still done with Ox and cows towing the plows, and the men and women planting out the rice, and this is where my story begins, I was passing the miles away when I came across what I thought would be a good picture, A guy was dropping bundles of Rice storks out ready for planting. The green storks in the muddy brown water mad for a interesting picture, so too did the women planting.
I pulled over off the road and pulled out the camera, which is have issues at the moment, and started to take some snaps, then one of the ladies looked up at me and she kind of signaled that I should come and help, well what the hell, I don’t think she thought I would actually do it, I had a quick check of the time, yep had made good progress, shoes off, gloves and hat off and over I went, much to their amusement.
Waded through the water and mud and was promptly handed a bundle of rice storks, with a bit of instruction I was off and planting. My skills at planting were no match for theirs but I gave it a good go. In the time it took me to do 3 square feet they had done near 10 I would say. Just as we were finishing the row, one of the ladies found a crab in the mud.
Now I have never been a fan of crabs, they always get you on the soft parts of your feet and hands, if I had know there were crabs I probably would have been a bit more selective on where I placed my feet and hands, saying this of cause, like in the sea you only know there their when they nip you.
After we had finished off the row, will after they had finished off the row it was smoko time so I took my leave of the ladies in the mud and clambered back on the bike and hit the road again, as continued the ride I noticed I was being chased by some big black clouds and from the looks of them they were gathering speed.
I eased into Skun knowing I had beaten mother nature and made it there before the rain hit. I had just found a place for the night when mother nature showed her displeasure at my thwarting her, and she was pretty peeved I think. In fact I would say she through down a Minnie tornado. There was a building site across the way and for a start the metal roof was getting ripped one way then all of a sudden it was getting ripped the other way. Metal in the end gave way to the force of the wind so we had sheets of roof flying into the street.
The rain the whole time was thundering down and sweeping straight into the back of the hotel causing a flood which the staff were trying to contain with minimal results. It was all over in maybe 40 minutes but it had managed to wreak a roof and flood more than a few business and the next morning as I rode out of town it had ripped down a few trees to I noticed.
Skun is a place easily passed and will there is not really much there two main streets and that’s it. It is supposed to have tarantulas but I never saw one.

So long Angkor Wat and a story about a Camry

Was up early and the owner of the hotel asked me to come back for a free breakfast, not one to pass up the free breakfast I said yes, so headed out to Angkor Wat, wanted a photo of me and my bike and trailer in front of the Great Wat, and I got it to. It is a shame the sunrise rubbish, it was cloudy so there was not much of one, but I got my picture so I was happy.
Headed back to the hotel and had breakfast and then headed off, I thought for a second when I was leaving the owner was going to hug me, but no I missed out. Out on the road again and 147km to go, it was now about 10 to 7 so really had to get underway, at least with the cloud cover it was not going to be too hot for a while.
SO out on the road and heading through town, caught a tow with a truck as it slowly made it’s way through the thick traffic, had to let go a couple of times as the truck nearly ran me into a few people on the side of the road. After this had to use leg power for a bit, I had done maybe 20km and was going along pretty well when I came to a village and managed to catch another tow with another truck. This one was a lot longer and a lot faster, had to let go in the end as we made it onto the open road again.
I was having a good morning, I stopped at about 10.30am for second breakfast and then back on the road again, now this is where it got even better, I had done about 50km so was making good time, then a people mover type Moto came passed, it was going faster than me so I speed up and jumped into the slipstream, and this is how we stayed for the next 40km I managed to keep up, and it was great, I was able to rest a little, it all finally came to an end at the next town we came to, the whole Moto waved good bye to me which was sweet, then I carried on down the road a bit and stopped for water and a sweet drink.
After getting back on the road I had no tows for the next 10km then you would not believe it the Moto carrier came up beside me and the driver pointed at the bar at the side so tow it was, and I stayed like that for about 10km and then they stopped in the next town we came to, so it was turning out to be a good day. The rest of the trip to Kampang Thom was just hot and sweaty, my knee got a little sore at the end but it was at the end so I survived.
Now let’s get down to business, CAMRY’s, that’s right people Toyota camry’s there a classic car, built with water bed suspension and a ability to cruise at 110 forever. Now I am slightly byist as I owned one, but I was correct in buying one, because 2/3 of all cars on Cambodia’s roads are Toyota Camry’s that’s right I have done two counts now, one between the Cambodian border and Siam Reap and again today and 2/3 of cars are Camry’s. The other 1/3 is made up of Toyota landcrusiers and a smattering of everything else you can think of.
So 2/3 of Cambodian drivers can’t be wrong. Or Toyota dumped a boat load of Camry’s in Cambodia at sometime, O yes there is a Varity of years and models, so really that just points to a good car.

