I did it!!! :D I just crossed the Cardamom Mountains and now trying to
get drunk in Promuoy ;) ..after I got a extra 5 litres of gas, lots of water
and emergency food, I still decided to take a guide (offer was 80USD to
Promuoy). Couldn’t print out any maps in town (no working printers) and they
wouldn’t have served anyway. I was prepared to do it on my own (even getting
wrecked along the way) and still bailed out and opted for the safe way. But
then just shortly after, Paddy, the guy from my guesthouse, told me a friend of
his does the way tomorrow and I could go with them. For like 10 USD (happily
gave 20 :). They were two people on one small bike and a box of seafood with
them (having some crab tonight ;) and it gave me a lot of confidence to be able
to do it (even if heavily loaded). ..to mention: I found another mat yesterday,
did some Yoga with it and start to like it (totally different style, but does
the job of providing some softer ground), and I lost it already today on the
ride here :P luckily it was only 4USD and I’ll get a new one. Can’t be without
mat for exercises! ;)
the day was spectacular! We missed a turnoff, but my friend figured it out quickly talking a bit Khmer. Good to have some local people with you! :D it’s not that hard to do, because there is some traffic along the way and people living. You can buy bottled water and snacks (small selection tough) and gas everywhere along the way. There are not so many ways to get lost and I’m happy I didn’t hire a special guide for it but could drive along with the other two guys :) had some good food at a restaurant in Ou Som and visited a Pineapple field to see how the grow and we went to some big plains (that become swamp in the wet season). Was a really cool ride!! As assumed probably the best of this trip! ..so once you know the way, it’s easy. Leave Koh Kong on some big dirt road with milestones. Around km 50 turn left. Another hour ride to 3 dams and after passing the second dam it’s 14km to Ou Som and from there about 25km (1 hour) to Promuoy. If I’d have known that it’s so easy, I could have done it alone. But like this I had some nice extras to the trip and a perfect time management (we spent the whole day in the mountains and arrived just before the rain started. Now it’s dry again and hopefully stays like that, so I can take some more dirt tracks direction north. I wish I’d have a compass!! My friend made some good movies from the trip and from me riding.. this will give a nice movie to upload: “Cambodian Dirtbike Memories”.
tonight I’ll also have a good sleep. I want to journey as quickly as I can to the ruins in the north. There I want to stay out for a night in the jungle (need to buy hammock and mosquito net). Will for sure also be a cool experience!! ;)
the day was spectacular! We missed a turnoff, but my friend figured it out quickly talking a bit Khmer. Good to have some local people with you! :D it’s not that hard to do, because there is some traffic along the way and people living. You can buy bottled water and snacks (small selection tough) and gas everywhere along the way. There are not so many ways to get lost and I’m happy I didn’t hire a special guide for it but could drive along with the other two guys :) had some good food at a restaurant in Ou Som and visited a Pineapple field to see how the grow and we went to some big plains (that become swamp in the wet season). Was a really cool ride!! As assumed probably the best of this trip! ..so once you know the way, it’s easy. Leave Koh Kong on some big dirt road with milestones. Around km 50 turn left. Another hour ride to 3 dams and after passing the second dam it’s 14km to Ou Som and from there about 25km (1 hour) to Promuoy. If I’d have known that it’s so easy, I could have done it alone. But like this I had some nice extras to the trip and a perfect time management (we spent the whole day in the mountains and arrived just before the rain started. Now it’s dry again and hopefully stays like that, so I can take some more dirt tracks direction north. I wish I’d have a compass!! My friend made some good movies from the trip and from me riding.. this will give a nice movie to upload: “Cambodian Dirtbike Memories”.
tonight I’ll also have a good sleep. I want to journey as quickly as I can to the ruins in the north. There I want to stay out for a night in the jungle (need to buy hammock and mosquito net). Will for sure also be a cool experience!! ;)
So I got the hammock with mosquito net and tomorrow night, I’ll sleep
out at the Koh Ker ruins :D (it’s recommended to do so in the Lonely Planet.
Didn’t have one for ages, but find it pretty useful here and worth the 3USD ;)
there are maps of the ruins and descriptions. So there are three sites I want
to visit and figured out I have plenty of time. Booked my flight on the 9th
and have to get the Visa done before. So I will bring my passport to the embassy
once I’m back in Phnom Penh and get the oil changed and then off for another
week or more to the North East.
