Friday, November 12, 2004

Phnom Phen

Three brutal days in the saddle, but I've made it to Phnom Phen. Each leg was about 100 km. The first day wasn't too bad, as I was well rested. Day 2 was punishing. Couldn't get my legs going at all. Today I felt a bit better and made my best time yet. The heat is quite intense - 95F by 10am until 2 or 3pm. Kinda like crossing Kansas but with rice fields instead of wheat.

I've also crossed into some much untravelled countryside. Seems like every stop draws a crowd of onlookers. It's a bit disconcerting trying to relax with 20 people casting their eyes upon you. A lot less English is spoken as well, making the acquisition of pineapple much more difficult (they have these great little pineapples that cost 500 riel / 12.5 cents each). Water is no problem as you just need to pop open the cooler and grab one - 500 riel for the locally bottled stuff).

Near as I can tell, there is a total of one stop light in Cambodia - and that was back in Siem Reap. They're not too big on traffic control around here. Motos, cars, trucks, buses all coming at you from every direction. Usually honking thir horns nonstop the entire way.

So my plan is to stay here a few days before heading south to the coast and then back east into Vietnam

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