That's it - Final post from Cambodia

Limping like the walking wounded returning from the battlefield, we check-in at Siem Reap airport and just about make our flight back to the UK when our flight to Singapore is delayed.

Most of us have some injury or other, it's been a hard 10days of riding, but we've all enjoyed it immensely, made new friends and reignited old acquaintances.

Brett, Craig, Mick, Jonnie, Nick, Mike, Tim, Rob, Gerard, Hugo, Steve, Steve, Duff, Jules, Richard and Danny (not forgetting Bernard, Sam and Ducky) it's been great riding with you.

Zeman, Steve D, Mike, Leng, Dara, Tommy, Tony, Tim and the rest of the team: huge thanks to you guys for being there to pick up the pieces when we needed it.

It's been intense but I'm not quite Enduro'd out yet and already thinking about the next adventure. I'd better start saving!

I'm now on the train back to Brussels and will then catch a bus to Waterloo. It's bloody freezing in London after the 35C heat in Cambodia. Work on Monday..........................

A bientot mon amis.

PS can I have a dirt bike for Christmas?...  No, not a dirt-y bike, an off-road machine.  Need to sell one of the others first.

Odds and ends

So, despite all my blogging, I still didn't manage to mention:
- wedding day music played LOUD from 5am, like the early morning Adhan in Muslim countries, but endless and interspersed with horse racing commentary
- the "Iron Ox" tractors
- bikes, mopeds and step-throughs used to carry everything and everyone, beds, live chickens, building supplies, multiple people, babies and animals
- Tuk tuks powered by puny little 110cc engines pulling four grown men and the rider
- people and kids using the only English they know: "Hellogoodbye" when they see you.
- my academic treatise on waving in Cambodia (less popular than India, but still effective at smile inducing)
- Mick's on-high night time adventure with a frog catcher who nearly got soaked
- the hot cold drinks, and the cold hot drinks
- our addiction to Royal D electrolyte powder
- me being left behind twice, at Ta Prohm AND then by the coach going to the. airport (somebody trying to tell me something?)
- and no doubt many other things

Kit list

A few comments on the kit needed for this tour.

Firstly good strong boots are essential. I considered wearing more flexible boots as I had problems with changing gears in the concrete lumps I previously wore on Enduro Himalaya. The advice I got was to aim for protection rather than flexibility. In the end I bought a pair of Sidi Crossfire boots which have a hinge at the ankles. And I'm so glad I did. Protection is definitely the key. My feet got a real hammering from tree stumps, ruts, etc. I'm convinced that with lesser (more road oriented) boots I would have had a foot injury Some wore Sidi Adventure which is more road oriented but still protective, but I'm very glad I went with the additional protection. And don't worry about water proofing, as when water gets in at the top (and it will!) it makes no odds (although I also wore SealSkinz socks which did keep my feet dry when the water wasn't so high - but don't get the thermal versions for obvious reasons!)  In the end gear changing wasn't a problem for me.

Good quality body armour is also essential. Mine was poor quality and although I didn't get injured, it's now in poor condition and probably not good for another trip. In the heat I wore the armour on top of a t-shirt as the outer layer, others wore just the armour. (Note a few of us sustained injuries to the unprotected rib/abdomen area under the arms. No armour seems to cover this area and Jules, our trip doctor, wasn't convinced armour there would make much difference to rib injuries.) I also wore decent protective shorts as the hip and thigh area are poorly padded by the body, they worked well.

I wore long socks under knee pads with motocross trousers on top, but still ended up with blisters at the pad corners, but the protection worked well. Vented trousers would have been better and I missed not having a small pocket in the trousers. But motocross trousers were OK - and I liked the variety of colour schemes available!

Light weight gloves, artificial leather palms and cloth back. Good feel, sufficient protection for offroad (may not the high speed tarmac sections) and they dried quickly.

Whatever you wear it will get well worn. Be prepared to trash what you take. Expect rips in trousers and motocross tops from the jungle undergrowth. It's also unlikely that you'll ever thoroughly remove the red dust from your clothes.

A bum bag is very useful for holding your wallet, documents (in a waterproof pouch), small camera, phone, earplugs (I wore these for the faster road sections), etc. It will get wet and dusty.

The helmet is a matter of personal choice. I wore my trademark flouro yellow motocross helmet with goggles. It works well for me wearing glasses so the specs didn't get too dusty and is lightweight. Others wore the dual purpose convertible type with visor; they said that was OK too. I think these are a little heavier.

Camelback or equivalent. Ease of filling important. Mine was 2litres and I never managed to empty it on the road, but I always drank a bottle or can at stops. Mine also had storage capacity for odd and ends. Note: you will likely end up using the backpack and contents as additional cushioning when you fall off.

Waterproofs. We didn't need them. I suspect even if it rained they would be more of a hindrance.

