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 (100-120km) in a single day. This morning, we have another lengthy ride in front of us, so we fuel up on noodles before leaving town.
Keeping our minds occupied as we pedal, is Cambodia's unending stream of activity.
Monks decked out in saffron robes:
Bicycles aplenty:
People hard at work in the fields:
More prodigious Cambodian packing:
Roadside statue stores (who buys these?!):
Over-the-top speaker installations, blasting Cambodian pop:
Simple houses on stilts to protect them from flooding:
Working women:
…some wearing krama:
…others in their PJs, sawing up the daily ice delivery:
…and still more, perched on the back of scooters:
Palm tree after palm tree, baking in the sun:
The ubiquitous tillers, used for everything from fieldwork to transportation:
And our favorite, the endless parade of kids who cheer our aching legs onwards:
Eventually the sun loses its edge, drifting closer to the horizon. We stop once more at a market to fuel up on snacks for the final push, while a woman eyes our bikes skeptically. Only about twenty kilometers to go; let's hope we make it before dark!
One hundred and six kilometers later, we arrive in Pursat, exhausted. A clean, air-conditioned hotel with wi-fi for a whopping seven dollars a night is located, and showers are enjoyed as the sun sets. We're bordering on delirious when it comes time for dinner, so we choose the first restaurant we can find, and order up a few dishes of I'm-so-hungry-I-don't-even-care-what-it-is.
As the life returns to our bodies, we capture the final image of the day: