Siem Reap and Home

Back in Singapore

Well here I am back in Singapore, one week early. As a result of my bike fall in Phnom Penh I wasn't able to continue on the last three days of riding from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, so Hawk and I took the bus instead.

Siem Reap

We arrived in Siem Reap via bus, in the pooring rain, saddled up the bikes and rode into town. This was an adventure on its own, the streets were dark, it was wet and raining, and I was riding with my right arm in a sling. We managed in relative safety and found a place to stay the evening. After a tidy up I tried contacting friends in town to organise a visit to the 'Iqbal School' were I was hoping to pass on a donation in the name of my wonderful Year Four Class, 'The Polarbears'. After leaving a few messages I headed to bed to nurse my arm.

The following morning plans were put in place to visit the school in a few days, leaving time for sightseeing, including a day at the wonderful Angkor Wat.

Angkor WatGetting up at 4.15 and riding the 6 km to Angkor Wat was rewarded with a beautiful sunset, rising over that famous and inspiring skyline. I managed a few pictures, though I found it particularly difficult to hold the camera steady with my bad arm.

The rest of the day was spent riding around to many of the temples, taking pictures and just enjoying the beauty. This was a wonderful thrill that excited the imagination and inspired the photographer within.

The area is so large that it would take many days to see it fully, so with only one day available we stuck to the highlights.

Iqbal School

During my time in Laos and Cambodia I had been reading several books on the region, particularly time during the 1970's when both countries struggled under the politics and policies of those in power. I had read several truely sad stories of people's lives during this period. And hopefully I gained something of an understanding of the challenges that had faced the people in the past and still affected the region today.

My visit to the Iqbal School started with an amazing Tuk-Tuk ride that mirrored the description given to my by a collegue and friend who introduced me to the school. 'First you travel along a road, then you turn and the road gets narrower and rougher, then after a while you turn again. The road bacomes a bit narrower, a bit like a ox-cart track, and rougher. Then you have to turn off that road onto an even narrower and rougher road. You cross a bridge or two and the road narrows further. Then just when you think you couldn't be in an anymore remote a place you come around a corner and the road gets even more narrow and so rough you think the whole bike and tuk-tuk will fall apart. And then you're pretty much there'. And so it was.

We were guided by Megan, who has been working with the school for the last ten months, developing a level of sustainability, understanding and pride that will help the school and village long after she leaves in a couple of months. The children welcomed us with big smiles and a keeness to practise their English. They showed us their school and their routines and tried to ask questions about where we were from and what we did.

Their warmth and smiles put the smile back on my face, one that had been straining a little with the trials of a rough few days and the disappointment at not finishing the journey in the saddle.

Singapore

This week I have spent visiting doctors and specialist back in Singapore who tell me my arm is broken in two places and has ligament and tendon damage from being dislocated. Knowing this I realise it wouldn't have been possible to finish the way I wanted, but the 300km from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap still remain unfinished in my mind and in Hawk's I'm sure.

Phnom Penh - End Game

The last week has provided one or two challenges that have stretched my friendship with Laos and Cambodia.

Border Crossing
Hawk and I had been reading that the overland border crossing from Laos to Cambodia could be a little problematic, so we decided to bus it. We rode out of Pakse, down to the Champasek and then onto the Don Khong Islands to see a few more waterfalls, and have the pleasure of eating at a few nice restaurants on the banks of the Mekong.

In Champasek we were going to be seeing the temple at Wat Phu, said to rival many of the other great Khmer sites, ''including Angkor Wat''. It didn't unfortunately and our disappointment wasn't tempered by the fact that we were fast running out of money and the promised banking facilities at Champasek weren't there. So we had to ride back to Pakse, where the machine wouldn't accept my card.

Then because of the delay we sped things up with a lacal bus, a songtheow, to Don Khong. We loaded our bikes on the roof and got in, ready to go. We went - 2 hours later - with half a village, two fridges, a spare motor, 40 bags of rice and half a tonne of cabbages.

In Don Khong we stayed a fabulous guest house run by Mr Poh who arranged everything including our tour of the 4000 islands and a luxury minibus across the border to Phnom Penh. Cool!
Not quite. The tour of the 4ooo islands invloved a 1.5 hour boat trip to another island to look at waterfalls ''Like Niagra Falls'', but smaller and more like rapids, for 4.5 hours and another set of waterfalls for an hour. And our luxury minibus trip across the border involved 3 mini bus changes, each of reduced quality, a few éxtra' payments to officials and being dumped at a town over the border without a conecting bus until the next day.