Other things I would recommend. A mosquito net, a thin sleeping bag liner, head torch, flip flops, small quick drying towel, some string to use as a drying/airing line. A small extension double socket with short lead (some of the rooms only had one usable socket) fitted with a two pin plug - but electricity availability is generally good. I carried a small rechargeable power pack in case my camera/phone/blogging device ran out of juice, but never needed it - I have a BlackBerry!

I would not recommend a large DSLR camera, unless you are a masochist like Mr King. Picture opportunities on the trails are few and the views are not as awe inspiring as the Himalayas. A small waterproof camera is ideal. Headcams are a great idea, but although the GoPro series produce good images, they are awkward to operate and don't give good feedback as to whether they're on or off; very frustrating.

Your main suitcase or bag will also get dusty and well 'baggage handled'.

I think that's it. If I think of anything else I'll update this entry. Feel free to add your own views on what's needed.

Wats Thom Prohm - Temple Raiding

Probably the number one tourist attraction in Cambodia, the ancient city/temple complex at Angkor was a must to visit on the day before we left Cambodia.

It's located ten km or so outside Siem Reap and hiring a tuk tuk and driver is the easiest way to be a temple 'raider' for the day. $15 for the near enough the whole day is the going rate; almost unbelievable. I get the impression you're paying for petrol and wear and tear rather than the driver's time as he is happy to sit around practically all day waiting for you while you get on with the serious business of raiding.

And so to the iconic Angkor Wat whose towers are depicted in numerous images throughout Cambodia. Braving the last few hundred metres walking across the moat's causeway in the dark, we arrived before sunrise to see the temple silhouetted by the dawn. Many tourists have the same idea and the best vantage points by the lake get crowded. Once the spectacle is over you can go inside the temple itself. Many things have been written about this place so I won't add to them, but the steep steps and the many Apsara (curvaceous ladies) carved into the walls are what I remember most.

After breakfast outside the Wat we picked up our tuk tuk driver and headed to Angkor Thom. This is the walled city next to Angkor Wat. Once home to Kings, their government and the military, it is surrounded by an even bigger moat than Angkor Wat. At one time the city was said to support over a million people in the area, now all that is left are these ruins. At its centre is the Bayon temple. This is famous for its 54 large faces carved into the towers, each with a subtle smile. Although this temple is younger than Angkor Wat it seems to have fared worse over the years.

Next on the to do list was Ta Prohm Angelina Jolie cavorted through this temple (like an Apsara?) in one of the Tomb Raider films. Unfortunately she wasn't here today, but we all agreed this was our favourite temple. The way the trees are entwined around, and in between, the temple structure is surreal. It's as if they grew together organically. In reality the temple came first and the trees are slowly destroying it. There are examples of these trees growing in isolation that give clues to how this happens, here's my theory: this particular tree type drops feeler branches that find soil and then grow. If this happens to be in a crack between the stones then eventually the feeler branches push apart the stones. It's a very slow process. This also means that a tree can appear to be growing from both sides of a wall once the feelers become larger and trunk-like.

There are several places where 'stages' have been built so that you can stand next to a gnarled tree for a photo. Two Chinese girls were posing in a very twee manner and I decide to copy their style when I did my own pose in front of the tree. On seeing this they rushed to join me and we had a group photo; just the twee of us! Boom boom.

Many of the temples are being restored. And Indian team was working on Ta Prohm while we were there and we saw the pile of rubble they still have to piece together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It's very time consuming work, but the results they have achieved so far are very impressive. .

Siem Reap itself seems to exist largely to serve the Angkor tourist trade, which makes the town rather characterless compared to Phnom Penh. Thus the centre has many backpackers, tourists and shops/stalls selling the same products. The sellers are very persistent and pester you endlessly as you move between the stalls. I guess it's the same in many touristy destinations in the developing world.

Leng's sting in the tail

The end of the offroad tour and the last day of riding. Traditionally, along with the first day, this is when most accidents happen. Fortunately, we had none.


As some of us are feeling well worn, we are given the option of a more scenic, less intense, route, or the full monty; later today we have the same choice if we choose. I'm feeling a little tender after my prancing all over the temple stones last night but I came for the riding not the scenery, so it has to be the full monty for me.
The usual warm up routine, so I take it easy for the first hour until I get into the groove. It's challenging enough, sand, thin wooden bridges over streams water splashes at others. The rice paddy fields have small mud walls and we have to hop over these too. Then the turbo button kicks in. OK, I'm still not able to hack it with the big boys at the front, but I feel more confident with speed. But, that's when mistakes happen and I have an off into a tree. I destroy my lamp cluster and it's repaired with cable ties and now points skywards making it look really odd. At this crash Ducky bails out and hitches a ride with Tony, one of the mechanics.

