16/06/15 – Sihanukville to
Veal Rinh – 50km – Easy
17/06/15 – Veal Rinh to
Kampot – 50km – Easy
19/06/15 – Kampot to Angk
Ta Soam – 90km (approx) – Easy
20/06/15 – Angk Ta Soam to
Phnom Penh – 75km – Easy
29/06/15 – Phnom Penh to
Prey Veng – 80km – Easy
30/06/15 – Prey Veng to
Kampong Cham – 77km – Easy
01/07/15 – Around Kampong
Cham – 46km – Easy
02/07/15 – Kampong Cham to
Chamkar Leu – 66km – Easy
03/07/15 – Chamkar Leu to
Kampong Thom – 65km – Easy
05/07/15 – Kampong Thom to
Rovieng – 88km – Easy
06/07/15 – Rovieng to
Phumi Khvau – Kampong Thom – 55km (approx) – Easy
07 to 11/07/15 – Kampong
Thom – Phnom Penh – Kampong Thom – By bus
12/07/15 – Kampong Thom to
Phnum Daek – 75km – Easy
13/07/15 – Phnum Daek to
Preah Vihear (Tbeng Meanchey) – 63km – Easy
14/07/15 – Preah Vihear –
Chhaeb – Preah Vihear – 80km – Easy/ disaster
15/07/15 – Preah Vihear to
Sra’aem – 86km – Easy (but disaster hits)
16/07/15 – Sra’aem to Siem
Reap – By share taxi
19/07/15 – Siem Reap to
Sisophon – 106km – Easy
20/07/15 – Sisophon to
Poipet – 47km – Easy
21/07/15 – Poipet to
Aranya Prathet – 10km – Easy
CONCLUSIONS &
OVERALL COSTS
I find the coastal road
between Sihanukville & Veal Rinh is the perfect start to my cycling trip.
It’s short enough that I can slowly transition from my unhealthy nocturnal
living with a midday start & with a second half of undulating roads it’s
enough of a work out to shake the cobwebs (& excess alcohol) out of my
system. 
Sovans full English
breakfast to get me going & then headed past the old ferry port towards
Stueng Hav. I endured heavy traffic for the 1st few km’s but it soon
thinned out after the port & thereafter it was a tranquil cycle ride on
good roads with extremely sparse traffic. It’s a picturesque, scenic journey as
the road passes fishing villages, boat repair yards & beautiful, deserted beaches.
Not long after Hun Sen
beach the road swings to the right & the undulating hills begin, nothing
overly strenuous (perhaps 20 to 30 meter ascents) but enough to realize how out
of shape I am. The coastal scenery is replaced by rolling green hills with the
mist shrouded mountains of Bokor National Park in the distance. An extremely
pleasant cycle made all the more enjoyable by kids rushing out to yell cheery
“hellos” as I cycled by.
Arriving at the junction
with highway 4 I endured 2km of heavy traffic, although with a decent shoulder
it wasn’t oppressive, before arriving in Veal Rinh & heading to their
wonderful “point & order” restaurants directly opposite the market (see
note 1). Stir fried beef & green pepper in a dry curry sauce + rice for
$1.50 was delicious.
Headed off to Leng Try guesthouse
for a nice $8 fan room & because it’s located on road 3 (rather than
highway 4) it’s always extremely quiet. By night another great meal at the fast
food restaurants before picking up a bag of beers & some ice for the room.
NOTE 1;- Khmer fast food restaurants – Throughout
Cambodia you will see restaurants with stainless steel pans in a display case
or simply sitting on a table. This is the Khmer version of fast food. Simply
open the lids & look at what’s on offer then point to what you fancy &
it will be served up with a big plate of steamed rice & usually unlimited
free iced tea. Some places reheat the food before serving but this is not
always the case. It’s generally as cheap as eating out in Cambodia gets &
the dishes can vary from pretty wonderful to downright awful. I’m by no means a
fussy eater but tend to peruse the offerings for something without too many
bones (i.e. pork or beef although very occasionally they use boneless chicken).
It’s a great way to experience Cambodian food, there’s no language barrier –
just point at what you want, the staff are invariably very welcoming & it
won’t break anyone’s budget.
17/06/15 – Veal Rinh
to Kampot – 50km – Easy
Actually my plan had been
to cycle over the Cardamom Mountains to Thailand but I realized yesterday I was
loving everything about Cambodia just now & didn’t want to leave. This
morning I decided to head to Phnom Penh & extend my visa instead. 
A great start to the day
when I cycled to the restaurants opposite Veal Rinh market & bumped into a
fellow cyclist. A long, leisurely breakfast swapping tales & cycling routes
ensued. Setting off into a cool, overcast day initially the brooding, mist
shrouded Bokor mountains dominate the scenery. After a few km’s the road swings
to the right & runs perpendicular to the mountains with a good flat road
surface & again extremely sparse traffic. 
It was effortless cycling
through tranquil, peaceful countryside; rice fields, small homesteads, fishing
villages, occasional sea views & offshore islands, crossing river estuary’s
lined with mangrove swamps & all the time the dramatic Bokor mountains to
my left. Lots of waves from the locals & cheery “hellos” from the kids. 
It felt so wonderful to be
out & about in Cambodia that I knew I’d made the right decision to remain
here a while longer. Most of the houses had a scarecrow adjacent to the main
gate presumably to ward off evil spirits or ghosts.
Arriving in Kampot I
headed straight to Kampot 2 Guesthouse for a $6 fan room. Fairly basic rooms but
with a comfortable mattress, cable TV & quiet garden setting it’s good
value & meets my needs. By night an aimless stroll around town & I
bumped into a couple of mates I’d not seen for some time. It meant a few too
many beers being consumed & suffering a god awful hangover the next day.
19/06/15 – Kampot to
Angk Ta Soam – 90km (approx) – Easy
I’d plotted a route from
Kampot to Takeo which avoided the main roads & passed through what looked
to be interesting countryside as it passed hilly terrain & skirted some
lakes. 97km over winding dirt tracks would be a challenge especially awaking to
heavy rain & knowing those dirt tracks soon turn to mud.
A quick rice & pork
breakfast before heading off for Angkor Chey & true enough it wasn’t long
before I was plowing through muddy tracks. The Cambodian countryside is not at its
best just now with the rice fields brown & arid but a backdrop of green
rolling hills made for pleasant enough scenery.
 |
| Completely lost |
Around 20km in I knew I’d
taken a wrong turn & tried to get a fix on my location on Google Maps.
