Dedicated to a wonderful Mother Jean Noble 31/5/1929 - 20/8/2007 - may we never take our mothers for granted. - Goodbye Mum
CAMBODIA(KAMPUCHEA) PAGE 3 JANUARY 2009
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Prices in Aussie/US Dollars |
Thursday
15th January Skun
to within 20 k's of Phnom Penh.
Approx.
65.17 k's
Average
Speed
13.55 kph
Cycling
time
4 Hr(s)
58 Min. Max
speed.
33 kph
Max
temp
27°C
Terrain:
Flat to Mildly undulating Road
Conditions:
Horrendous Overnight
Accom: (US$10.00)
$9.00
Standard,
Excellent
Probably the worst day cycling since we began. ALL drivers here are Mad, the roads are atrocious. We simply have NEVER experienced chaotic undisciplined drivers such as today....
We awoke to a flat tyre, damaged bikes – due to idiots sitting on the bikes whilst we were in our room... The bikes were locked together in opposite directions, this was the only thing that prevented the idiots from riding them... The owner of the guesthouse was nowhere to be found – coward!!! We had been promised they would be safe in this room (bellow) and it would be locked – of course he was a liar.
It
is the FIRST guesthouse on the left, as you enter “Skun”
from the north....
This guesthouse is not safe for cyclists in our opinion and it took us some time to make the bikes rideable..... They remain damaged.
Animals, bullock carts, lot's of bullock carts and crazed drivers had us in fear of our lives...
Enough for today, Catchya Later.....
Friday
16th January 20
k's from Phnom Penh to Phnom Penh.
Approx.
35.03 k's
Average
Speed
10.24 kph
Cycling
time
3 Hr(s)
25 Min. Max
speed.
28 kph
Max
temp
27°C
Terrain:
Undulating
Road
Conditions:
Gravel/Bitumen Overnight
Accom: (US$18.00)
$28.00
Standard,
Good
Turns out we were about 14 k's from Phnom Penh... The guesthouse we stayed at turned out to be a nightmare... They started knocking on the door about 4.30 am – we ignored them as we thought it was probably the “short time” activity. By 6.am the knocking became more frequent, I answered at about 7 am. They told us “check out” was “time?” (difficult to understand) but we should be out – the manager, who spoke poor broken English – pointed to one of the many, MANY, signs on the wall.
I pointed out that it was in “Cambodian” and few foreign tourists could possibly hope to read that, to which he smiled. They “remotely” turned off the hot water, meaning we could not get a shower – I told him we would leave about 8 am, as we did not want to cycle into Phnom Penh during “peak hour”. He ranted about money and I told him he had a duty to be “clear”, when he let the room – he reluctantly accepted that.
The “cycle” into the city can only be described as a “Hell Ride”, it was terrifying! In parts, this major road was in such poor condition, that is was reduced to less than one lane in parts. It was incredibly busy and we could only take a pic during the rare quieter moments.....
We
were filmed by Cambodia Television 3 during our crossing of the
Mekong – by bridge. They stayed with us for a few kilometres. A
roadside “interview” was conducted as we cycled into the
city centre...
The
interview and film was “aired” on TV – giving us
“celebrity status” and VERY unwelcome crowds wherever we
went – we could not escape.
The extra 20 k's on our stat's, was due to us ridding around, locating the Vietnamese Embassy, then a soul destroying search to find a hotel suitable for both the bikes and ourselves. The roads in the city were severely congested, Lee was hit from behind and I was hit from the side – we could not escape... in this pic, we found ourselves in the centre of six (or more) lanes for over 15 minutes.
We
attempted to use “side roads” but all were unsealed and
in very poor condition, forcing us back onto the main
thoroughfares....
We
eventually located the Vietnamese Embassy....
The embassy would not take our application as it was too late (10.30 am), so we will have to wait until Monday, before we can submit. We are stuck here for a while – we felt it was imperative that we got a room big enough to put our bikes out of sight....
Saturday
17th January Phnom
Penh.
Approx.
k's
Average
Speed
kph
Cycling
time
Hr(s)
Min. Max
speed.
kph
Max
temp
°C
Terrain:
Road
Conditions:
Overnight
Accom: (US$18.00)
$28.00
Standard,
Good
We cannot use our bikes for “transport” in Phnom Penh as they simply attract too much attention.
Sunday
18th January Phnom
Penh.
Approx.
k's
Average
Speed
kph
Cycling
time
Hr(s)
Min. Max
speed.
kph
Max
temp
°C
Terrain:
Road
Conditions:
Overnight
Accom: (US$18.00)
$28.00
Standard,
Good
On the balcony outside our room we had a visitor today.... A Monkey
We
gave it a carrot, some oranges and peanuts, it hung around to eat
it's fill before moving on :-) Amazing to see, in the middle of a
city of over 4 million people.
Yesterday we walked the streets or more precisely navigated an obstacle course......
In
parts, it is nigh on impossible to walk, yet, people seem oblivious
to the chaos....?
Poverty is everywhere, crushing poverty...
So many examples it is very difficult to quantify... Men, women and children sleep anywhere, at any time of the day or night, relying on charitable donations to survive. Lot's had limbs missing, a legacy of the millions of land mines - that are still being used today, around the world.
Monday
19th January Phnom
Penh.
Approx.
k's
Average
Speed
kph
Cycling
time
Hr(s)
Min. Max
speed.
kph
Max
temp
°C
Terrain:
Road
Conditions:
Overnight
Accom: (US$18.00)
$28.00
Standard,
Good
Remain Phnom Penh – Sightseeing and awaiting Vietnamese Visa.
Tuesday
20th January Phnom
Penh.
Approx.
k's
Average
Speed
kph
Cycling
time
Hr(s)
Min. Max
speed.
kph
Max
temp
°C
Terrain:
Road
Conditions:
Overnight
Accom: (US$18.00)
$28.00
Standard,
Good
Remain Phnom Penh – Sightseeing and awaiting Vietnamese Visa.
Wednesday
21st January Phnom
Penh.
Approx.
k's
Average
Speed
kph
Cycling
time
Hr(s)
Min. Max
speed.
kph
Max
temp
°C
Terrain:
Road
Conditions:
Overnight
Accom: (US$18.00)
$28.00
Standard,
Good
Remain Phnom Penh – Sightseeing and awaiting Vietnamese Visa.
There is enough on this page, so on to page four, where we will let you know the current situation..... catchya Later....
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