After refuelling we're given the option of an easier route or to take Leng's famous sting in the tail route. It involved water, lots of water and deep with it, my favourite (not) sand, and fast open stretches. I manage to find a deeper route through a water section than intended and halfway across stall the engine when the water level reaches my upper thighs. I am worried that the exhaust has taken water so I don't try to start it. One of the mechanics rescues me and helps pull the bike out. He then runs the starter over for what seems like way too long, but eventually the engine kicks into life. I continue and rejoin the group after a riding though even more water, but this time successfully. Really satisfying.

I'm soaked through below the waist, boots are full of muddy water, and I'm wet on top from the splashes, but this is a real buzz and very enjoyable. The water section over and there's a little more technical work before we join up with a dirt road. That must be it and I expect an easy ride into Siem Reap. But no, we head into more trail and, sand. But by this time I'm on a roll, the terrain is more open and finally, finally, I tame that demon.


Speed and power! Speed and power are your friends to help you through sand. You have to rewire your brain to open the throttle (power) when you start to go off course in the sand; you can do that at manageable speeds; but on its own, it's not enough. The other key is speed. That takes more confidence obviously, as crashing at higher speed hurts more. But it's speed that gives you the stability via the wheels' gyroscopic effect, enabling you to power though sand with much more grace rather than fish-tailing wildly. Suffice to say I was a happy bunny to overcome that psychological barrier. There must be some point where too much speed becomes a problem - but that lesson's for another day.


And then it really was over. We ride the last few kms into Siem Reap and our hotel for the next two nights. We congratulate each other and pose for photos; it's been a great experience. I'm tired, battered, dirty, smelly and muddy but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Camping at Preah Khan

Carry on camping at Preah Khan

More info on the overnight camping.
 
So we arrive at what is the most spectacular campsite I've ever stayed at. Facilities may have been basic, but the view made up for it: the front of the Preah Khan temple. Right on the steps, in fact we dried our kit on the stones. Our tents' back windows looked out over what must be the moat. We have time before dinner to look around the temple ruins.


It's a big place, extending for about 500m back from the gate and it's all in ruins, with most of the towers toppled. But what remains is interesting, with intricate carvings in the stonework. I can't really imagine what it must have been like in its time, but there's so much stone it must have taken a huge effort to build it.
Mike, one of our team leaders (who taught Zeman to ride) tells us the place has been looted significantly in the last ten years. A friend of his visited in 1998 and back then the statues and carvings were largely complete. Now many of these have been hacked away. A few of our group know stone and building techniques and say there's both evidence of removal with pneumatic tools, even as recently as a few weeks ago. The temple is very remote and there are rumours that the army is responsible, or at least opportunist officers. Such a shame that they are ruining their country's heritage.

Our shower is a swim in a local lake and very refreshing it is. Large areas are covered in lily pads but there's a clear area near the edge where we jump in; that's fortunate as we discover the lily stalks are coated with small sharp spikes. My highlight is climbing aboard a floating tree trunk and pretending to 'surf' the lake - simple pleasures.

Dinner is a BBQ and the team have prepared steaks, salad and delicious potatoes. A local turns up with a deer that he has hunted in the forest. It's very fresh and he begins to butcher the carcass. Now there is also venison on the menu. We tuck into the food after coating ourselves with anti-mozzie spray and at the end of the evening a huge pile of empty drinks cans remains.


The night is interesting. Waking in the middle of the night surrounded by the sounds of wildlife, and trying to get back to sleep, is quite a challenge. A surround-sound system soundtrack of noisy insects, night birds and a herd of mating walruses conspire to make my counting of water buffalo jumping over rice paddy fields a pointless affair. I say walruses, but given we are a long way from the sea, it may have been at least five of my buddies sleeping 'soundly'. I don't fare so well. Ear plugs are a must on this trip!

Back into coverage

Back into data coverage after a night camping at Preah Khan temple. Awesome morning's ride, crashed many times and Ducky fell off. He's hitched a ride with one of the mechanics. Awaiting the sting in the tail this afternoon.

Camping

Our hotel tonight is a camp. No showers, no running water, so we bath in the local river; what a carry on. The riding is not so difficult today, but it's all relative. Must remember to keep my toes tucked in so they don't attract passing tree roots.

It keeps getting harder

Today I almost hit my first chicken. I must admit it was quite amusing to see it doing that almost clichéd 'scattered chicken dance' and hear it squawking. It came from nowhere and disappeared just as quickly before I had time to swerve. I love chickens. Roosters too; just not that bugger whose crowing woke me at 3am the other day.

Hard core it was this morning. Deep sand, long grass, hidden ruts that went on and on and on. I've not seen the group looking so exhausted. I think everyone had an off at some point. Mine was this morning when the sand caught me out for the millionth time and tossed me into a bank. I trapped my boot between the bike and a tree root and it twisted my leg, which was painful. Tentative for the next hour or so, before a dose of paracetamol gave me my second wind. Then I started to have fun again. It seems to take me a couple of hours to warm up before I ride comfortably; until then I always feel a bit clumsy.