Unfortunately Google Maps decided this was a perfect time to completely fold on
me & kept giving me a blank screen. A few moments of panic ensued as I
realized I was in the middle of nowhere with no idea which way to turn. My best
guess was highway 3 should be North & a left turn away. A half hour of
cycling over more muddy tracks & a couple of checks of my location with
some locals found me meeting up with highway 3.
It was a disappointment to
have to use highway 3 as I’ve already seen pretty much everything it has to
offer & had wanted to avoid main roads today, plus I’d wanted to have a
look around Angkor Chey. That said with
a good road surface, decent shoulder & fairly light traffic I made good
time & enjoyed some reasonable scenery. 
Arriving in Angk Ta Soam I
headed straight to Sokhom Guesthouse for a $5 fan room. Set back from the main
road it’s very quiet & has secure parking for my bike. The only problem was
when the owner showed me a room there was a frightened sparrow flying around
inside.
“OK” the owner asked.
I pointed out the bird
ever more frantically fluttering around to which the owner laughed &
pointed to a hole in the wall through which it must have entered. He was
completely unperturbed & didn’t seem to understand why I would have a
problem with a bird fluttering around (& shitting) in my room. “Wait “I
said in my best Khmer & opened the door & both windows. There ensued a
few minutes as I tried to direct the ever more frantic bird outside, the owner
looking on perplexed as to why I would have a problem with a sparrow in my
room.
Finally managing to coax
it out the window I said “Yes OK, I’ll take the room”. The owner gave me a look
that said “You Barangs are a funny lot sometimes.”
Not much to report today. An easy cycle on highway 3 with a good road
surface, flat terrain & a decent shoulder most of the way. The scenery was
OK but the dry, brown rice fields are desperately in need of some rain to bring
a bit of colour to them. Some green hills in the distance & colourful Khmer
street life were enough to keep me occupied & ensure I enjoyed the route. 
Coming into Phnom Penh
Google Maps had plotted me an interesting, if convoluted route through Phnom
Penh’s slums, much of the time following an absolutely filthy river. Thick tar
black water covered in decomposing garbage with a stink that was overpowering.
It made me want to gag the whole way yet people were living right by the
riverbank & I guess the poor can get used to anything after a time. An
intensely interesting look at Phnom Penh’s suburbs.
Arriving just as a
prolonged spell of rain began I headed straight to Green Guesthouse & was
glad to find my favorite room was available. $8 with extensive city views &
safe bike storage. I’m going to have a few days in Phnom Penh sorting out a
visa extension & hopefully catching up with a few mates.
I’d spent longer in Phnom
Penh than intended as I tried to shake off a persistent cold. A short cycle through the city streets found
me embarking on a 12 cent ferry journey to the suburbs. Landing, I was
surprised to find extremely basic shacks all along the waterfront & had
expected land this close to Phnom Penh would be prime real estate. 
Disembarking, a short
cycle before taking a right turn onto road 380 & thereafter I just kept
hugging the bank of the Mekong as much as was possible. It was a lovely road to
cycle as I passed through farmland whether stilted wooden houses with haystacks
& cattle nearby, vegetable plantations, the ubiquitous rice fields, often
with the languid Mekong river as a backdrop. The peaceful, tranquil air of the
Cambodian countryside enveloped me for the whole route. 
Lots of locals cycling to
& fro with the school kids yelling out hearty “hellos” as I passed by. At
Phum Thmei I took a small family run ferry (20 cents) across to Peamro before picking
up road 11 to Prey Veng. It was actually nice to be back on a tarmac road where
I could rest my butt & rattle in the km’s. Traffic remained fairly light
all the way. 
I hadn’t found anywhere to
eat all day other than a sickly sweet Khmer desert in Peamro market &
arrived in Prey Veng absolutely famished. A short cycle around & I soon
spotted some stainless steel pans & had an absolutely delicious pork,
cabbage, carrot & onion stir fry. Amazing value at $1 including rice &
free iced tea.
I knew from previous
experience there were good services in Svay Antor & so skipped breakfast reasoning
I’d put in a few km & build up a healthy appetite first. Arriving in Svay
Antor at 11am I cycled up & down looking for stainless steel pans but all
the restaurants were offering was basic pork & rice. Settling for a bland
pork & rice by the time I’d finished it & cycled back through town all
the restaurants were full of steaming pans of Khmer stir fries, curries, soups
& stews. I realized I’d arrived 30 minutes too early & that these
restaurants don’t really get going until just before the midday rush. 
It wasn’t until I exited
Ou Reang that the scenery improved as I passed through farmland with well
tended vegetable plantations & occasional rubber plantations. All the way
there was a wonderful aroma not dissimilar to pine drifting in on the breeze. 
Finding lots of services
at the junction with road 7 I stopped for a tasty Khmer stir fry before heading
along road 7 to Kampong Cham. I remember a picturesque section of this road as
it passed photogenic houseboats with fishing nets suspended in the air but
today the water levels were too low & the houseboats currently marooned in
a muddy swamp.
My plan had been to cross
the bamboo bridge to Koh Pen, apparently an impressive sight & feat of
local engineering which is rebuilt every dry season. Unfortunately I was too
late in the season & found it was already washed away. Shunning the ferry
across to the island I decided to have a cycle along the Mekong to Kang Meas
instead. 
One great thing about
these riverside roads is temples appear every few km. The perfect place to pull
in & rest up from the baking sun. There was a strong Muslim influence to
much of this route whether passing mosques, headscarf clad women, kids with
colourful headscarf’s & occasionally bearded men with flatcaps &
flowing white robes.
It’s been a great days
cycling through idyllic Cambodian countryside. I begun by cycling along Kampong
Cham waterfront & from there followed the Mekong all the way to Stueng
Trang. 
This really was a wonderful
cycle route. Shunning the main road & sticking to the small (but good
quality) roads running alongside the Mekong river meant I was rewarded with
river views including large islands the Mekong circumnavigates in these parts;
passing through picturesque villages of stilted Khmer houses often set back
from the road & surrounded by dense green vegetation, moving onto lanes shaded
by mature trees. With cow pens built beneath the houses, haystacks in each yard
alongside rustic plows & wooden oxen carts, it had the feel of passing
through land that time forgot & a tranquil, peaceful air enveloped
everything. 
Lots of Khmer temples
& mosques dotting the roadside & once again a strong Muslim influence
to much of the route, not least in the local dress. 
