Ride to Sisophon, bus to Siem Reap

December 28, 2016

I started the day bright and early, leaving the hotel in Poi Pet at first light. It was overcast, and even rained a bit, but the striking weather feature was the wind. It was a headwind, and it got stronger as I got further east. I was getting buffeted by the wind and the air from the passing trucks. I made it to Sisophon, and decided that rather than sleeping there, it made sense to try to catch a bus to Siem Reap today.

I found the bus depot for Capital Tours right away. They said they couldn't take my bike. I asked, using Google translate, which bus company could take it. Well, at that point they said they could take it if I split it, but not on the next bus at 11:30, only on the 2:30 bus. I figured I could wait and look around town. I went into a shop across the way for a cold drink. While I was in there, the attendant at the bus company waved me back over and said I could go on the 11:30. That was getting closer, so I went ahead and unloaded the bike, got out the wrench for the couplers, and took it apart. The Cambodians were not shy about watching, close up.

Some vendors showed up to wait for the bus, too, selling mangos and insects. The insects looked like crickets. The vendors kept munching on them, and stirring them around with their fingers. I would be more concerned with the hygiene than the fact that they were bugs!

The bus was about an hour late. The luggage compartment was packed full, and the driver didn't seem very enthusiastic about finding space for my bike halves, but he did. The ride was uneventful, and arrived in Siem Reap also an hour late.

I got some unsolicited help putting my bike back together. It actually worked out well. I had secured my cables by tying them to the frame with plastic bags, and was able to reconnect them and get my gears working with no problem. I rode into town, to the Wat Bo area where I had bookmarked a couple of guesthouses. That area was within walking distance of the infamous pub street, but supposedly quiet. The first place I went to had a room right at the entrance that wasn't very nice. The second place showed me a room that was visibly swarming with mosquitoes. No thank you. The third place was full. The owner at the third place directed me down an alley where he said there were many guest houses. There were. I stopped and was looking around when the owner of the European Guest House called out to me. I ended up taking his room, but may move tomorrow.

I took a walk down to Pub Street this evening. It's a crazy place! The density of tourists and businesses catering to tourists is overwhelming. I suppose it could grow on me.

I haven't really planned out my visit to Angkor War and the other temples and sites, so I need to get to work!

I passed a lot of these arches at the entry to the villages off the main road. Close to Poi Pet it was difficult to get a picture without a vehicle. The 3 people on a motor bike is fairly standard.

Another entry arch, this one with elephants.

Rice. I think this is a central collection point to take it to the mill. But I could be wrong.

Ducks! I'm not sure why they choose this particular rice pond, or what keeps them there, but they seem to be having fun splashing in the water.

The vendors kept picking at this tray of insects, eating a few and running their fingers through the pile.

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Today's ride: 50 km (31 miles)
Total: 2,162 km (1,343 miles)

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