GETTING DIRTY IN CAMBODIA

[Cracker]

HOT! HOT! EFFING HOT!!

And that's the weather I'm talking about, not the women, although they come a close second. It's the end of the dry season and temps in the 40s are common added to unbearable humidity, you drink at least 3 litres of water before hittng your first beer!!

A spur of the moment thought and there I was, standing outside the airport in Siem Reap about to hit the dirt in a country filled with landmines. I've broken a few legs in my time but I've yet to lose one ------- this'll be a first.

Ok, so let's backtrack a bit. My son is studying in Kuala Lumpur which give sme a reason to visit South East Asia every year.After doing Malaysia last year I figured I needed something different this time and Cambodia was one of those names stuck in my mind from years back, remember 'The Killing Fields' - great movie but a tragic tale. Seemed just the place for an idiot like me.


I first spent a weekend in Bangkok but won't bore you with the details. For those who've been there they know what it's like and for the rest - you just gotta see for yourselves  > > >

A couple of interesting pics while cruising .................









that last one is for the other sparkies out there - ALL cables within arms reach including HV.

And so off to Cambodia I went. I arrived in Siem Reap expecting more of the same as in Bangkok but I was way off. Way, way different, it was like stepping back in time to the middle ages but with the mod cons like clothing, electricity and 'organic food'. In fact, organic and free-range is all you gonna get.

Now this area is the home to some big temples with Angkor Wat being the biggest religious monument in the world so I thought I'd do the touristy thing and get it out the way before the next day's riding began. First off, I hired me a taxi driver who could speak a bit of English and knew his way around - without one of these life is gonna be hard and the touts are gonna get you. Paid him a flat rate for the day and well into the evening .................

I stayed in a great hotel, about R200 a day. No food but that didn't matter as you just eat off the streets as you go

The mugging-alley to the hotel - being twice the size of the locals seemed to keep me alive


A view of the town


An aircon with a comfy bed - better than sex, really!!

 

[badballie]

Sub .............ah how I would love another trip to Bangkok  ;D

 

[Cracker]

And so I did the tourist thing and visited a couple of temples - quite amazing to see what was built a thousand years ago and how the jungle has reclaimed it.

Approaching Angkor Wat - this temple is about 1km square so walking it takes forever and another 3 litres of water  : :




I saw this bike but wasn't sure if these lot are here to protect me or arrest me - anything goes in this town.


And so, after the temples I retreated to somewhere I felt at home - a pub. And when the beer truck arrived I just knew the night was gonna be a CRACKER!! And it was .............................  :3some: :3some:



And so, up early the next day - red eyes and a dry mouth - just right for an off-road tour in the hottest country in the world  
I waqs picked up from the hotel and scootered off to a house in the middle of nowhere where I met my weapon for the next 2 days - a KTM400 dirt bike - thankfully with an electric start - I woulda vomited if I'd had to kick that thing all day



Me looking ready but really just wanting to go back to bed -------------


Now, as you all know, off-road riding and photos do not mix well so I didn't take many pics. I was too busy holding onto the beast and trying to stay on the path - remember the landmines!!

They say a lot of areas are cleared but in the rainy season the plastic ones get washed about waiting for the next victim - brings a whole new meaning to the term 'lurker', doesn't it?

1st stop was for petrol - took pic of this temple just behind the pumps. They play chanting type music all day, quite pleasant. In fact, there's local music coming from somewhere, wherever you stop - surreal.

 

[Dirt Junkie]

eepwall:

 

[Cracker]

Don't hide, dirt junkie, I know what you did - you too badballie  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

STOP PRESS!!!

Before I go any further I have to say that that was the best off-road bike I've ridden to date - I'm converted

This KTM400 rode so much better than my KLX450 at home. It felt lighter, turned quicker, felt glued to the track and the power delivery was smooth but with a punch when you wanted it.

The seat was a bitch but it was an easy bike to stand on anyway - I want a KTM  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(


Anyways, off we went, throught the fields and countryside, just me and my guide, Sophal. I didn't have a clue where I was and getting lost here was not an option. No-one speaks english, or french, or any other language you've ever heard.
Not even Coca-Cola has been here!!

Throught the dried paddy fields, over makeshift bridges, through mud thicker than Zoomer and sand, sand and more sand. Luckily no rocks but I was getting further and further from civilisation, deeper and deeper into the abyss ............I would have been well and truly fooked if something had gone wrong. BUT, it didn't, and so you are reading about it  :thumleft:





A bridge too far ..................


My guide, Sophal - could speak English and Khmer - a good combination




An old temple ruin, perhaps?


We rode all day, with a stop for lunch in some village, but finally got to the overnight stop at about four - that first beer was the best I'd had in a looooooooooooooooooooooong time. The overnight stop was in a small village at a crossroads, so it had a couple shops and other bits and pieces. We stayed at the chiefs house, in a nice guestroom - he and his family lived in the lower wooden shed type room.



Found this in his 'kitchen' area


For dinner that night we ate a chicken, freshly caught in the road and plucked and braaied by Sophal. Not bad coz I was starving but the chicken wasn't much bigger than a budgie, but food is food.

