Cambodia Part 1

So here I am in Phnom Penh!  I have been on this trip now for at least 8 days :D

I have seriously lacked updating this blog on a regular basis before I left for the trip to Cambodia, but I do hope to update a little as I am here now at my guesthouse using the complimentary guest internet.

Luckily I have kept a written journal, so I can go back over the experiences so far:

Wednesday 29th December:  Day 1
In the mad rush of trying to get to the airport and make sure I got on the right plane (I actually went to the international terminal when I was supposed to go domestic from KL to Siem Reap!)  I actually forgot that it was my birthday until I was on the plane, four hours after I woke up!

From Siem Reap airport I was picked up by Lucky from PEPY.  On the way to the accommodation I could practice my Khmer!  The Tuk Tuk ride was a new experience for me, a motorbike pulling a kind of trailer on the back that is designed to seat people and transports four people comfortably.

When others in the PEPY / GAFC group found out that it was my birthday, I was treated to Lao Beer (a new favourite of mine!) and the most wonderful birthday cake.  Life is good!

Day 2:
Today was given to exploring PEPY projects as well as learning more about NGO's.  We visited a local school that is supported with PEPY projects and I was especially interested in the school library that we visited.  The kids were great, enthusiastic about their lessons and really kind and welcoming.

I am also getting more used to squat toilets, though you must carry a handy supply of your own paper and are unable to flush the paper down as the plumbing system does not cope.  Most toilets in rural areas don't have cisterns at all, rather you ladle water into the toilet at the end and the natural plumbing does the rest :-/

Overall a very long, but rewarding day!

Day 3:

Today was the first official group bike ride!  We were fitted out for our bikes and I found the transition from Road to Mountain bike quite interesting!  For someone who is used to a very light carbon fibre road frame, the transition to the heavier, more robust mountain bike was interesting.

As I started riding along the local roads, I realised why a mountain bike is so necessary.  The roads were mostly dusty, pot holed and in many cases around this local area, very sandy!  Riding on a road made of very loose, fine sand is very interesting let me tell you!  Most of the time, your back wheel slides out from under you then you either stack it, or come very close.  I have a very interesting bruise on my inner right thigh from where I almost fell off the bike but slammed my inner leg into the bike frame instead.

We rode around an enormous reservoir, totally hand dug by the people of the ancient Khmer empire and the whole area is completely mind boggling.  The ride ended up finishing by passing by the AWESOME Angkor Wat temple.  Here we had some lunch (inflated tourist prices) and cycled home.  I found getting used to my mountain bike with pannier bags on the back totally exhausting so I was well and truly ready for a rest by the end of it!

Alas there was no time to rest, PEPY organised a scavenger hunt for us, so we ended up running all over Siem Reap looking for clues, which led us to a waiting Tuk Tuk where we raced to the foot of a Buddhist temple high on a 'mountain' watching the sun set for 2010 and listening to traditional Cambodian music!

I wish I could upload pictures here, but it is really difficult with file sizes etc, so I might wait to get back to Australia then upload pictures :-)

Day 4:
Today was a 'choose your own adventure' day.  SO what do I do?  Get up at 4am and watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat to start the New Year of 2011!  I totally loved it, through there were about a billion tourists there with the same idea, so it kind of made the experience a little crowded :-/

Here is one successfully uploaded picture, sunrise at Angkor Wat, brilliant!! 

Other things that happened today:

• Caught up on sleep, 2 hour mid morning nap to make up for 4am start!
• Late breakfast.
• Checked out the local markets and saw such tasty fare as deep fried tarantulas! Too scared to try though ;-)
• Had a massage at Body Tune for $16.  Such a blessed thing after a previous day of hard riding!
• Went to the National Angkor Museum.  At $12 for a ticket, it was a little bit exxy, but I loved reading all about the history of the Angkor Empire and seriously, these guys achieved some amazing things!

I have much more to write but I think it is a bit rude of me to hog this computer for so long, so it is goodbye for now and I hope to be back (if not soon when I am back in Australia as I can transcribe the events from my travel diary)

Nic oxo

Cambodia Itinerary

Here is the proposed journey!  I've copied and pasted directly from the Global Agents for Change website.  This is the group who has organised the trip, though the actual logistics of the journey itself have been organised with PEPY Cambodia.