Each of our liquid stops ends with the 'fast group' zooming off after the leader. It becomes a little competitive with Rob and Nick chasing seemingly each other through the jungle. If the leader is one of the local guides, neither of them have any chance of catching him. The rest of us just watch as this drama unfolds everyday, while the rest of us just plod on whilst these two crash every so often (esp Rob) and then work their way back to the front.

After the hard core stuff, we stop for a snack and I try a banana wrapped in sticky rice. During the cooking the banana turns pink. It may look odd, but it was bloody tasty and came in a biodegradable wrapping of leaves.

Then it was on to the Preah Vihear temple a blast up the highway then a long uphill climb to the complex. This land is the subject of a border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, who dropped cluster munitions in the area this year. Subsequently the surroundings are heavily populated with military personnel and road blocks. It's all very good mannered though as they quite happily wave back at you with a smile. From the top of the hill you can see into Thailand, which makes this quite a strategic vantage point. Apparently the UN has ruled in Cambodia's favour on ownership of the area, so this should see an end to hostility, but I doubt it.

Unfortunately I arrived at the temple too late to really appreciate it. It's a long set of temples going back up the hill and one can climb to see them. They are supposed to be quite a sight. My excursion ended at the first set of ruins, where the picture was taken. The full complex continues for another 500m or so. We had to leave as it was 110km tarmac section next and we had to arrive at our hotel before dark. Tarmac sections are boring but necessary to link the fun bits.

After three showers at the hotel, I still manage to leave red smudges on the clean white towels. We might have to pay for these as the hotel says they are impossible to clean. I know others will have the same problem.

The next two days are going to be tough they say; early night then. Except of course, Rob and Nick are out living it up. They'll have sore heads in the morning. Good!

Hard core

Today we're off for some hard core offroading. Not sure what to expect as hard core is normally used underneath roads. During the day we'll visit the Preah Vihear temple, up near the Thai border. A few months ago they we're lobbing shells at each other in this area, so hopefully the two have made up and the artillery has stopped. But are they ready for the Enduro Cambodia mob?

Stung Treng to Koh Ker

We started out this morning with a ferry ride across the mighty Mekong River. The bikes are packed onto the small boat and there's barely room for the riders; and yet more people get on. We are herded to the back to balance the load, and off we go. It's longer than our usual crossing because the Mekong is a wide river. At least on this crossing we don't run out of fuel, or see the ferryman bailing water out of the boat, as we've experienced before.

On the other side it's more of the same red, dusty, dirt road through villages, which leads onto a slightly smoother but still dusty road built in the 60's. A couple of weeks ago parts of this old road were barely passable using four-wheel drive, since then it's been 'dozed' and levelled and regular cars can use it once again. We start seeing the bulldozers and diggers and the land either side of the road is being cleared of trees. Later dirt is replaced by tarmac. Eventually the whole road we've just bumped up and down on, will be smooth tarmac. Cambodia is changing before our eyes and the Global Enduro guys are going have to find new routes as the existing ones are being domesticated.

Before lunch we turn off the main road. The small side track leads to a veritable adventure playground for motorbikes. It's still a trail used by locals, but just happens to have lots of fun stuff for bikes to do, water, deep sand (not such fun), mini-jumps, etc. We stop to eat our packed lunch before heading back the same way we came through the 'playground'. I manage to find the deepest part of a large water crossing and I'm left with a wet bum for the rest of the day.

It's a shame that I don't get a chance to take pictures of the difficult terrain we're handling. Some of the guys have video cameras on their helmets and some of the clips I've seen of our journey look amazing on screen. I'll try to get a few photos of the trails tomorrow.

After reaching the hotel we visit the Koh Ker temple complex. This dates from before 1000AD, and as you can see most of it is in poor condition now. The surrounding area has been cleared of mines by a Cambodian charity in this case funded by Japanese money - a small but positive step for the country.

MTFU - Banlung To Stung Treng

Today was the toughest yet. Heat, dust, mud, sand, ruts and water, all combined to test us. Zeman, the tour leader, uses an expression to encourage us when we start flagging or complaining: M.T.F.U. So we manned up and got on with it. Technically, what we encountered was essentially no more difficult than what we have already covered. But it was the duration of the offroad sections that tested us.

When doing these intense offroads sections one gets into a rythmn; you find your pace and push on happily. Too fast and things get messy, too slow and it can be more difficult and energy sapping. You also find you end up in small groups with riders who know each other's pace and ride well together. Other times you find yourself virtually chasing someone as a red mist takes over. You need to recognise these moments because they are dangerous and should be avoided. Stopping, as we do for fluids, interrupts the flow and it can sometimes be difficult to find the groove again when we move off.

