The road.......

After a hearty breakfast and messing around getting the bike loaded up (an ongoing process which needs refining......I've got too much stuff!), I finally set off a little before noon. The advantage of this was the relatively light traffic at that time which gave me chance to get used to the driving style here. Which is best described as "chaotic", but it seems to work.

After getting out of town, I followed what passes for a motorway for a while before turning off to follow the smaller roads which curve along with the Mekong to Kampong Cham. The road condition so far has been much better than expected. I have a memory (probably distorted) of taking the road from Siem Reap to the Thai border at Poipet many, many years ago and it was a hard packed dirt road. Did I imagine that? Or am I just very old? Anyway, I sure there are poor roads to come.

Just a few hours, a short days ride to acclimatise. But it was fun, especially on the smaller local roads where everyday life unfolds before you like a National Geographic documentary. 

Kampong Cham on the banks of the Mekong, seems a nice enough place; had a wander around town. Went to see the famous bamboo bridget (now a tourist attraction rather than a working bridge; foot traffic only). Just a one night stop before heading East towards Vietnam (although I cannot enter there).

Soundtrack: RDF/Military Surplus - "Firepower"

Second day on the road started with a bridge over the Mekong, leaving the river behind as I headed East. Passing rubber tree plantations in the heat and dust, the bike plodded along, rarely breaking 60kph as we rolled through the flat landscape. The occasional bend in the road or small incline doing little to quicken the pulse (the crazy drivers did that!). 

A squadron of BMW 1200GS thundered past in tight formation at one point, silver boxes glistening in the sun. Must have been on a bombing raid somewhere. I thought about trying to keep up for a nanosecond before realising that if I did catch up, I'd have to talk to them. Umm, no thanks.

Once beyond O-Am for the 60 or so km to Sen Monorom the road suddenly began to dip and wheel up and down and around the increasing hills. The baja suddenly started straining at the leash like a puppy with a new ball. The bike was transformed, the old dog still knew a few tricks.

Time for some fun!

All too soon, the town appeared round a bend, and we pulled into a guesthouse, the Baja wagging it's tail contentedly.  Sen Monorom: I guess it must be pretty high up, as there is almost a chill in the air and a wind is blowing (just to remind of my wind-burned cheeks from today's ride). Only about 160 miles ridden today, but 6 hours on the road. I think I wouldn't want to do more miles in these conditions; it isn't a race after all.

Soundtrack: Stuart A Staples - "There is a path"