December 25, 2006
Siem Reap: Christmas Day
"It is asphalt! Patrick say". After 70 kms of riding, another mirage of asphalt appears.... only as we get closer...it really is asphalt. We both had been having these mirages.
Today's road will be a continuation of yesterday....for 102kms at least. Patrick says he read somewhere that there is asphalt into the city. So we put on new masks and set off at 0630. The day is about bumpy roads and red dust and flat except for the short detours around bridges.
Bouncing along the road to occupy her mind, Rachel makes up a song to the tune of Jingle Bells:
Cycling in Cambodia, Is not an easy task
Bumpy roads and dust, we have to wear a mask
Kids shout hello, goodbye, construction along the way
Oh what fun it is to see the sights this Christmas Day!
(Chorus) Dusty Roads, Dusty Roads
Dusty all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
A bicycle this Christmas Day.
Off in the distance, sometimes we'd think we see asphalt on the horizon of the road. But it would still be dirt and sometimes hard packed with sections that was loose dirt making cycling difficult. The wind isn't as strong today like yesterday when the wind blew dust from passing traffic across us.
We watch at one rest stop drinking cokes, a farmer on a motorcycle with 3 pigs strapped on the back with the legs straight up in the air. The farmer wanted cookies after Patrick took some pictures. The locals were eating fried snakes that had been tied into knots. Another rest stop, Patrick has a flat tire. He'd pumped it up earlier but now needed to change it. Later after yet another rest stop, the tire is low and he changes it again.
One stretch, there are stone carvings along the way, with one "shop" workers chipping away on one of two huge stone elephants. Patrick buys a small stone head. We prefer to buy souvenirs from locals like this than in the big tourist shops.
Once we reached the asphalt, we make better time even though there are still ruts and rough edges to avoid. We hit "rush hour" as we reach Siem Reap. We find the Bequest Angkor Hotel at about 4:45pm. We look pretty rough, covered in red dust, red mud still stuck to the edges of the tires. The hotel is booked except for a $50 room, we try another guesthouse next door, then move on to the Millennium Hotel, that has hot water, TV and a first floor room, mostly and importantly, helpful staff. Patrick hoses off the bikes, we try to dust off the bags, then settle in.
Pizza and Beer! What a day!
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Today's ride: 106 km (66 miles)
Total: 3,413 km (2,119 miles)
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