A pit stop in Stueng Trang
where I enjoyed a stir fry over rice before turning off onto road 222 to
Chamkar Leu. Stueng Trang was a fairly small town but I did notice one
guesthouse in town. It looks newly built & fairly fancy from the outside. Ferries
operate from Stueng Trang to the Eastern banks of the Mekong. 
Arriving in Chamkar Leu (the
junction with road 71) my first stop was for a wonderful liver & green beans
stir fried in a spicy peanut sauce ($1.25 including rice) before looking for a
guesthouse. There’s a cluster of 3 just off the main road & I chose
Chamreun Meandeak GH, their $5 single rooms were damp & depressing but the
$7 twins with outside window were OK. That said I regretted not checking the guesthouse
on the main road where I could have spent the night sipping beer on the balcony
& watching life go by.
Returning to the guesthouse
at 9pm with a bag of beers & ice, a young lady was waiting for me to tell
me smoking wasn’t allowed in my room. I said “OK, give me my money back” which
she completely ignored. It wasn’t until I quickly packed & made it plain I
was moving out that the elderly mother got involved & told her daughter/
daughter in law (??) to shut up & stop hassling guests in her house.
Turning to me & despite having no English she made it plain I could smoke
all I want & that I should ignore her rude daughter.
A dreadful start to the
day as I was awoken by a repetitive recording of someone’s breakfast offerings.
The same phrase loudly repeated time after time meant I couldn’t get back to
sleep & consequently I’ve felt knackered all day. 
A quick pork & rice
for breakfast before setting off up road 71. The initial 30km was pleasant
cycling on a good road surface with light traffic passing through rubber
plantations, vibrant green countryside & villages of stilted Khmer houses. 
The final 30km on highway
6 was a chore as I found myself cycling into a strong headwind on long,
straight, featureless roads. The scenery was bland & boring & it was
one of those times to put my head down & concentrate on clicking off the
km’s. 
Arriving in Kampong Thom I
headed straight to Arunras Hotel, 39 Eo Sereipheap Street & got a really
nice, comfortable $6 fan room with good Wi-Fi, outside balcony & well located
next to the local night market.
Arunras Hotel had been an
extremely comfortable place to stay & great value for $6. Leaving Kampong
Thom the traffic was heavy & for the first time on this trip it felt
oppressive. It wasn’t until I turned off highway 6 & onto road 64 that I
could relax & enjoy a lightly trafficked road again. 
The scenery wasn’t
dramatic but pleasant enough with trees lining the roadside & sparsely
populated countryside. Indeed it’s on roads such as this you realize how
sparsely populated parts of Cambodia are with only occasional houses dotting
the roadside & large areas of scrubland. In Vietnam there would be wall to
wall houses & every inch of land being cultivated. 
Even the usually colourful
roadside activity was less evident with fewer kids cycling by & long
stretches where I never passed anyone. Cold drinks were available all day but
other than a small village 26km from Kampong Thom where I had a quick stir fry
& Phnum Daek (lots of restaurants) there was no food options. Phnum Daek
has 2 guesthouses, one of which (Toape 2 Guesthouse) looked comfortable from
the outside.
Arriving in Rovieng I had
the choice of 2 guesthouses & opted for Toape GH with a clean, comfortable
$6 fan room. It turned out to be a great choice as the whole towns had no power
all night & Toape has an extremely quiet generator which they run from 6pm.
Unexpectedly I’ve had a great Wi-Fi signal as well. (NB – The sign says Toape
GH but the name card & literature says Two Lions guesthouse). Lots of my
fellow guests were Chinese who seem to own the concession to a local gold mine.
I had thought about going north
from Rovieng over intriguing roads that would bring me out North East of Preah
Vihear. A sixth sense told me to play safe & stick with the main roads &
thankfully I listened to it otherwise I would have ended up stranded in the
middle of nowhere.
My usual slothful start to
the day saw me underway at 09.30 retracing the 14km to Phnom Dek junction that
I’d cycled yesterday. A moderate headwind & no breakfast meant I noticed
the inclines much more today. There was nothing overly strenuous but it was
enough to wake me up & get the blood pumping. According to my altimeter app
I climbed to 130 meters. It was a good road surface & traffic was virtually
nonexistent. 
Continuing on up road 62
it was back to a good road passing through sparsely populated countryside with
much of the land uncultivated & left to grow wild. The scenery was once
again pleasant enough, if undramatic & often I had the road completely to
myself. The later stage of this route the scenery became more dramatic as the
road began to skirt a range of forest clad mountains, a nice change from
Cambodia’s usual flat plains. 
Just as I was really
enjoying the scenery & cycling along in a nice tranquil groove disaster
struck as my back wheel began to wobble horribly. Pushing the bike back to a
small village I found some shade & investigated. The bearing in my back wheel had completely
disintegrated & the ball bearings were loose & spilling out. Realising
I’d have to go back to Phnom Penh to find a new spindle assembly I sat around
until I managed to flag down a mini bus going to Kampong Thom. I was pissed off
having to curtail the journey but part of me realized how lucky I was that I
hadn’t taken the remote back roads & have the bearing give out in the
middle of nowhere. 
As I was sitting in the
mini bus with my bike strapped on the rear rack I realized in my relief at
finding a lift, I’d not actually agreed a price in advance & began to worry
the driver could charge me whatever he wanted. I should have known better &
that I’m amongst honest Khmers out here, 90 minutes & 115km later he
charged me $5 for transporting me & my bike.
29/06/15 – Phnom
Penh to Prey Veng – 80km – Easy
MAP of today's journey;- HERE
I’d spent longer in Phnom
Penh than intended as I tried to shake off a persistent cold. A short cycle through the city streets found
me embarking on a 12 cent ferry journey to the suburbs. Landing, I was
surprised to find extremely basic shacks all along the waterfront & had
expected land this close to Phnom Penh would be prime real estate. 
Disembarking, a short
cycle before taking a right turn onto road 380 & thereafter I just kept
hugging the bank of the Mekong as much as was possible. It was a lovely road to
cycle as I passed through farmland whether stilted wooden houses with haystacks
& cattle nearby, vegetable plantations, the ubiquitous rice fields, often
with the languid Mekong river as a backdrop. The peaceful, tranquil air of the
Cambodian countryside enveloped me for the whole route.
Temple complexes appeared
every few km’s & every hour or so I’d cycle into one & enjoy a
cigarette & water break in shaded, calm surroundings.
A road surface of
compacted clay varied dramatically from a pleasant smooth cycle to extremely
rough & bone shaking segments, some sections with loose sand as a topcoat
were somewhat treacherous unless taken very slowly. It was often slow going but
when I’m in such tranquil surroundings I never feel the need to rush anywhere.
Lots of locals cycling to
& fro with the school kids yelling out hearty “hellos” as I passed by. At
Phum Thmei I took a small family run ferry (20 cents) across to Peamro before picking
up road 11 to Prey Veng. It was actually nice to be back on a tarmac road where
I could rest my butt & rattle in the km’s. Traffic remained fairly light
all the way. 
I hadn’t found anywhere to
eat all day other than a sickly sweet Khmer desert in Peamro market &
arrived in Prey Veng absolutely famished. A short cycle around & I soon
spotted some stainless steel pans & had an absolutely delicious pork,
cabbage, carrot & onion stir fry. Amazing value at $1 including rice &
free iced tea.  |
| Sign in my hotel |
A cycle up to Angkor Thom
Hotel for a nice $6 fan room (no English spoken). By night I enjoyed a few
beers & some snacks in a small nightmarket near the hotel before picking up
a bag of beers & ice for the room. I was pleasantly surprised to find
Angkor Thom Hotel had a really strong wifi signal something I hadn’t expected
in a quiet backwater like Prey Veng.
NOTE;- There were lots of places to buy water & cold
drinks today but almost no place to get any food. I was really glad I had some
spare rations in my daypack to keep me going.
30/06/15 – Prey Veng
to Kampong Cham – 77km – Easy
I enjoyed my usual lazy
start to the day needing 2 coffees & ½ a pack of cigarettes before I can
really face the world. It meant, as usual, I wasn’t loaded up & off until
10AM.
I knew from previous
experience there were good services in Svay Antor & so skipped breakfast reasoning
I’d put in a few km & build up a healthy appetite first. Arriving in Svay
Antor at 11am I cycled up & down looking for stainless steel pans but all
the restaurants were offering was basic pork & rice. Settling for a bland
pork & rice by the time I’d finished it & cycled back through town all
the restaurants were full of steaming pans of Khmer stir fries, curries, soups
& stews. I realized I’d arrived 30 minutes too early & that these
restaurants don’t really get going until just before the midday rush.
The scenery for the 1st
40km was typical Khmer flatlands with green rice fields stretching to infinity
dotted with coconut trees & traditional stilted wooden houses, not
unpleasant but it can get a bit boring after a time.
It wasn’t until I exited
Ou Reang that the scenery improved as I passed through farmland with well
tended vegetable plantations & occasional rubber plantations. All the way
there was a wonderful aroma not dissimilar to pine drifting in on the breeze. 
Finding lots of services
at the junction with road 7 I stopped for a tasty Khmer stir fry before heading
along road 7 to Kampong Cham. I remember a picturesque section of this road as
it passed photogenic houseboats with fishing nets suspended in the air but
today the water levels were too low & the houseboats currently marooned in
a muddy swamp.
In Kampong Cham I checked
into Leap Viraksar Hotel, #20, 3rd village for a $6 fan room with
cable TV & good Wi-Fi. The internal rooms which the Khmers prefer are damp
& dank but the rooms with a door & window onto the communal balcony are
fantastic value. Staff are friendly but don’t speak much English.
01/07/15 – Around
Kampong Cham – 46km – Easy
My plan had been to cross
the bamboo bridge to Koh Pen, apparently an impressive sight & feat of
local engineering which is rebuilt every dry season. Unfortunately I was too
late in the season & found it was already washed away. Shunning the ferry
across to the island I decided to have a cycle along the Mekong to Kang Meas
instead.
It was a pleasant leisurely
cycle passing pleasant Khmer riverside scenery. The road, much of it shaded by
mature trees varied from a good tarmac surface to a bumpy, dusty track. A few
cars passed but mostly I was in the company of local cyclists & motorbikes.
Traditional Khmer stilted wooden houses lined the roadside often with an old
man sitting in the doorway watching the world go by, the womenfolk coloufully
adorned with kroma’s congregating below to gossip & watch the kids play.
All day I was met with
cheery “hellos” from the passing kids, the braver ones rushing out to high five
me as I passed by.
One great thing about
these riverside roads is temples appear every few km. The perfect place to pull
in & rest up from the baking sun. There was a strong Muslim influence to
much of this route whether passing mosques, headscarf clad women, kids with
colourful headscarf’s & occasionally bearded men with flatcaps &
flowing white robes.
MAP of today's journey;- HERE
It’s been a great days
cycling through idyllic Cambodian countryside. I begun by cycling along Kampong
Cham waterfront & from there followed the Mekong all the way to Stueng
Trang. 
This really was a wonderful
cycle route. Shunning the main road & sticking to the small (but good
quality) roads running alongside the Mekong river meant I was rewarded with
river views including large islands the Mekong circumnavigates in these parts;
passing through picturesque villages of stilted Khmer houses often set back
from the road & surrounded by dense green vegetation, moving onto lanes shaded
by mature trees. With cow pens built beneath the houses, haystacks in each yard
alongside rustic plows & wooden oxen carts, it had the feel of passing
through land that time forgot & a tranquil, peaceful air enveloped
everything. 
Lots of Khmer temples
& mosques dotting the roadside & once again a strong Muslim influence
to much of the route, not least in the local dress.
It felt great to be
cycling through such idyllic countryside & my pace slowed in tune with the
languid surroundings. Naturally the kids yelling hearty “hellos” & rushing
out to high five me enhanced the experience.
A pit stop in Stueng Trang
where I enjoyed a stir fry over rice before turning off onto road 222 to
Chamkar Leu. Stueng Trang was a fairly small town but I did notice one
guesthouse in town. It looks newly built & fairly fancy from the outside. Ferries
operate from Stueng Trang to the Eastern banks of the Mekong.
Leaving Stueng Trang the
shaded tree lined roads & Mekong scenery gave way to more open, less shaded
roads through flat Cambodian plains. The flat plains of green rice fields
studded with coconut trees can soon get somewhat monotonous. A few minor hills
caught me unawares & had me dropping gears for the 1st time on
this trip.
Arriving in Chamkar Leu (the
junction with road 71) my first stop was for a wonderful liver & green beans
stir fried in a spicy peanut sauce ($1.25 including rice) before looking for a
guesthouse. There’s a cluster of 3 just off the main road & I chose
Chamreun Meandeak GH, their $5 single rooms were damp & depressing but the
$7 twins with outside window were OK. That said I regretted not checking the guesthouse
on the main road where I could have spent the night sipping beer on the balcony
& watching life go by.  |
| Guesthouse in Stueng Trang |
03/07/15 – Chamkar
Leu to Kampong Thom – 65km – Easy
A dreadful start to the
day as I was awoken by a repetitive recording of someone’s breakfast offerings.