One of our party, Brett, has a nasty tumble into a hole seen at the last minute. The bike lands on his leg and the medic thinks it may be broken. We're in the middle of the forest and the only way out is by bike. Leng and Mr Teng take it in turns to carry him as pillion. It's bad enough for us to get through the jungle on our own, so these guys do an amazing job to carry Brett. We regroup at the river crossing before lunch by which time we were pretty much frazzled. Lunch was very welcome: TWO packets of instant noodles, what a piggy.

After lunch we start out on a road that's pretending to be a road. Cars and lorries use it, but it has potholes that could swallow a bike wheel. The red dust makes seeing the holes tough so we have to keep our distance and string out along the path. Danny has an off when a very deep horizontal rut forces him to jump it; but he lands badly, fishtails and dumps the bike. A broken sub-frame results, which makes for a wobbly ride. But luckily he's OK. He's already got a couple of big bruises from earlier in the trip and he doesn't need anymore physiological trophies. The bike will need to be welded.

I also had my first proper off after a few "strategic dismounts" into the bushes when the sand threw me off course - but those are not real offs. No, a proper off is when you are thrown off. That happened at relatively slow speed to me today, when the front wheel slipped from under me just after a dip. No damage to bike or rider - it's all in the way you fall ;-) ! Anyway, I've had worse offs in Brussels on my bicycle.

Brett was loaded into our team ambulance (been there, done that, didn't enjoy it) after lunch and met us at the hotel. It's likely from there he will go by road back to Phnom Penh and then home. Game over. Sorry Brett, it's been great riding with you and your sand advice got me through some sticky moments.

The bikes relax too

What I didn't mention is that the bikes get a rest day too, but not the mechanics. They hose the bikes and then do some routine work to keep them running nicely. Things like oiling the chain, washing the air filter making sure the bearings are running free, checking and sometimes replacing the brake pads (the mud/dust accelerates wear) and tyres. Then off course the numerous essential repairs resulting from the many crashes, like straightening handlebars and forks, etc. The mirrors were removed on our first offroad day - that's when we knew things were getting serious!

Once free of the work, the mechanics chill along with the rest of us, doing stuff around town and recuperating for the more hard days ahead. But they do these rides regularly, so it takes less out of them than us, especially as they don't fall off..... much. Leng, Mr Teng and Dara are, or have been, offroad racers and this kind of terrain is second nature to them. No matter how good we become or how fast we think we're going, they will always cruise past us on the trails. The same goes for Zeman and Mike, the team organisers, not racers but bloody good offroad.

Relaxing on the day off in Banlung

Initially the thought of a rest after just three days riding seemed a bit, well, soft. However there's no doubt some of us need it. After my four hands massage I realise it will do me no harm either. The stiff thumbs pressed hard into my muscles soon found aches I didn't realise were there. Not sure whether I'm in more pain now or before.

Last night I could still feel my legs hopping up and down on the bike like a mogul skier. I remember the same feeling when I learned to ski many years ago. Perhaps it has something to do with the muscles, nerves and brain fixing what it learned during the day?

We're staying at the Terre Rouge spa resort on the banks of the Kan Siang lake in Banlung, Ratanakiri District. We ate dinner here last night so you could say we ate red dust twice in one day.

There are a number of activity options on the menu for today, including visiting a volcanic lake, meeting a hill tribe, or renting an elephant. Apparently that's something you can do here, but for obvious reasons you're not allowed to drive it yourself as the brake is on the wrong side compared to the motorbikes.

I choose to visit the lake a few kms away, and rent a cycle from the hotel to exercise a different set of muscles. I expect an uphill climb but none occurs. The volcanic lake is not inside a lava cone as I've imagined, but set within rolling hills. You're allowed to swim, but it doesn't look very inviting. I cycle around the lake where on the far side the path becomes overgrown and I begin to worry about snakes. I don't see any, but there is a very loud, high-pitch sound like a alarm coming from the jungle. Which I assume is an insect of some kind. We heard the same noise in other parts of the jungle.

On the way back to town I do see a snake. One slithers across the road in front of me. About 1m long, greyish brown, with a red neck and bright green head; very pretty. I manage to snap two hasty photos before it disappears into the bush. It leaves behind a curvy trail in the red dust on the road. Not far away, children are playing; I've no idea if it is poisonous, but there are such snakes in the area. It's a sobering thought that in addition to the mines, this is yet another jungle hazard for kids growing up here. A boy pushing a bicycle uphill stops to say hello (people here love to practice the few English words they know, and they smile broadly when you reply), it's 4pm and he's on his way to English classes. It's refreshing to see the effort he's making to get an education, compared to many in western countries who couldn't care less.