Luckily, with dinner being so fresh, I didn't have to spend too much time in the shitter


day 2 to come .......................

 

[Keith Barbier]

:sip: thanks for sharing  :thumleft:

 

[Jondu]

eepwall:

 

[KTMRICK]

You want a what?????  ot: :ricky: Nice, keep it coming.

 

[The Badger]

lekker rr so far........ thanks  :thumleft:

 

[Pistol]

Great stuff Rob :thumleft: How did you make contact with the bike hire and guide?

 

[badballie]

;D :thumleft: Cracker

 

[MissM]

Aarrrggg! This looks amazing! I am so jealous.

On a side note: I recently got a bottle of Mount Gay rum from my aunt in Canada, and it is delicious.

 

[Vintage_Mania]

:thumleft:

 

[Dwerg]

Cool  :thumleft:

Would you mind giving a rough idea of your budget at the end?

 

[Hentie bm]

:happy1:

 

[Cracker]

Up early, after a restless night, sweating to death with no aircon. I slept on a large wooden bed with a straw mat and a blanket I used for a pillow. Mozzie nets a must - apparently they give you dengue fever as well as the usual malaria  : :

I took a stroll around the village in the morning before ending up in the soup kitchen for some brekkies. I was given some soup with noodles in a jiffy bag and sent on my way - have you ever tried eating soup out of a plastic bag? - half in your mouth and the rest on your shirt. Here they don't have breakfast lunch and supper - it's just eat, eat and eat - the same meals all the time. The soup looked like prison stuff but tasted nice and the meals were never too spicy. To be honest, I'm missing their food as I type this.

I had the 'Deliverence' banjo music ringing in my head. I wasn't too worried about being sexually exploited but they make some big, mean looking, cooking pots. A porky white man might be just what they were thinking of ..........................

All cats, dogs, rats, birds and other vermin are fair game here. I was hoping to try some dog but no luck, will have to wait till the next time.

a village elders house


younger family house


Shopping area but what they sell, I don't know


the local 'Harley Club' at the 'News Cafe'


the pot maker


And then it was back on the bikes for some more trail riding. No pics of this, unfortunately, we never really stopped until we found a clearing with decent paths

A hindu temple in the jungle, dating back to about 300ad, still being used today by the locals


Where am I? - fuck knows!!!


local petrol station - better looking attendants than ours


A rest somewhere ................


a farm road ..............


Although farming is a bit different, all subsistence or co-operative work in the paddy fields.

A bit more to come but I gotta go back to work 

 

[Bike_Buddies]

sub

 

[RobCrouch]

Lekker! :thumleft:

 

[Onetime]

:thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Cracker]

Hell, I really wish I'd taken more pictures - the things you see are amazing

I saw the scooters with 5 on a bike, others carrying car doors, live pigs, hundreds of chickens - just like the pictures in the WTF sections here on WD. I saw trucks carrying giant ice blocks that get dropped off at the side of the road, cut into smaller chunks with a wood saw and dropped in the cooler boxes to keep the water and tea iced.

Best invention I saw was the hand-truck. It's a 2 wheel tractor - serious - an engine drives 2 side-by-side tractor wheels which can be coupled to a plough or a cart and used as a car. why aren't these things used here in SA, I wonder??





Alas, all good rides come to an end and I soon had to part company with my new 'best bike' and head back into town for another night of fun and games





And finally, back in civilised Kuala Lumpur, I took to a bit of archery with my son. This is another sport I wish I'd taken up - quite enjoyable.



Some facts and other interesting bits and pieces: -

They love dollars - you got some, you can have anything ................

when I asked what the speed limit is - I was told 'No limit, we drive as slow as we want'. This was no lie, these lot are super slow and all over the place.

when I asked which side of the road do they drive on - I was told 'All of them' and is certainly no lie. 'Who Dares Wins' is how it works in Cambodia.

Tuk tuks are expensive - taxis and the back of scooters is the way to go - or walk, even better.

I was warned to stay away from the bar girls - they'll rob you blind including your passport.

I was told there are ladyboy around but never saw any - everyone is 5ft tall anyway, men and women

If you're ever ther you have to go out to a Kareoke Bar - it is NOT what it sounds like although singing plays an integral part. Do NOT take your missus there.

Budget: It is cheaper than here - prices in USD
Beers $1.5 for a pint
food $5 a meal
taxi from airport $20 - back to airport $8 (you learn as you go  : )
Flight from Bangkok to Cambodia, return - R500-00
My hotel - really nice - R200/night for the room. There are those that cost more and those that cost less. Aircon very important!!!!!!!

Food and drink comes down in price as you move away from the tourist areas.

October to January - high season - not as hot but packed full of chinese tourists at the buddhist temples

June to August - wet season with August being very bad - no dirt riding - too muddy and will never get across rivers.

there are scooters and bicycles for hire around town and quads for the surrounds but if you wanna get away then you gotta do it on a dirt bike

check it out - www.siemreapdirtbikes.com

And that, my friends, is my story - I will be going back for a longer tour but will see if they got something similar in Vietnam