The same phrase loudly repeated time after time meant I couldn’t get back to
sleep & consequently I’ve felt knackered all day. 
A quick pork & rice
for breakfast before setting off up road 71. The initial 30km was pleasant
cycling on a good road surface with light traffic passing through rubber
plantations, vibrant green countryside & villages of stilted Khmer houses.
I was glad I’d had an
early breakfast in Chamkar Leu as despite there being cold drinks available all
route I didn’t spot any food services & even passing through Kampong Thma I
was surprised I didn’t spot any restaurants (NB – If I’d been desperate I’m
sure a better look around & I would have spotted something).
The final 30km on highway
6 was a chore as I found myself cycling into a strong headwind on long,
straight, featureless roads. The scenery was bland & boring & it was
one of those times to put my head down & concentrate on clicking off the
km’s. 
Arriving in Kampong Thom I
headed straight to Arunras Hotel, 39 Eo Sereipheap Street & got a really
nice, comfortable $6 fan room with good Wi-Fi, outside balcony & well located
next to the local night market.
(Note to myself; - 25km
before Kampong Thom there is a guesthouse with a few basic services nearby).
05/07/15 – Kampong
Thom to Rovieng – 88km – Easy
Arunras Hotel had been an
extremely comfortable place to stay & great value for $6. Leaving Kampong
Thom the traffic was heavy & for the first time on this trip it felt
oppressive. It wasn’t until I turned off highway 6 & onto road 64 that I
could relax & enjoy a lightly trafficked road again.
The rest of the day I’ve
enjoyed a good road surface with extremely light traffic. Due to the periodic
standoffs with the Thai Military over a dispute regarding ownership of Preah
Vihear temple the roads in this area have been rebuilt/ resurfaced to allow
fast movement of troops & armaments. It means they are some of the best
roads in the country at the moment.
The scenery wasn’t
dramatic but pleasant enough with trees lining the roadside & sparsely
populated countryside. Indeed it’s on roads such as this you realize how
sparsely populated parts of Cambodia are with only occasional houses dotting
the roadside & large areas of scrubland. In Vietnam there would be wall to
wall houses & every inch of land being cultivated. 
Even the usually colourful
roadside activity was less evident with fewer kids cycling by & long
stretches where I never passed anyone. Cold drinks were available all day but
other than a small village 26km from Kampong Thom where I had a quick stir fry
& Phnum Daek (lots of restaurants) there was no food options. Phnum Daek
has 2 guesthouses, one of which (Toape 2 Guesthouse) looked comfortable from
the outside.
Passing one village I
noted every house had a scarecrow guarding the entrance, some of which were
very elaborate & indeed fierce as the sported wooden guns. According to
Google Maps I’ve climbed up to 100 meters a few times today although I can’t
say I ever noticed & it must have been on extremely gentle gradients.
 |
| Deforested & desolate |
Rovieng’s an extremely
quiet & boring town by night, not helped by there being no electricity but
I did manage to get a really nice fried noodles & pork ($2.50) from the
restaurant opposite my guesthouse & a bag of beers & ice for the room.
06/07/15 – Rovieng
to Phumi Khvau – Kampong Thom – 55km (approx) – Easy
I had thought about going north
from Rovieng over intriguing roads that would bring me out North East of Preah
Vihear. A sixth sense told me to play safe & stick with the main roads &
thankfully I listened to it otherwise I would have ended up stranded in the
middle of nowhere.
My usual slothful start to
the day saw me underway at 09.30 retracing the 14km to Phnom Dek junction that
I’d cycled yesterday. A moderate headwind & no breakfast meant I noticed
the inclines much more today. There was nothing overly strenuous but it was
enough to wake me up & get the blood pumping. According to my altimeter app
I climbed to 130 meters. It was a good road surface & traffic was virtually
nonexistent.
Arriving in Phnom Dek with
a healthy appetite I wolfed down a lovely pork & ginger stir fry with rice
($1.25) with the Khmer customers surprised & delighted to see a foreigner
enjoy Khmer food.
Continuing on up road 62
it was back to a good road passing through sparsely populated countryside with
much of the land uncultivated & left to grow wild. The scenery was once
again pleasant enough, if undramatic & often I had the road completely to
myself. The later stage of this route the scenery became more dramatic as the
road began to skirt a range of forest clad mountains, a nice change from
Cambodia’s usual flat plains. 
Just as I was really
enjoying the scenery & cycling along in a nice tranquil groove disaster
struck as my back wheel began to wobble horribly. Pushing the bike back to a
small village I found some shade & investigated. The bearing in my back wheel had completely
disintegrated & the ball bearings were loose & spilling out. Realising
I’d have to go back to Phnom Penh to find a new spindle assembly I sat around
until I managed to flag down a mini bus going to Kampong Thom. I was pissed off
As I was sitting in the
mini bus with my bike strapped on the rear rack I realized in my relief at
finding a lift, I’d not actually agreed a price in advance & began to worry
the driver could charge me whatever he wanted. I should have known better &
that I’m amongst honest Khmers out here, 90 minutes & 115km later he
charged me $5 for transporting me & my bike.
Dropped right outside
Arunras Hotel I got my old room again (304) & it was as comfortable as
ever.
07/07 – I traveled by mini
bus from Kampong Thom to Phnom Penh. It cost me $5 for me & my bike with
the dubious pleasure of having the front seat to myself; - sometimes it’s
better not to be too aware of the manic driving, overtaking & near misses
going on. With the bike securely strapped to the back rack I enjoyed a
pleasant, if uneventful journey to Phnom Penh.
In Phnom Penh I tried a couple of bike shops
around Ou Ruessei market who didn’t have the parts or expertise to take on the
repair. It appears I have to replace the whole centre spindle assembly &
only the Giant dealership could take on the repair. It meant waiting around for
a few days but I had no other choice.
12/07/15 – Kampong
Thom to Phnum Daek – 75km – Easy
Arunras Hotel was again
comfortable & great value for money although it was noisy with ongoing
construction work during the day.