Party on dude

Young Rob has been making a nuisance of himself again, egged on by Steve. Dancing on the bar top (to the annoyance of the manager) music blasting out and remembering every now and then to put ice on his 'broken' foot. Every trip has and needs a 'Chalky', a mascot if you will; and without doubt, Rob fills that roll nicely. Fortunately, he's pretty handy on a bike too, so he isn't fully qualified yet. There's still time though, so be careful Rob. Also, don't annoy the manager, as he's pretty handy at Thai boxing we hear.

Sand - Sen Monorom to Ratnikiri

For me today's ride has been all about the sand on the tracks through the jungle. As a boy I loved playing in the sand, spending hours on the beach building sand castles and dams (budding engineer); but today, sand is my greatest enemy. Whilst I can now happily ascend and descend treaturous rocky paths and navigate bumpy ruts like a pro (pro what is the question) Sand reduces me to a crawl and makes me look like a freshly landed haddock, tail flailing hopelessly. Or it did. Thanks to some timely advice from the more experienced guys here I've almost conquered the dusty demon. Stand up, handlebars loose, let the bike find its own way: that I knew. The revelation is to "give it gas" when you get into trouble; totally counter intuitive. Normally when you get into trouble you stop doing the thing you were doing that got you into trouble; in biking terms that usually means you get off the throttle, or get off the gas. In sand that causes the front wheel to dig in, which gets you deeper into trouble and likely to lose control and fall off. I was very lucky not to fall off in the morning as I got off the gas when troubled in sand. Using my new found knowledge I now lift the front wheel higher with power and push through the difficult patch in third gear. I'm not an expert by any means, but I don't feel like I'm going to fall off..... as often.

One interesting thing about the jungle tracks here is that they don't tend to split off in all directions. One reason for this is that Cambodia is relatively sparsely populated compared to Vietnam for example, so there are less dots to join up. The other, and this is important for us to absorb as well, the land all around the tracks are mined. Mined, as in big, loud, death-causing explosion. These mines are left overs from the various wars that have plagued the country and one estimate is that there are between four and six million left in the ground. Thus there is a real motive to avoid random paths for fear of tripping one of these indiscriminate killers. There is an active landmine clearance programme, but it will take a long time to complete and meanwhile many children and adults die each year.

Having said that, when a path becomes impassable due to a fallen tree or deep mud, a track is soon established to bypass the obstruction. We were advised to take the bypass when available, and during the rainy season it is the only option. Now that it's dryer, often the bypass isn't needed and I found that the original route was fine in most cases. But it's not always obvious. In one case I ignored a bypass only to run into a massive puddle. It wasn't until my bike stopped in mud above my knee did I realise this was a mistake. I put a foot down and almost tipped over into it as my foot sank down into the smelly black goo. I gunned the engine, but the wheel just span sending mud flying everywhere. Eventually I was able to rock the bike free; what a relief! If I had stalled the engine and the bike didn't have an electric starter I really would have been stuck. Luckily I didn't, and it does. I'd like to think I was treating Ducky to a dip in a pond, but I'm not really that nice.

As yesterday, we stop frequently (always in the shade) to regroup and take fluids. I use the opportunity to take pictures and post to the blog if I can; as I've previously said, Jungle radio works a treat. When we stop at roadside pitstops we invariably find a big red box full of iced drinks is waiting for us. This seems to appear like magic and I can't work out if it's the same box everywhere or if all roadside shacks have them. Either way, an ice cold drink is VERY welcome!

Death Highway

Well that's what it's called. The name probably comes from various lung diseases caused by dust inhalation. Here's a sample of the dirty buggers who traversed its course today.
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The one armed biker

When we arrived at our hotel in Sen Monorom. I was shown to my room on the back of a moped, helmet in hand, being ridden by a one armed man talking on a mobile phone. There's comedy sketch material in there somewhere.

Bus Ra

After the day's riding we had time to visit the waterfalls at Bus Ra. Another enjoyable ride along the dirt tracks ended at a touristy spot with drinks and food sellers plying their trade. Descending a set of steps leads to a picturesque waterfall. There are not many people around and we strip down and jump in. The water was cool very refreshing after our hard day from Snoul this morning. A group of young locals seem to be doing a photoshoot and they are an interesting sight as they move from place to place posing as they go in their grass skirts (even the men) and hair pieces. We dry off and pose for a photo ourselves at the top of the waterfall.

Biking extremes.

Our bikes and a typical local bike.

Offroad in the Phnum Prech Reserve

Turning off the King's Highway, we enter the trees and follow a trail towards the jungle. It starts out with a gravel track, easy enough, winding through villages, keeping the pace down to reduce the dust created in the village. The gravel gives way as we start climbing to a rutted path, which is more challenging to negotiate. The ruts get deeper, muddier and strewn with large rocks. This is the most difficult terrain I've ridden, so I keep the pace down to prevent an off; my off in India almost ruined my trip and I don't want to risk that again.

