After spending some days in Phnom Penh, I decided to head to the sea. What better way to begin than a)starting late, b)being a bit sleep deprived, c)having drank quite a lot the previous night...
I started out at 2pm and after 2 bottles of water, 3 coconuts and 30 minutes of riding I was about to give up, thinking of buses,canoes,airplanes,double-sided beds,air-conditioners and the detrimental effects of alcohol and smoking on the human body...
The highway is well paved and apart from the first 40-60km where the traffic is a bit dense, its an easy ride. Both ways are single-laned and as long as you're on a 2-wheel vehicle you're expected to move over to the non-paved auxiliary lane whenever a car wants to surpass another car in the opposite direction. It's quite a hassle but thankfully didn't happen too often. The scenery switched between rice paddies,coconut tree plantations and small villages. Night comes early now, so I had to stop at about 7.30, after having covered the first 100km. The last hour or so while riding in the darkness, a magnificent thunderstorm was building up way ahead of me with lightning strikes every few seconds. I feel lucky being here right in the end of the rainy season, the sky can get quite dramatic at times and there is always thunders somewhere in the background, I just hope they stay there, don't fancy riding in the rain that much! I stayed in a small town-I think it was Traeng Trayueng-that had only one guesthouse that served as a brothel as well, I was even offered a girl as I walked in and after I politely declined I noticed that she didn't look older than 16.Maybe I was wrong, people sometimes tend to look younger than they are here, nevertheless underage prostitution is a big issue in Cambodia. I contemplated on watching an 80's dubbed b-movie at a nearby cafe but opted for a fish-rice combo in a food-stall served accompanied with a warm can of beer served in a glass filled with ice that of course melted a couple of minutes later. Then off to my moisty room, passing out almost instantly.
Next day I started early, by 7am I was on the road and did the last 140km. The most beautiful part of my ride so far is the amount of children I see in every village I pass, either going to school or just playing around, always laughing and almost always waving and hello-ing me, a thing that can get tiresome since in some villages I had to have my hand constantly up, hello-ing them back,like a president on a tour. This time I was a bit smarter than the day before, and by 1pm I was having a wonderful nap in the shade, waiting for the temperature to drop a bit,waking up just in time to start hello-ing the children coming back from school. The final stretch involves crossing the damrei mountains, making the ride a bit more interesting, the road gently ascending and dropping soon after, passing through forests and coconut tree plantations.
A few coconuts and various other fruits later I was in Sihanoukville, a large city built around a port, with an abundance of beaches on the south side. Wanting to hook up with some friends I went to Monkey Republic, a hostel situated in the party-side of town, not a bad place if you're into nightlife and endless bar-hoping, but not convenient for a cyclist, lacking the space I had to fit my bike under my bed.
Two important facts:
1.Cycling between 12 and 2-3pm at this time of year is a big no-no. If the locals stay in their hammocks in the shade, they know what they are doing. I couldn't measure the temperature but even for a Greek it was HOT.
2.Right about sunset the attack of the insects starts.If you're not wearing goggles and snorkel, half of them will end up in your mouth providing a free protein-rich meal and the rest all over your face. Not funny. Not tasty either.
Only a few shitty photos this time, will get better soon, I promise.
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