Long Straight Roads to Battambang

Udong

Arrived 10/5/2011

A little worse for wear and sick of re-stitching

Back on the bike this morning, in a new cycling top (el greeno) as my old merino one has now retired.  It felt good getting some distance from the city and continuing the journey.  The road so far has been ¾ sealed and the rest gravelled getting ready for re-sealing.  I’m sure it will be nice to ride along here once all the roadworks are complete but for now constantly breathing in and getting covered in dust which is a less than top 10 experience.

Mushroom haystacks on the way to Udong

Wanting to get off the road asap I choose the first guesthouse that I came across.  Set back from the road a bit and a place to eat opposite it, sweet seems good.  Two power cuts later, an aerobics session in the neigbouring backyard with the music blasting (I have learnt to count pretty well in Khmer now) and discovering my food place was not…what a blowout.  I remembered there was something at the other end of town but in the dark, dust everywhere, most of the shops shut due to the dust and it being about a 15min walk I decided to flag and just had museli instead.  Not the greatest of days really.

A wee sneak view inside the hotel

Kampong Chhnang

Arrived 11/5/2011

A happy day!  After being told my $100 was not legal tender in Cambodia I took it into a bank and they happily changed it for me into 20’s so will be easier to use now too!! Awesome.  And I have landed myself a pretty pimpin room 3 floors up with views across the town.  I unfortunately forgot to take a photo of the place.  A cheap stay and treated like a king! All the other guests have flash cars (Lexus and mercs) parked outside then there is and one steel framed bike…

The view from the hotel

A pottery stall along the highway outside Kampong Chhnang

Me at the central Buddhist temple in Kampong Chhnang

Mini bananas

Some of the local kids

Pursat

Arrived 12/5/2011

Another stifling hot day – I got the 3 spot burn on my forehead again from my helmet makes me look pretty cool!  The roads are straight, endlessly straight!

Discovered these great bread treats.  A roll with sweet filling in it kind of like an uncooked Danish. Mmmm bread and sweet stuff.

I have come to learn that Cambodians know how to deal with power cuts pretty well.  They tend to occur every second night if not once a night.  You can be reasonably reassured that when the power goes that within maybe 3 minutes things will be back running again.  Some places I have stayed have backup generators at hand so the luxuries of fans can continue to go and save you from melting.

The spots

Danish thing