The bikes are proper offroad machines, 250cc with big knobbly tyres and bouncy suspension. They tackle these conditions easily... or rather they would in the right hands. Alas, these hands are not those. And like many others I struggled at times. At other times I got into the groove and zipped along coping with the muddy ruts, rocky paths and sometimes at the same time low hanging bamboo branches. Dealing with these whilst simultaneously absorbing the bumps with springy legs is quite a task. Not only do you negotiate these at the same time, you are constantly looking 10-20m ahead to plan your route. Failure means either falling off, or being whacked in the head or body with stiff bamboo; both painful.

Perhaps even more difficult than going up is coming down in the same conditions. Keep the speed low, lowish gear, weight back and only use the rear brake if you have too. At least that seemed to work for me, although there were a few sticky moments.

Either side of the tough rocky ruts there were long stretches of dirt road. The dirt was reddish-brown coloured and each biker left a trail of red dust hanging in his wake (this trip was all male). It was important to leave sufficient gap for the dust to have settled so that the obstacles, such as ruts, rocks, cows, or people could be seen. These dirt road sections were also shared with cars and lorries so these were an additional hazard.

We stopped to take in fluids frequently as it was 30-35C, and riding in these conditions is hard work, so were all sweating profusely.. We'd turn up on mass at these stops on our dedicated offroad machines and I couldn't help smiling when locals on tatty 110cc step-through mopeds, two or three on each one, turned up just after us. We encrusted with padding and protection, they in their flip flops and t-shirts. The only token protection would be a hat to keep off the sun.

Ducky, my rubber duck mascot, enjoyed the ride and still has a grandstand view strapped to the top of my headlight. The brown patches at his base in no way reflect his reaction to the few hairy moments he saw, they are the dust from the road. Probably.

Vietnam border

The second day of riding sees us briefly touch the Vietnam border as we head along the King's Highway. We stop at Kaow Se Mai for petrol. The bikes are filled using metal watering cans. They also sell petrol in used Pepsi bottles.

Cambodian rubber trees

At first glance it looks as if there's a low mist hanging in the woods, but it's not. This is a rubber plantation and the dark lower parts of the trees have been tapped.

Tapping is done by cutting a diagonal channel in the trunk which then weeps a milky sap which is latex rubber; a small bowl fitted below collects the product. It's important not to cut all the way around the tree or it dies. When one channel was scraped to demonstrate, it was surprising to see just how fast it flows. Imagine a tap dripping once every two seconds or so. Eventually that strip becomes unproductive and a new strip is cut just below the first one. When you reach the bottom of the tree, you start over from the first cut as the tree will have healed itself after a few years.

The trees live for about 32yrs, but can only be tapped after seven. It then provides 25yrs worth of rubber, and they are usually replaced when they reach 32yrs. I was going to give you a factoid about how many trees it takes to make one car tyre, but apparently tyres are made with synthetic rubber from oil/gas. Oh well.

Something stuck in my teeth

And I think it's remains of the spider leg I had a lunchtime. It was quite crunchy. Ooo err!

Another view of Wat Nokor

Lunch today

On the road a couple of hours, we stop for lunch. Not sure what to expect of the food and there's a tacky model of a giant black spider at the front of the stop, so it looks like a typical greasy chopsticks cafe..... Only this one is a little different. Real, big black spiders are on the menu! A few brave ones ordered a bag full and tentatively tucked in. A look and feel for the apprehensive, a leg for the brave and the whole body for those with a real palate for adventure food - only one of us did this and he was French (sorry Hugues, had to say that). And if you're wondering, I ate a leg; je ne comprend pas Francais.

Wat Nokor

One of the many temples or "wats" in Cambodia. This one used to be the centre of the region, and part of a large town. Now it's just a small village in a what is now a predominantly muslim area of Cambodia.

This is hard labour for a Monday morning

Seen just behind the killing fields. This field work looks hard enough to kill you.

The Killing Fields

After the horror of S-21 we ventured to the other horror that is collectively known as the Killing Fields. While the purpose of S-21 was to extract information from enemies of the Khmer Rouge regime, and death was not the primary intention, the Killing Fields were for one purpose only: death and disposal. Pure and simple.

Originally, those killed at S-21 were disposed of there. But soon space became limited and the situation in an urban environment risked spreading disease. The site at Choeung Ek a few kms from the city was then used as a destruction line. In all there about 20,000 mass graves dating from this period containing an estimated 1.3 million bodies. On top of that, widespread starvation resulting from the enforced ruralisation of the masses resulted in a total death toll of around 2-3 million. Out of a population of 8 million at that time it was a huge chunk of people
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Central to the site is a large stupa, which outwardly is just another temple, pretty though it is. It's only when you get closer do you realise it contains thousands of human skulls, some bearing the scars of their cold blooded murder. Little is mentioned about the method of death, but one cabinet shows tools used. Typically victims were beaten with a bamboo stick, metal rod or spade, then their throats would be cut using a simple farmers palm knife. The helpless, and certainly dying, individuals were then rolled into an open grave, which was then filled, whether or not they were still alive. This continued as hundreds and thousands were delivered from S-21 and other holding areas.