Cambodia2011

Global Agents for Change / PEPY
Cycling Journey Through Cambodia
December 29- January 11, 2011

Day 1 – Welcome to Siem Reap! PEPY staff will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Tonight we have a Welcome Dinner where all trip participants will meet, have a chance to get to know each other, take part in an orientation, a bike fitting, and enjoy your first taste of delicious Cambodian cuisine.
Day 2 – We will cycle around the 16 sq kilometer Baray Tuk Tlay, the 700 year old water supply for the Angkor Empire. The ride will take us through the rarely visited western entrance of Angkor Thom and allow guests to ride around the perimeter of the ancient city. (35 kilometers)
Day 3 – From the seat of our mountain bikes we will have the freedom to explore the highlights of the Angkorian temples including the iconic Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm (30 kilometers)
Day 4 – Following the Old Angkorian Highway we will cycle through the Cambodian countryside until we reach the lost temple of Beng Mealea, the titanic of temples, a slumbering giant lost for centuries in the forests of Cambodia. It is the most accessible of Angkor’s lost temples, a mirror image of Angkor Wat, but utterly consumed by the voracious appetite of nature. (60 kilometers)
Day 5 – Cycling back to Siem Reap in the morning will leave time in the afternoon to explore the city. Some of you may wish to return to the temples for a further look, others might choose to visit the Landmine Museum, the local markets, or relax with a massage. (70 kilometers)
Day 6 – Enjoy the early morning cycling to the Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The Tonle Sap has a rich eco-system that was declared ‘Biosphere Reserve’ by UNESCO in 1997. The lakeshore is scattered with floating villages, inhabited by people who make their livelihoods from the lake. After hopping the boat to Kompong Chnang we will have a chance to cycle around an area rarely visited by tourists where we can see clay pot production or palm sugar harvesting. We will also have a chance to visit Geres, an organization creating energy efficient clay stoves. (40km)
Day 7 – Today we cycle dirt roads to Oudong Mountain, the spiritual center and capital of Cambodia from 1618 to 1866. At the top of the mountain (or hill!) there is a modern temple with wonderful views of the flat surrounding countryside. As you explore, you will see a number ofstupas housing the remains of various past kings, and the enigmatic remains of a massive temple enclosure, which was badly damaged during the Khmer Rouge era. The remains of a large Buddha are here, and are now being rebuilt after the Khmer Rouge blew them up in 1977. (50km short route, 100km long route)
Day 8 – As our dirt roads transform into a bustling highway, we’ll arrive in Cambodia’s vibrant capital, Phnom Penh. Simply walking the streets of this energetic city is exciting, as you watch cyclos and motos weave through the traffic, stroll past street sellers on the pavement, and take in the beauty of the Royal Palace and the sunset over the Tonle Sap River. (60km)
Day 9 – We all might need a rest from riding or a chance to explore on our town, so today’s activities are up to you. We will organize a visit to Resource Development International Cambodia (RDIC) in the morning for those who are interested to see the work they do with agricultural technologies, affordable home water treatment, and many other projects. Others might choose to explore the markets, Royal Palace, the National Museum, or head to Olympic Stadium for sunset to join in the many outdoor aerobics or tai chi classes!
Day 10 – Today we take a sobering look at the history of the Khmer Rouge. The Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S21, is located in a quiet Phnom Penh suburb. This group of buildings was once a school, but was turned into a prison and torture centre by the Khmer Rouge. This disturbing site is now a museum to explain the crimes committed there. Once we have gained an initial understanding of the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime, we will visit the ‘Killing Fields’ or Cheoung Ek. A 15-kilometer cycle from Phnom Penh, this site is where Tuol Sleng prisoners were forcibly marched and then executed; it is now a memorial site located in a tranquil setting. (20km city ride)
Day 11 – Today’s ride is one of the longest rides of our journey. We will head out of Phnom Penh along a river embankment and then criss-cross between highways and red dirt roads on our way to Chuuk. Chuuk is a small town where the only noise pollution is the serenade of crickets; a stark change from hectic Phnom Penh. (109 Kilometers)
Day 12 – Enjoy a beautiful cycle, finishing in the unspoiled beachside town of Kep. We will celebrate our arrival on Cambodia’s southern coast with a boat trip out to Rabbit island where we will enjoy fresh seafood, warm water, and a great sunset. (90km)
Day 13 – Our journey will finish in the laidback riverside town of Kampot. Here we will have a chance to unwind and reflect on our two week adventure across Cambodia. (20km)
Day 14 – Say our goodbyes and continue on our own adventures in Cambodia or elsewhere in the world.

* We strive to offer local and/or socially responsible restaurants and accommodation throughout the tour.

So there you have it, more details to be posted soon!