But now I'm in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, full of all the facilities and comforts I could want, and just three more days of riding up to Siem Reap.
Unfortunately no Cinderella ending here. While riding back from The Killing Fields, which we couldn't find because there were no signs and no-one knew what we were talking about, I got lost, crashed my bike and smashed my arm. No more riding. Arhhhhh - more buses.
Cpp

1000km

Right now Hawk and I are down south in Pakse, and the day before yesterday we passed our 1000th km on the bikes.

Since leaving Vientiane the roads have be fairly flat and monotonous as we have stayed close to the Mekong River. We have battled consistent rain, at times I thought I saw Noah float past, and have continued to find it difficult to eat anything other than Noodle soup. The children still run alongside the road, shouting 'Sabaidee' and waving, and on occasion we have been challenged to a race through a village by a young kid looking for bragging rites.

The road along the flatland has been bound on either side by rice paddies and 'Farmers in Pajamas' and conicle hats. And while they battle to plant their crops in the rain, and we battle to cover the required distances each day, conditions have rarely allowed for the cameras to come out of their waterproof hide-aways.

Yesterday we loaded all our wet gear, bikes and weary bodies onto a bus, tired on the sameness and rain, and covered 368km in comfort, sunshine and at an average speed a little over 50km/h. For once we were the major road force, running down those that got in our way, and honking at those who slipped out of reach. And today we spent in an airconditioned minivan, complete with driver and tour guide [Udan - keen to practise his English], and explored the waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau. While tomorrow we are back on the bikes.

[Would love to post photos but the Internet speed here won't allow it, so text only]
Cpp

Luang Prabang to Vientiane

For the last week or so Hawk and I have been slogging it out through some of the most beautiful countryside imaginable. Straight out of Luang Prabang we hit the mountains with spectacular views, little villages and demanding climbs.

The whole journey we have ridden into villages full of happy kids who chase after us, giving us 'High Five' and trying to race us along the road. The climbs have been really tough at times, and while the sweat is pouring off us and the speed has been low, it has been difficult to stop and pull the camera out. So while the scenery has been fabulous, I have been more intent on finishing each day, rather than gathering a collection of photos.

The Mathematics

While riding you are constantly 'doing the numbers'. Working out time done, kilometers to go, average speeds etc - It's a way to maintain your sanity, or possibly a way to encourage it.

The Exponential Climb

The other Day I started out on the final climb of the day. At may average speed for the day it was going to take another two hours to complete the ride. After 1 hour I checked my speed and he number of kilometers remaining. My speed had dropped away to a point where, after an hour of riding I still had 2 hours to go. An hour later I did the numbers again, only to find that I had slowed to a point where I had 3 hours to go. After three hours of riding I did the numbers again - four more hours- So I got off the bike and did the remaining kilometers in the back of a pick-up and it was over in 20 minutes, including a stop for some cucumbers.

Nutritian

While we were up in the hills we had to rely on small stalls in villages on the side of the road to provide us with food. Unfortunately, apart from an occasional Banana Stall, there is very little in the way of decent food. Many of the stalls only sell soft drink and potato chips, while in the villages when we have stopped at the end of each day the only food on offer has been 'Foe', rice noodle soup with a few vegetables. This soup fills you up but gives you no energy, and when you have it 4 meals in a row there is very little energy in the tank for some of the big climbs. This has probably been the hardest aspect of the trip - replacing the calories.

Shooting Monks

Devine Foresight

Perhaps only Buddha could have had a vision of the future that included the beauty of photography, and even the development of digital photography. Who else could have known that so many would occupy themselves chasing monks in order to capture the wonderful and stark contrast that is created by a flowing saffron robe?

The Hunt

Trying to capture the perfect image of a Monk, against a perfect backdrop, as they go about their business has become a particularly competivie sport. Photographers with long lenses and even longer tripods jostle for best position in order to make the perfect shot.

Monks are easy targets in their bright colours and have started to seek out shelter and safety in numbers.

Photographers must lie in wait for hours, seeking camoflague and shelter from the elements.

For some of the Monks it's all too much and all they want is to hide and avoid the prying eyes.

But for the photographer there is nothing better that the bold saffron on a stark white background.