Probably the worst thing is the Killing Tree that was used to kill babies by bashing their heads against its trunk. Brutal, senseless, and utterly cruel. It was numbing knowing that these things had happened at this spot. The peace that resides there now as a tribute to the millions dead must have been in stark contrast to the screams it once heard. The guards would play loud music from speakers hung from the "magic tree", to drown these noises. Although this was officially sanctioned death, the authorities did not want it publicised.

Cambodia is a country and people that have been tragically wronged in recent history. I hope the rest of my journey here is on a more positive note. I've heard the people have a nature unlike anywhere else. Our guide, Zeeman, came here about 20years ago from Wales and fell in love with the place enough to make it his home. That says something.

Dommie and Ducky ready to rock

Office S-21

Before meeting our mounts for the next ten days we had a morning to 'relax' in Phnom Penh. A few of us decided to visit two infamous places associated with Cambodia's recent and brutal history: Office S-21 and the Killing Fields. The latter is perhaps well known from a Hollywood film of the same name, which I confess I have never seen, but will now try to.

Office S-21 is the rather bland name for Pot Pot's Khmer Rouge torture centre in Phnom Penh. Formerly the Tuol Sleng primary school, it had a pleasant lawn area surrounded by three storied buildings with open walkways and balconies; it looked as though it had been hastily converted into a detention centre. Door openings were knocked into the walls between classrooms and were left like an unfinished DIY project. Wooden framed cells were constructed, each less than a metre across, but at least with enough space to lie down - but that was likely to have been little comfort after a session of beating. The doors themselves looked flimsy with tiny hinges and bathroom door bolts. But one wonders who would've dared to break out knowing that layers of barbed wire awaited them and perhaps even more intense tortue. Crucially the windows were glazed in order to mute the sounds of agony that must have escaped from within. The balconies were strung with barbed wire to prevent people committing suicide - the torturers obviously wanted to be the one controlling death.

The lower floor rooms contained panel after panel showing photographs of victims held here, interspersed with gruesome post death images; graphic descriptions of the horrific torture methods were displayed alongside. The photos were of very ordinary looking people: docile, unsmiling, fear etched deep into the eyes of many. Yet others displayed a muted defiance in their expression. Men, women, children; nobody was immune from incarceration. One strikingly beautiful girl made me wonder if she had been singled out for 'special' attention, here or elsewhere. Perhaps not, as the Khmer Rouge regime seemed to be almost puritanical in its approach to everything, with emotion and lust consigned to the ways of Western decadence and not good for the cause.

From 1975-1979, intellectuals and anyone who was not an ordinary worker was ruthlessly targeted. Spectacles were associated with education and wearing made you a marked man or woman; I wonder if Cambodians now have notable better eyesight than other nations as a result?

"Duch", the man in charge of the facility, is still alive. After the regime fell he was jailed and only as recently as 2010 was sentenced to 35yrs in jail for his part in torturing 16000 people. He is the only senior leader to recognise his wrong doing and asked for forgiveness. Pol Pot himself, the architect of the disastrous Khmer Rouge social experiment - for that's surely what it was - died in 1998 certainly without the punishment he deserved.

Rooftop view of Phnom Penh

Breakfast TV this morning was replaced by the view into peoples' lives as the restaurant terrace overlooks both the mighty Mekong river and many Phnom Penh balconies. Life is noisy below, having started it's crazy bustle around 5am. Like India, the dominant sounds are the many horns - the universal language of the road in developing countries.

It's cool in the breeze but I know the temperature will climb to around 33C today. Fortunately, it's not too humid. We're heading for the Killing Fields this morning, before we pick up the bikes later.

Packed and everything fits

Well, I'm packed. Everything fits into my holdall bar the knee pads (not quite a hold all then). Feeling slightly anxious as I've heard this is going to be a hard trip; almost like I'm heading into battle. I pity those who really are going to war, it must be hell. Waking at 430am tomorrow; not because I have to, it's part of my jet lag mitigation. I hope it works. It's only 9pm now, but it's past midnight in my world. Night night all.

Not another test?

Last day at work. My office moves while I'm away. Double packing then!

Biker Dom is packing for a new adventure 1200km through the trails and jungles of Cambodia. Been pricked by vaccinations, stung by the invoices and all I need now are some fiendish mozzies zap with DEET.

Departing on Saturday with the Cambo Enduro mob from London Heathrow T3, 18:15. Wish me luck, it's gonna be real dirty!