Arriving in Phnum Daek
just after 3pm I first killed an hour with a leisurely meal of stir fried pork
& ginger ($1.25 with rice) before checking into Toape 2 guesthouse. $6 for
a fan room (no TV) & reasonable Wi-Fi; - It’s not as nice as Toape 1 in
Rovieng but still much nicer than I’d expected in such a backwater & the
bed was really comfortable.
07 to 11/07/15 –
Kampong Thom – Phnom Penh – Kampong Thom – By bus
07/07 – I traveled by mini
bus from Kampong Thom to Phnom Penh. It cost me $5 for me & my bike with
the dubious pleasure of having the front seat to myself; - sometimes it’s
better not to be too aware of the manic driving, overtaking & near misses
going on. With the bike securely strapped to the back rack I enjoyed a
pleasant, if uneventful journey to Phnom Penh.
In Phnom Penh I tried a couple of bike shops
around Ou Ruessei market who didn’t have the parts or expertise to take on the
repair. It appears I have to replace the whole centre spindle assembly &
only the Giant dealership could take on the repair. It meant waiting around for
a few days but I had no other choice.
11/07 – Retraced my steps
with an uneventful $5 mini bus ride to Kampong Thom, again fantastic value for
both me & my bike. Back to my $6 room at Arunras hotel & I’m really
looking forward to getting back on the road tomorrow, even if it’s only
retracing my steps to Phnum Daek.
12/07/15 – Kampong
Thom to Phnum Daek – 75km – Easy
Arunras Hotel was again
comfortable & great value for money although it was noisy with ongoing
construction work during the day.
A pleasantly overcast day
made for enjoyable cycling as I repeated my run up to Phnum Daek as recorded on
05/07/15. Once again the scenery was undramatic but it just felt great to be
back in the saddle.
 |
| Nicer than I expected |
Arriving in Phnum Daek
just after 3pm I first killed an hour with a leisurely meal of stir fried pork
& ginger ($1.25 with rice) before checking into Toape 2 guesthouse. $6 for
a fan room (no TV) & reasonable Wi-Fi; - It’s not as nice as Toape 1 in
Rovieng but still much nicer than I’d expected in such a backwater & the
bed was really comfortable.
With no TV my plan to
watch the Wimbledon men’s final came to naught but I did find food, beer &
ice so all’s well.
It was a struggle to get
out of bed at 8am today, I really just wanted to turn over & sleep some
more. Testament to how comfortable the beds in Toape 2 guesthouse are. 
The 1st 40km
found me retracing my steps from 06/07/15 through sparsely populated
countryside on a good road surface. Arriving in Phumi Khvav absolutely famished
I spotted one extremely rustic restaurant with only spare ribs on offer. When I
indicated to the wizened old lady I wanted some she was absolutely delighted
& I’m sure served me an extra large portion. They were absolutely delicious
& when I told her “chanang nha!” she broke out into the most wonderful
toothless grin & went round telling all the bystanders the barang thought
her ribs were delicious. $1.25 for some great food & a wonderful experience
to boot. 
Setting off again the road
continued to undulate as it skirted a range of hills. The gradients were very
modest & the climbs never severe but still enough to have me working up
& down gears all day. At one point I reached an altitude of 160 meters with
pleasant views of the Cambodian flatlands below. 
Light traffic &
pleasant green countryside all around has made it a pleasant days cycling.
Arriving in Preah Vihear just as a heavy downpour descended I headed straight
to the market area & took the 1st room I looked at. Chhieng Hour
guesthouse with an $8 fan room, small but well appointed with flat screen TV
& comfortable bed.
A completely wasted day
& all due to my own incompetence. Heading out towards Sra- aem or so I
thought & somehow I managed to veer onto road 64. I’ve no idea how I
managed to cycle 40km before realizing I was going in completely the wrong
direction & I really must pick up a compass one of these days. 
It wasn’t until 10km
outside Chhaeb when I spoke to some locals that I realized my mistake. The
worst aspect was it had been a bland, boring road to cycle with unappealing
scenery & I had to about turn & redo the whole 40km. 
I was starving when I made
my about turn & yet knew I hadn’t passed any restaurants since the
outskirts of Preah Vihear. To round off a shit day the rain came on with a vengeance,
blowing straight into my face & the wind reducing my pace to 10km per hour.
13/07/15 – Phnum
Daek to Preah Vihear (Tbeng Meanchey) – 63km – Easy
It was a struggle to get
out of bed at 8am today, I really just wanted to turn over & sleep some
more. Testament to how comfortable the beds in Toape 2 guesthouse are. 
The 1st 40km
found me retracing my steps from 06/07/15 through sparsely populated
countryside on a good road surface. Arriving in Phumi Khvav absolutely famished
I spotted one extremely rustic restaurant with only spare ribs on offer. When I
indicated to the wizened old lady I wanted some she was absolutely delighted
& I’m sure served me an extra large portion. They were absolutely delicious
& when I told her “chanang nha!” she broke out into the most wonderful
toothless grin & went round telling all the bystanders the barang thought
her ribs were delicious. $1.25 for some great food & a wonderful experience
to boot. 
Setting off again the road
continued to undulate as it skirted a range of hills. The gradients were very
modest & the climbs never severe but still enough to have me working up
& down gears all day. At one point I reached an altitude of 160 meters with
pleasant views of the Cambodian flatlands below. 
Light traffic &
pleasant green countryside all around has made it a pleasant days cycling.
Arriving in Preah Vihear just as a heavy downpour descended I headed straight
to the market area & took the 1st room I looked at. Chhieng Hour
guesthouse with an $8 fan room, small but well appointed with flat screen TV
& comfortable bed.
As the rain continued all
afternoon & evening my plans to change money & complete some errands
came to naught. A quick dash to a small restaurant for a lovely beef stew &
rice ($1.25) before picking up the customary bag of beers & ice for the
room.
14/07/15 – Preah Vihear
– Chhaeb – Preah Vihear – 80km – Easy
A completely wasted day
& all due to my own incompetence. Heading out towards Sra- aem or so I
thought & somehow I managed to veer onto road 64. I’ve no idea how I
managed to cycle 40km before realizing I was going in completely the wrong
direction & I really must pick up a compass one of these days. 
It wasn’t until 10km
outside Chhaeb when I spoke to some locals that I realized my mistake. The
worst aspect was it had been a bland, boring road to cycle with unappealing
scenery & I had to about turn & redo the whole 40km. 
I was starving when I made
my about turn & yet knew I hadn’t passed any restaurants since the
outskirts of Preah Vihear. To round off a shit day the rain came on with a vengeance,
blowing straight into my face & the wind reducing my pace to 10km per hour.
