Lost On A Bike: Heading back to the Thai Border

20/5/2011

So I got myself briefly lost leaving Siem Reap, you have to keep to your eyes peeled for road signs around here or maybe I should just pay more attention! 100km to Sisophon well I made it 115km. A head wind the whole way and I went 23kph….20…19….18….16…14kph it was slow progress and straight, super straight. And refreshing warm turning hot water to hydrate.

Straight, flat, hot, head wind

Sisophon!!!!! Yay!

Well It has taken 7 weeks and two trips to a post shop but my bike has gone on a massive diet and lost it’s ‘front bum’. After repeatedly seeing other cycle tourist carrying half of what I have, multiple comments of “you have a lot of gear”, continually wonder what I can loose and finally a skype session with the comments passed:

“Have you got a tent?”

“No.”

“Do you cook your own food? Have you got a cooker?”

“No.”

“Oh.? Man I’m just trying work out what you are carrying around?”

“hmmm, I don’t know. One bag I don’t even really use.”

downsizing - the pile centre back slowly grew

And that was it. Time to get ruthless. The front panniers go, my pack that I have only used three times (once being on the flight over) is gone, and a stack of random stuff that I just haven’t used. It feels good and really looking forward to the first day riding without it all. My legs will hopefully be well rewarded!

It is interesting to find out just how little you need when cycle touring. I had back-ups of everything it felt. Why? You’ll find a solution if something runs out or breaks. I could still cut back if I wanted but have kept a few luxuries for myself.

22/5/2011

My last day in Cambodia. Just like any other and funny enough very similar to a couple of days ago with a head wind again. It was not until I was about 15km out of Poipet (border crossing) that it struck me that it was my last day in Cambodia, well for the mean time anyway it will be nice to come back. A few thoughts on my time through Cambodia:

poor country but very giving for what they have
Cambodia grew on me over my time there. Ups and downs and breaking wheels but things just seemed to work out at the end of the day.
An easy enough country to travel around (even for a beginner). I have experienced and enjoyed local and rural lifestyle and some of those nice treats of tourist areas.
I only found hills in the south and the rest of the time it was remarkably flat. I’m looking forward to some hills to enjoy the descents again!
Cambodia has an incredible history – The Temples, the Khmer Rogue, the wars, the landmines
The Poipet border crossing is a confusing shambles but fun to go through.

The border crossing:

Khmer, Khmer, Khmer, Casino

Departure easy – filled out the departure card and stamped out. Now where do I go, follow the 64 signs in different directions and multiple options to get to other side. Being on a bike I mixed things up between following vehicles and foot traffic. Didn’t quite get it right… I almost made it through the border without getting a visa. Stood in one queue labelled ‘Visa on Arrival’ I’m pretty sure that’s what I need? Apparently not. I’m told to stand in the ‘Foreign Passport’ and I’ll just get stamped another two weeks. Sorted. Go back outside and get my bike and ride down the vehicle lane and come up to the vehicle border pass office. Nah stuff that I’ll just jump back on the footpath and walk through to freedom thanks. For being a major border crossing it’s confusing, I don’t know if was just me but there were a couple of other foreigners that were all over the show too.

The border crossing

The Casino in the middle of the crossing - right

I actually feel sad saying farewell to Cambodia. There were days I was happy to leave and be somewhere else but looking back I can only really think how everything I did and what happened to me was a really great adventure. There will be lots that I’ll miss.

Aranya Prathet was my destination of the Thai side, about 6km from the border. Being back into Thailand was a weird feeling. All the things I remembered started to appear again: the yellow roadside shelters, 7-11 stores, being on the left hand side of the road, smooth roads with your own moto/cycle lane and spicy food! I had forgotten about the last and dived into my dinner then shortly after began a fire in my mouth!!! Stay calm and drink water, look like you're fine... eyes watering, nose starting to run I don't think I look very normal!

Found the post shop in Aranya Prathet and that was the end of the front panniers... a bit on the expensive side for postage but it's for the better!