there are some things to say about Cambodia. People are very friendly, but still scarred from their history. After the genocide and very harsh periods, they are now looking for who they are. I also saw a group of MAG (Mine Advisory Group) that were clearing minefields along the boarder to Thailand. There are still many, many more unexploded mines left and it will take forever to make these lands safe again. So never leave the path, not even to take a shit :P
There is no SevenEleven in Cambodia (some imported products, lingering on shelves in food stores tough ;) but along the way you’ll see hundreds of orange cooling boxes, that contain a nice selection of random more or less cooled drinks. So it’s always nice to stop at one of these treasure chests for refreshment! :)
People wear funny dresses that look like pyjamas. Same cut and both parts made out of the same colourful fabric with something printed on it. doesn’t look that nice, but must be comfortable!! ;)
here it’s extremely hot.. and I mean EXTREMELY! But on the bike it’s OK.. but stop for 30 seconds and you start dripping ;)
When I started in Promuoy, I had a little note with some Khmer words on it that brought my safely to Pailin. So I left out all the paved national roads and just found my way through the countryside where it’s most beautiful! :) yes, had really a great day of riding! Got a nasty scratch on my thigh, because the bike fell over when I tried to pass a mud hole and a improvised screw of the handlebar got me. Well.. it doesn’t hurt a lot and will heal quickly. Nothing bad happened.. good news is that my boots finally fit comfortably (still tight). I’m optimizing my way of packing and so far my backpack sits tight. So yeah.. taking all these back roads demanded some driving skill. Mud, sand, river crossings, dusty roads with holes in it and so on. But I enjoy a lot!! :D having enough time to go slowly if it has to be. At the moment I find myself having a good speed tough ;) I ride until my ass hurts and then a little more (because mostly I’m not there where I plan to stop ;) It’s just such a great way to discover Cambodia when you have a bike!! :) when I met people (locals) on these bad roads, they are all on a smaller, much shittier bike with sometimes heavier loads or up to four people (e.g. young family). So I figured, I can do it too and I also see the limits of the bike (and when it’s loaded). So it’s not some super crazy offroad stuff I’m doing.. normal people travel these roads, so it’s not like 5km would take you an hour to make (if you’re that much offroad, then without luggage and you won’t drive like this one day long.. simply too tiring).
yesterday I slept at a Karaoke bar (they’re called KTV.. whatever it means). So men go there to get drunk and sing Karaoke and have girls dancing and singing with them. Really odd. So the selection yesterday was not so spectacular and apparently there is no sex involved. Just getting drunk and silly Karaoke ;D must cost some money and I saw one guy walking out, trying to start his bike, but couldn’t do it because so shitfaced. And it got me too, because I skipped dinner and was just drinking beer, until I had to unload some the same way it came in.. well, at least no hangover today. On the way here I stopped at some nice ruins along the way. I wouldn’t come from Siam Reap for it (as you could do, but apparently nobody does ;) but having this just along the way and accessible for my bike was just great! :)
tomorrow I pass Pol Pots cremation place and the grave of some cruel dude during the regime. But I don’t know yet if I will bail out to pay it a visit. Maybe I just head on to Kor Ker (was very long hard to get too). Now there is a toll road and it should take me very long to get there :P well.. at least when the pavement is good, you get some more time to watch the things around you. And well.. let’s see if there are other tourists. I doubt somebody will camp out with me ;)
having helmet time is a good thing. I had some nice thoughts today about past, present and future and also about riding a motorbike. I enjoy spending time on the way. Nothing to do, just drive (and BE). Don’t meet a lot of people to talk to and during the day I’m just listening to my favourite type of music and letting life inspiring me. I already spent a lot of time on the road and you probably must be the type to like it. But to me it’s moving not only through time, but also through space. The way guides me and brings me to the places where I want to go. This 250ccm is like little dragon to me and I’m it’s rider, taking it from the sea to the highest mountains and down into the deepest jungle. Kinda bad-ass, isn’t it? ;D
having a helmet with a visor is a must (because of all the dust when cars pass) and I’m happy to have my sunglasses in addition to it, otherwise my eyes are burning in the evening. I should also get some mouth cover, but lost my nice napkin in Thailand already.