Arriving in Preah Vihear
once more soaked through I stopped at the 1st restaurant I saw. I
can’t even remember what I ate but do know not a grain of rice was left on the
plate, the Khmer customers amazed a barang can eat just as ferociously as they
can.
In no mood to search
around town for a room I headed back to Chhieng Hour guesthouse & an $8 fan
room.
Kicked off the day with a
basic pork & rice breakfast & for $1.25 it’s a cheap, filling start to
the day. After yesterdays wrong turn I decided to play safe & stick to road
62.
The initial 10km was an
extremely pleasant cycle as the road headed towards a range of forest clad
hills, a nice change from the flat, mundane scenery of much of Cambodia.
Thereafter the road took a turn North & skirted the hills, again very
pleasant cycling with lots of dense green vegetation in view.
Around 25km outside
Sra’Aem I heard a loud, frightening crack from my back wheel as a spoke
snapped. It’s the 1st time I’ve had a broken spoke & meant
disconnecting my rear brakes & nursing her slowly into Sra’aem with a
severe buckle in the back wheel.
All night I’d contemplated
trying to cycle to Prasat Preah Vihear despite my buckled wheel but decided it
just wasn’t practical particularly the return journey & descending with no
back brakes. I’ve since read David Holmes report of cycling this route &
I’m glad I didn’t attempt it with my crocked bike. His report is HERE
It’s an uncomfortable way
of traveling & I was squashed into the back seat with 3 other adults &
2 kids. 2 adults are squeezed onto the front passenger seat & a final
passenger is shoehorned between the driver & his door. 7 adult passengers,
2 kids & a driver in a normal 4 person sedan.
An uncomfortable stop,
start journey took over 4 hours & initially I was glad I hadn’t tried to
cycle it, the 1st 100km was bland, boring countryside as it passed
through yet more deforested landscape. Around 20km north of Banteay Srei to
Siem Reap looked to be lovely countryside to cycle through as we passed roads
shaded by mature trees with lush green forest, hills & picturesque local villages
to enjoy. It did look like a lovely 60km to cycle. 
Arriving in Siem Reap just
before 6pm I raced around to Grasshopper & caught them just as they were
closing up. Past experience means I don’t rate their abilities too highly but
they are the only bike mechanics I know in Siem Reap. A service, new spoke
& wheel balance will set me back $16.
A fairly bland, instantly
forgettable cycle followed with long straight roads & rice fields
stretching to infinity. I really didn’t enjoy today’s cycling especially as the
late start meant pushing to make Sisophon before dark. Traffic was heavier than
I’ve become used to but with a good road surface & wide shoulder it was
never oppressive.
15/07/15 – Preah
Vihear to Sra’aem – 86km – Disaster strikes
Kicked off the day with a
basic pork & rice breakfast & for $1.25 it’s a cheap, filling start to
the day. After yesterdays wrong turn I decided to play safe & stick to road
62.
The initial 10km was an
extremely pleasant cycle as the road headed towards a range of forest clad
hills, a nice change from the flat, mundane scenery of much of Cambodia.
Thereafter the road took a turn North & skirted the hills, again very
pleasant cycling with lots of dense green vegetation in view.
Arriving at the junction
with road 64 (the turnoff to Kulean) I spotted a few restaurants & decided
to fill up whilst I could. A basic sweet & sour pork & rice cost an
extortionate $2 & it’s the 1st time in a long, long time I’ve
felt ripped off in Cambodia. Perhaps avoid the 1st restaurant on the
left but it is well worth filling up here as there was no services
whatsoever for the next 40km including nowhere to buy water.
The following 40 (service
less) km past through woodland with lush green vegetation, extremely sparse
traffic & was an extremely pleasant cycle ride as I listened to birdsong
& the occasional insect choir.
Around 25km outside
Sra’Aem I heard a loud, frightening crack from my back wheel as a spoke
snapped. It’s the 1st time I’ve had a broken spoke & meant
disconnecting my rear brakes & nursing her slowly into Sra’aem with a
severe buckle in the back wheel.
I’m beginning to wonder if
this whole trip is jinxed & getting frustrated at how much is going wrong
all of a sudden. After 15,000km of sterling service my trusty steed is becoming
distinctly untrustworthy of late especially as I’m at the base of Prasat Preah
Vihear temple – the whole point of this particular journey (other than just
cycling for cycling’s sake of course).
Checked around Sra’aem
& all the guesthouses were overpriced by Cambodian standards & wanted
$10 for a fan room. I opted for Soksan 66 guesthouse as the best of a bad lot,
not least the only one that had decent Wi-Fi.
As I see it I’ve 3 choices;-
1) Risk trying to climb the 500 meters to Prasat Preah
Vihear with a buckled wheel & descend with a disconnected rear brake.
2) Try to cycle to Anlong Veng with a full load & buckled
wheel.
3) Bus it to Siem Reap & get repairs done. The most
sensible solution with time on my visa rapidly running out.
All night I’d contemplated
trying to cycle to Prasat Preah Vihear despite my buckled wheel but decided it
just wasn’t practical particularly the return journey & descending with no
back brakes. I’ve since read David Holmes report of cycling this route &
I’m glad I didn’t attempt it with my crocked bike. His report is HERE
Cycling down to the
transport hub & I asked around for a minivan to Siem Reap but it seems mini
vans don’t ply this route & the only option was a share taxi. It took some
hard bargaining but I finally agreed a fare of $10 for me & my bike. I then
had to sit around for 3 hours until there were enough passengers to fill the
taxi, finally setting off at 1.30pm.
It’s an uncomfortable way
of traveling & I was squashed into the back seat with 3 other adults &
2 kids. 2 adults are squeezed onto the front passenger seat & a final
passenger is shoehorned between the driver & his door. 7 adult passengers,
2 kids & a driver in a normal 4 person sedan.
As the driver continually
stopped to pick up & disgorge luggage I had to switch off & stop
worrying how well he was re securing my bike at the back. Stuck in the middle
of the back row it’s nothing I had any control over. (NB – If you need some
comfort then you can pay double & have the front passenger seat to
yourself).
An uncomfortable stop,
start journey took over 4 hours & initially I was glad I hadn’t tried to
cycle it, the 1st 100km was bland, boring countryside as it passed
through yet more deforested landscape. Around 20km north of Banteay Srei to
Siem Reap looked to be lovely countryside to cycle through as we passed roads
shaded by mature trees with lush green forest, hills & picturesque local villages
to enjoy. It did look like a lovely 60km to cycle. 
