Cambodia Entries The Neither Authoritative Nor Concise Guide to Riding Bikes in Southeast Asia G Saturday, April 30th, 2011 A few weeks ago, Tara and I had the pleasure of meeting Melanie Swanson, a cycle tourist from Washington on a one-year, 'round-the-world bicycle tour. When we met in the lobby of our guesthouse, sh... Hello Vietnam G Saturday, December 4th, 2010 According to my GPS, we've arrived at the road leading to Vietnam: it is a dusty red track with no signage whatsoever. Feeling dubious about this intersection leading to an international border, we ... Farewell Cambodia G Saturday, December 4th, 2010 This morning, as we leave to embark on our final ride in Cambodia, a fierce wind is gusting in from the east. Exchanging grimaces, we fight to build momentum on the colonial-house-lined coastal road... Pepper & Crab G Friday, December 3rd, 2010 Kep, a quiet fishing town on the southern coast of Cambodia, sprawls out lazily along the shore over a few kilometers, nestled in the low places between steep green hills. The town's seawater is a l... Pete & Natasha's First Ride G Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 Natasha: Every time we take a long bus ride to get to a new tourist destination, we gaze longingly out of our tinted windows as we pass the things we really want to see – stuff like small villages ... Kampot Cruising G Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 Yesterday, we cycled over one hundred kilometers on less than four hours of sleep. As a result, we were so exhausted by the time we made it to Kampot that we fell fast asleep at the early hour of 7P... The Long Ride to Kampot G Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 Tara: Having been on the road for so long, it's easy to lose perspective about why we travel the way we do. Or maybe it's just a string of really long cycling days that has me a little less than ent... Molly G Monday, November 29th, 2010 The salespeople in Cambodia are generally cute and sweet, and they use it to their advantage. They are often so friendly and warm that it's a pleasure to buy from them, even when you're not looking ... Day at the Beach G Sunday, November 28th, 2010 Though we've spent several relaxing days in Sihanoukville, we haven't really done it's famous sandy shores justice. We usually get bored at the beach, losing interest soon after our swim in the ocea... Meeting Friends G Saturday, November 27th, 2010 Tara: Back in college, I had the best roommate in the whole world: Jess. It was nearing the end of my freshman year when we decided on a whim to room together during the upcoming fall term. At the ... A Tourist Town PG-13 Friday, November 26th, 2010 Tara: One of the disappointing things about Sihanoukville is how touristy it is. The place is jam-packed with young, partying backpackers. On the other hand, one of the great things about Sihanoukv... Threaded G Thursday, November 25th, 2010 Tyler is busy working at the hotel, when I don my bathing suit cycling gear and head out for a short, two-minute walk to the beach. I've barely set foot on the sand when I feel a skinny arm wrapping... Pinkie Swear PG Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 2:30 PM We arrive in Sihanoukville at last, and find ourselves not in a secluded beach town as I was somehow imagining, but in a hippy backpacker paradise with bars and music and tanning tourists. P... Hilly Day to Sihanoukville G Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 6:00 AM Mist is hanging, draped over our bungalow-studded hill like a spider web. The early-morning cool beckons us out of bed, and gets us moving. We have yet another near-100 kilometer day ahead ... Picnic Resort G Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 After ninety five kilometers, we stop at what looks to be the only place halfway between Kampong Spoe and Sihanoukville: a tattered array of rustic bungalows on a hillside, entitled Picnic Resort. W... Riding in the Cambodian Countryside G Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 The skies are overcast this morning; the refreshingly brisk weather is a welcome respite from the likes of yesterday's steamy ride. As we cycle into the countryside, further from the dust clouds of ... Heat & Tragedy G Monday, November 22nd, 2010 A fur-lined hoodie. Seriously? A freaking fur-lined HOODIE?! As I shout to Tyler, my voice barely audible over the noise of the traffic, I can barely reconcile what I'm seeing with reality. Here ... Street Food in Phnom Penh G Sunday, November 21st, 2010 The evening after our visit at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, we hit the streets, on the hunt for some good food. We settle on this place: Cambodian Fried Noodle Stall I love how sanitary and hy... Cambodia's Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum G Sunday, November 21st, 2010 This afternoon, we are going to learn about Cambodian history – specifically the horrific genocide led by Pol Pot in the late seventies. As we roll up to the entrance of Tuol Sleng (Strychnine Hil... Cambodia's Bon Om Thook... (Or Not) G Saturday, November 20th, 2010 We're feeling quiet, ready for an evening inside, when we see fireworks light up the night sky from our hotel window. It's the opening night of Phnom Penh's Bon Om Thook, Cambodia's annual Water Fes... Chafed into Phnom Penh PG Thursday, November 18th, 2010 I'm not concerned about the onslaught of chaotic traffic as we approach Phnom Penh. I'm not bothered by the dust clouds swirling around the unpaved road construction projects we're riding through, o... Buying Food in Cambodia G Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 I have one mission for the afternoon: find food. Preferably, a meal which isn't comprised of rice, noodles, or mystery meat. While Tyler is hard at work in our hotel, I ride off in search of a mark... Cambodia's Bamboo Railway: Part Three G Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 We slow to a stop in a small village; everyone but us has departed already. As the conductor helps us safely lower our bikes from the platform, we're a bit confused. We're certainly not in Kompong ... Cambodia's Bamboo Railway: Part Two G Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 Tyler is standing behind me, next to the conductor, holding our bikes upright – I'm scrunched