Wasted journey and the best massage yet

I had booked a moto to take me out to the lake to have a look around and see what it was like, got up had breakfast and then jumped in the moto for the ride to the lake, now my understanding was you could go right to the edge of the lake by road, should have asked more questions. Did not even get to the lake, did not even see the lake, the road ends about 10km from the lake and then you have to get a boat $20US for a couple of hours to go out to the lake. If I had been told this before I left I would not have wasted my time. I could have been on the road heading south. I had wasted an hour and $8, that’s nearly 3 meals, so as you would expect I was a bit pissed.
The moto drive tried to get me to go to some Wats for $5 extra but by now all I wanted to do was go back. When I got back the manager of the hotel said “O it must be under new management”. He did offer me free dinner to make up for it, which was nice enough, in the end I got both dinner and Breakfast free so cannot complain too much.
After this I went for a walk into town to relax a bit, earphones on music playing did not have to listen to the constant moto drivers trying to get work, calling out etc. Walking pasted a massage place and one of the girls asks if I would like massage and that sounded bloody good to me. Yep booked me a one hour massage.
Now as we walked in nothing was set up and there was no one else around, I was taken right through the building to the back, and yep I was wondering what I had got myself into. But after changing into there really bad top and pants the massage started, and it was good, very good. After I walked out all the stress of the morning was gone and the day was looking better.
I went and did a bit of shopping after this, needed some oil for my chain and a couple of other things. The negotiations were fun and we both had a laugh, I had a price I wanted to pay and got what I wanted but she tried to throw everything else in for more money, in the end we both left the negotiations happy.
After this it was lunch time and then spent the rest of the afternoon reading my book. I checked the my email to see if the Germans had emailed but no luck in that department so will try and meet up with them in Phnom Penh.

Lazy day, and More wats

The 7th what can I say about the 7th not much really, did bugger all, got up late about 7:30am why will my body not let me sleep in, had breakfast by 9:30am and then what the hell do I do with the rest of my day, I did need to get a new book, so had one thing to do, all you people at home doing your 8 till 5 jobs have forgotten how hard travel is. Made it into town about 11am to look for a new book, ended up getting two which means more weight in the bag, good one Steve. Saying that I was contemplating the other day if I could ride my bike and read at the same time so that would get through the books.
Had a look through the markets as well but could not find what I was looking for, cant tell you what it is either as that would spoil things. At about 2pm after some lunch came back to the guest house and read my book and that pretty much was the 7th taken care of.
The 8th came around after the 7th as it does, there is a building site right next to my window and so far they have been fairly quiet until this morning, I did notice yesterday that they had brought in a big crane so something was going to happen, and at 7am it all started. They are laying the foundations at the moment, they have these 5 meter long foundation posts that they are using a hydraulic ram to push into the ground. Lets just say it is a bit hard to sleep through.
Today was the day I was going to head out to the Roluos Wats, three to see, no bike, Moto this time. Moto’s are motorbikes with trailers. The wats are older than the ones at Angkor, and are more Hindu in nature, the and more run down. After negotiating a price with the Moto driver we headed off, out on the road that I will be riding out of in a few more days.
We arrived in good time and were meet by the kids trying to sell books and other things, and ladies yelling to buy a drink from them, of cause there is three or four of them yelling at the same time. It does get a bit frustrating when it is every single temple you go to. But I just walked pasted said no thank you and headed to the temples.
I made it to the third temple which was the best, and most interesting, the only problem was I had this kid who just would not leave me alone, probably because I was the only one there, bugger he was a pain in the arse, when I stopped to take photo’s he was beside me asking for money, yes I realize that these kids are poor and under privileged and yes they have a terrible life and good I’m a bastard but really I can’t help them all. I have donated books to an orphanage, I have brought over price coke, and heroin woops, no just the cans of coke and water off them. I cannot help everyone leave me alone, all I wanted was to walk around the temple and enjoy the afternoon and I could not.
Before I carry on what made these temple so different was they were definitely Hindu, the structures and drawing were so much like some of the temples I had seen in India. Shiva, Vishnu, Garnesh etc. So it would have been nice to spend more time.
Now I know what some of you are thinking, why did you not just give him so money to get rid of him, but do you do that with all of them because if you did around here it would be a short journey. So I got a few photo’s of the temple but did not give it the time it required. After this it was back in to the Moto and back to Angkor to look at a water wheel, not sure why we went there the driver just took me. It made for a pleasant ride back.
Once back in town I headed to get some gelato icecream, I needed something yummy. I have received an email from the germans cyclists so will hopefully meet up with them sometime tomorrow. They well be here for a few days and then they head to Phnom Penh by boat so hope to meet up with them in Phnom Penh and head south with them before I head into Vietnam, and they head towards Thailand. Also hope to meet up with Peter an Aussie living in Phnom Penh, he manages an orphanage there.
Tomorrow is the big lake for a few hours and the relax and get ready to head off south, 3 days 350km to Phnom Penh and everyone has said terrible roads. Will it will be a change because so far there pretty good. The sunset was very nice, it is now just dropping below the horizon, the sky is that beautiful golden color, have to say I think sunset and sunrise are the best time of day, the light is gorgeous, but that could be the photographer coming out in me. Well better think about food, and sleep…