Arriving in Siem Reap just
before 6pm I raced around to Grasshopper & caught them just as they were
closing up. Past experience means I don’t rate their abilities too highly but
they are the only bike mechanics I know in Siem Reap. A service, new spoke
& wheel balance will set me back $16.
A wander around & I
ended up at Sam So guesthouse, #164 Wat Bo Village with a $7 fan room, hot
shower, cable, good Wi-Fi & set in a nice quiet area. Realizing I hadn’t
actually eaten since breakfast & that suddenly I was ravenously hungry I
headed straight to Khmer Taste restaurant for a lovely chicken amok & rice
($3) washed down with 50 cent draft beers.
19/07/15 – Siem Reap
to Sisophon – 106km – Easy
 |
| Boring roads all day |
Knowing I’d a fair
distance to cover I wanted an early start but found my back wheel as flat as a
pancake. Stripping it down & I found the puncture came from exposed spoke
nipples & Grasshoppers, incompetent as ever, hadn’t replaced the rubber
sheath that protects the tube from the nipples. By the time I’d walked down to
Grasshopper, got them to fit a sheath, returned & refitted my back wheel it
was almost 11am before I got off.
A fairly bland, instantly
forgettable cycle followed with long straight roads & rice fields
stretching to infinity. I really didn’t enjoy today’s cycling especially as the
late start meant pushing to make Sisophon before dark. Traffic was heavier than
I’ve become used to but with a good road surface & wide shoulder it was
never oppressive.  |
| Delicious beef skewers |
Strong crosswinds hindered
me all day & around 3pm the light drizzle intensified into a prolonged
downpour & I arrived in Sisophon once more soaked through. I wasn’t in the
mood to hunt around for guesthouses & took the 1st room I looked
at. Golden Crown GH with a basic $6 room got me out of the rain if nothing
else. I’m sure there are better deals in town if you’re in the mood to look
around.
As the rain continued into
the evening I only ventured out to buy some grilled meats & cakes from the
bakery otherwise contenting myself with some beers & ice in the room. (Actually
the beef skewers wrapped around string beans were wonderful & the pork sausage
pretty delicious as well).
A short cycle to Aranya
Prathet where I checked into Market Motel & got a nice fan room with hot
shower for $8, a good deal for Thailand nowadays. By night it was a bit of a
shock to find a big Chang beer is $1.60 from the 7’11’ nowadays & I’m going
to have to cut down my drinking if I’m to stay on budget. I’d been really
looking forward to some Thai street food but was frustrated to find the local night
market is takeaway only & I don’t have a plate or bowl to eat out of.
20/07/15 – Sisophon
to Poipet – 47km – Easy
 |
| Boring road |
Another unenjoyable days
cycling as I spent the whole route battling fairly strong winds with bland,
boring & uninspiring scenery. It was a good road surface but lacking any
shoulder although the moderately heavy traffic never felt oppressive.
 |
| Boring scenery |
I was glad it was a short
run today & over fairly quickly & 1.30pm found me searching for a room
in Poipet. The guesthouses were a pretty sorry lot & most wanted $6 to $8
for really worn, unappealing fan rooms. I finally stumbled upon Song Dara Hotel
(on the main road as you come into town) & their $8 fan rooms were clean,
comfortable & way better than anything else I’d looked at.
I headed out to buy a few
cartons of cigarettes that I pray Thai customs won’t notice tomorrow & by
night enjoyed some food & beers at the local street stalls.
 |
| Poipet, dusty & noisy |
A delayed start to the day
when I found my back wheel completely flat. It meant locating a bike shop &
buying a new tube before I could get off. A stop for my last Cambodian meal
meant I didn’t get to the border until midday.
It was a bad time to
arrive as it coincided with busloads of backpackers & immigrations
lunchtime. With only 3 of the 6 windows open it meant standing in long, slow
moving queues getting bumped & battered by their bloody backpacks. It took
around 90 minutes until I got through to the better organized, more efficient
Thai immigration. Finally stamped into Thailand I retrieved my bike & as I
was cycling into Thailand an elderly cop gave me a salute & said “welcome
to Thailand” It was indeed a lovely gesture.
A short cycle to Aranya
Prathet where I checked into Market Motel & got a nice fan room with hot
shower for $8, a good deal for Thailand nowadays. By night it was a bit of a
shock to find a big Chang beer is $1.60 from the 7’11’ nowadays & I’m going
to have to cut down my drinking if I’m to stay on budget. I’d been really
looking forward to some Thai street food but was frustrated to find the local night
market is takeaway only & I don’t have a plate or bowl to eat out of.
At the moment I’m feeling
a bit unsettled to be back in Thailand & I’m not sure if I’m going to enjoy
it this time around. In many ways I feel like heading straight back to
Cambodia. (NB - I actually went on to have a fantastic month’s cycling in
Thailand & absolutely loved my time there).
CONCLUSIONS
There were some wonderful
days cycling especially the coastal roads from Sihanukville to Kampot &
cycling alongside the Mekong around Kampong Cham. BUT & it’s a big but,
there was also tedious, boring days cycling through deforested landscape
especially between Kampong Thom & Sra’aem, what I’d naively called
scrubland or uncultivated land I came to realize was in fact recently
deforested wasteland.
Still it’s always a joy to
be amongst such friendly, good natured people & I do love the colourful street
life & roadside activity evident almost everywhere.
It’s undoubtedly the
cheapest country in the area to travel in, particularly with my lifestyle (heavy
smoker & drinker) & when you get to know Cambodian food it can be
delicious & certainly great value.
Cambodia does lack the
dramatic scenery of its neighboring countries but for me the warmth &
boisterous good humor of the Khmers always makes it an extremely rewarding
country to cycle in.
OVERALL COSTS
I spent $876 in 36 days or
$24.30 per day.
Very approximately my
daily costs were;-
$7 – Accommodation
$6 – Beer (i.e. 12 cans)
$6 – Food
$2 – Misc including water,
soft drinks, cigarettes, toiletries etc
$2 – Bike repairs &
transport costs
$1.50 – Visa costs (see
note below)
NOTE; - Bad planning meant I was on a one month extension
to a tourist visa & at $48 it’s the most expensive option available. A one
month tourist visa would have only been $30 therefore $1 per day.
COMING SOON……ISH;-
Thailand – A wonderful cycle alongside the Cambodian border
& then following the Mekong to Nong Khai.