I got the bike ready for tomorrow (chain tightened and oiled, tank filled). Need batteries, candles and some supplies before getting to the ruins. I’m looking forward to explore them at night and play didgeridoo there! :D
there are some things to say about Cambodia. People are very friendly, but still scarred from their history. After the genocide and very harsh periods, they are now looking for who they are. I also saw a group of MAG (Mine Advisory Group) that were clearing minefields along the boarder to Thailand. There are still many, many more unexploded mines left and it will take forever to make these lands safe again. So never leave the path, not even to take a shit :P
There is no SevenEleven in Cambodia (some imported products, lingering on shelves in food stores tough ;) but along the way you’ll see hundreds of orange cooling boxes, that contain a nice selection of random more or less cooled drinks. So it’s always nice to stop at one of these treasure chests for refreshment! :)
People wear funny dresses that look like pyjamas. Same cut and both parts made out of the same colourful fabric with something printed on it. doesn’t look that nice, but must be comfortable!! ;)
here it’s extremely hot.. and I mean EXTREMELY! But on the bike it’s OK.. but stop for 30 seconds and you start dripping ;)
When I started in Promuoy, I had a little note with some Khmer words on it that brought my safely to Pailin. So I left out all the paved national roads and just found my way through the countryside where it’s most beautiful! :) yes, had really a great day of riding! Got a nasty scratch on my thigh, because the bike fell over when I tried to pass a mud hole and a improvised screw of the handlebar got me. Well.. it doesn’t hurt a lot and will heal quickly. Nothing bad happened.. good news is that my boots finally fit comfortably (still tight). I’m optimizing my way of packing and so far my backpack sits tight. So yeah.. taking all these back roads demanded some driving skill. Mud, sand, river crossings, dusty roads with holes in it and so on. But I enjoy a lot!! :D having enough time to go slowly if it has to be. At the moment I find myself having a good speed tough ;) I ride until my ass hurts and then a little more (because mostly I’m not there where I plan to stop ;) It’s just such a great way to discover Cambodia when you have a bike!! :) when I met people (locals) on these bad roads, they are all on a smaller, much shittier bike with sometimes heavier loads or up to four people (e.g. young family). So I figured, I can do it too and I also see the limits of the bike (and when it’s loaded). So it’s not some super crazy offroad stuff I’m doing.. normal people travel these roads, so it’s not like 5km would take you an hour to make (if you’re that much offroad, then without luggage and you won’t drive like this one day long.. simply too tiring).
yesterday I slept at a Karaoke bar (they’re called KTV.. whatever it means). So men go there to get drunk and sing Karaoke and have girls dancing and singing with them. Really odd. So the selection yesterday was not so spectacular and apparently there is no sex involved. Just getting drunk and silly Karaoke ;D must cost some money and I saw one guy walking out, trying to start his bike, but couldn’t do it because so shitfaced. And it got me too, because I skipped dinner and was just drinking beer, until I had to unload some the same way it came in.. well, at least no hangover today. On the way here I stopped at some nice ruins along the way. I wouldn’t come from Siam Reap for it (as you could do, but apparently nobody does ;) but having this just along the way and accessible for my bike was just great! :)
tomorrow I pass Pol Pots cremation place and the grave of some cruel dude during the regime. But I don’t know yet if I will bail out to pay it a visit. Maybe I just head on to Kor Ker (was very long hard to get too). Now there is a toll road and it should take me very long to get there :P well.. at least when the pavement is good, you get some more time to watch the things around you. And well.. let’s see if there are other tourists. I doubt somebody will camp out with me ;)
having helmet time is a good thing. I had some nice thoughts today about past, present and future and also about riding a motorbike. I enjoy spending time on the way. Nothing to do, just drive (and BE). Don’t meet a lot of people to talk to and during the day I’m just listening to my favourite type of music and letting life inspiring me. I already spent a lot of time on the road and you probably must be the type to like it. But to me it’s moving not only through time, but also through space. The way guides me and brings me to the places where I want to go. This 250ccm is like little dragon to me and I’m it’s rider, taking it from the sea to the highest mountains and down into the deepest jungle. Kinda bad-ass, isn’t it? ;D
having a helmet with a visor is a must (because of all the dust when cars pass) and I’m happy to have my sunglasses in addition to it, otherwise my eyes are burning in the evening. I should also get some mouth cover, but lost my nice napkin in Thailand already.
I got the bike ready for tomorrow (chain tightened and oiled, tank filled). Need batteries, candles and some supplies before getting to the ruins. I’m looking forward to explore them at night and play didgeridoo there! :D
surprisingly there are all roads paved leading me to this place. Made it easier to travel and had some more time to see the nature. Most of it is tough not as stunning as in the Cardamoms. Still, getting closer to the boarder, there’s another small mountain range and it’s nice to have something to capture your view :) then I think, I should not be expecting, but just taking the road and the landscape for what it is. Many people are living their daily life out here (what is pretty simple, looking at the evolutionary stand of most of the individuals here). But it’s interesting and inspiring to see this and I enjoyed as well getting here (was really simple compared to what I went through ;)
On the top of the temple I had some nice didgeridoo sessions (it’s pretty cool to play at ancient ruins!! ;D especially when you can look down over the lands. I even made a little movie with my sticks.. the background could be from Mortal Kombat ;) hehehe ;) most of the locals working on the top came to see the show (and enjoyed it! :) but then some grumpy lady was scaring me away. I didn’t understand what she and the officer said, but they meant to stop me. Well.. at least got a shot ;) had lots of fun there! After I got out of Vietnam five years ago, I remember some moments in Cambodia, where I was freely (in public) expressing myself with toys and dance and improved my performance. This was surely a milestone for me and it’s nice to come back and do the same again. It was here, where I got boosted to perform more freely without thinking what other people could think of it.
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