on the platform in front of them, trying to maneuver myself off the broken slats and onto some of the s... Cambodia's Bamboo Railway: Part One G Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 Our captain is a bronzed, lithe, shirtless Khmer man in a loosely fitting baseball cap. We are crammed together on his dilapidated locomotive, with dozens of other passengers, our huge bikes, and a ... Electricity in Rural Cambodia G Monday, November 15th, 2010 Less than 20% of rural households have access to grid-quality electricity services. Almost all people in rural areas use firewood for cooking, kerosene for lighting, and lead-acid rechargable batte... The Water Buffalo Song G Sunday, November 14th, 2010 Dear children of Cambodia, You are all so frigging cute! Thank you for your smiles and ceaseless hellos, they make our long riding days so much better. Cambodian Kids on Bicycle As we bike by you, a... Riding in Cambodia: A Day in Pictures G Saturday, November 13th, 2010 While we are really enjoying our time in Cambodia, there is one thing we would change: the long distances between accomodation. With no tent, we're regularly cycling much further than we'd like (100... Cave Hunting Again PG Friday, November 12th, 2010 We've been to several caves on this trip, and we're still in search of that elusive, hard-to-get-to, natural wonder to explore. I'm thinking maybe we need to take up spelunking if we really want a r... Slow Boat to Battambang: Part Three G Thursday, November 11th, 2010 Tyler: I am digging through our backpack for some food, when our friend Genevieve stops by. She's excited to inform me that there is an enormous praying mantis on the railing at the back of the boat... Slow Boat to Battambang: Part Two G Thursday, November 11th, 2010 Tara: After a nail-biting ride through the streets of Siem Reap, we make it twelve kilometers to the ferry port, bikes fully intact. As soon as I emerge from the truck, it's show time – women carr... Slow Boat to Battambang: Part One G Thursday, November 11th, 2010 Tyler: It's another 5AM morning, but we're not cycling to the temples for a change. Instead, we're sitting on the front step of our hotel, waiting. We could have easily ridden to our destination, t... Aki Ra's Cambodia Landmine Museum G Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 On our ride home from Banteay Srei a few days ago, we took a break from our idyllic pastoral surroundings, and paid a visit to the Cambodian Landmine Museum, founded by a former Khmer Rouge child sol... Temples of Angkor: Stall Number Seven G Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 Off we go, past Bayon, and then Chao Say Devoda and then Ta Keo, until we reach our favorite temple, Ta Prohm. It's fairly busy at the moment, but we're happy to cycle by all the people, and breeze ... Temples of Angkor: Angkor Wat G Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 Today is the last of our three-day entry ticket to the Temples of Angkor. We're biking in later than normal, hoping to see Angkor Wat without the crowds. Since most tourists come here for sunrise o... Temples of Angkor: Sleepy Afternoon G Monday, November 8th, 2010 Back on the trails, we find this tiny little out of the way temple that isn't even on our map! There, we succumb to the inevitable and take a nap. It becomes apparent a bit later that we weren't th... Temples of Angkor: Ta Prohm G Monday, November 8th, 2010 Khmer architecture is, in a word, epic! Ta Prohm Temple This morning we drag ourselves out of bed at 5AM and race to Ta Prohm, passing up food stalls and another sunrise at Angkor Wat. Hoping to ge... Apsara & Shadow Puppets G Sunday, November 7th, 2010 For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by puppetry. I even worked for a short time making massive props and puppets in London at Emergency Exit Arts when I was in college. So, when we ... Temples of Angkor: The Road to Banteay Srei G Saturday, November 6th, 2010 Tyler: After exploring Bayon temple, we cycle northwards in the Angkor Thom city complex, passing the enigmatic Prasat Suor Prat towers. There are twelve of them, mostly identical, and nobody knows ... Temples of Angkor: Sunrise at Bayon G Saturday, November 6th, 2010 It's 4:45 AM as we cycle away from our hotel into the darkness and the invigoratingly cool pre-dawn air. Though we're still groggy, fighting to keep our eyes open and our legs spinning, the rest of ... Crossing Paths G Friday, November 5th, 2010 For as much time as we choose to spend out in the world interacting with people, and as public as we make our lives, we've both found ourselves steadily growing more and more introverted as the weeks... Artisans d'Angkor Silk Farm G Friday, November 5th, 2010 Saving the temples of Angkor for tomorrow, we backtrack sixteen kilometers out of town in order to see the free Artisans d'Angkor silk farm and workshop. I love most anything that involves crafts an... Hello, Sir G Thursday, November 4th, 2010 We're taking a day off, letting our aching muscles recover from a long day yesterday. Tomorrow, we start our three day tour at the temples of Angkor. In the meantime, we're checking out the city on... Collecting Cambodia G Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010 The first few days in a new country, we grab every English speaking native we meet and beg them to teach us some basic phrases in their language. Though we have a phrasebook, there is no substitute ... Crossing to Cambodia: Part Three G Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 When we're not completely blown away, our hearts bursting from our overwhelming welcome into Cambodia, we're doing more mundane things, like getting our internet situation sorted. When we pass a mob... Crossing to Cambodia: Part Two G Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 A sculpted stone archway overhead bids us welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia. As we pass under its imposing grey carvings, we are keenly aware that we've entered a very different place. Poipet feel... Crossing to Cambodia: Part One G Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 We enjoy border crossings – the crowds of people, the incomprehensible mix of languages we barely understand, the resulting confusion, and even, the waiting in line. All tied up in the excited cha...