Battambang to Kampot
After Battambang it was time to press onwards towards the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Although it's only 290km, which should be a couple of days cycling, lack of suitable stopping points meant I spent three days instead. That was OK, gave me a chance to poke around some of the smaller places in Cambodia, which is something I quite like doing, hitting places off the tourist trail. Wasn't all plain sailing though, on the second day of the leg the temperature dropped to 19C and it rained for three hours. Still, the ducks enjoyed it and I figured it was good training for blighty.
I just spent one day in Phnom Penh relaxing, took in the National Museum then lost and subsequently found the memory stick for my camera. Yes, that heart stopping half hour kind of meant my plans for the day went out of the window. After Phnom Penh it was south on National Highway 2 (NH2) to the town of Takeo. Now this was a revision of my first plan which was to head 150km down NH4 to the village of Sre Ambel, overnight there then press on to Sihnoukville. I just wasn't sure that there would be somewhere to stay in Sre Ambel and at 150 sometimes hilly kilometers I wouldn't have much time to get anywhere else.
Plenty of pottery made in the area and sold by these mobile ceramics merchants
Takeo proved to be a very pleasant little town. Not much to see or do as a tourist though there were some sights out of town, it was just one of those small towns where people get on with their lives. After Takeo, next stop was to change to NH3 and head a quick 90km to Kampot. That should be a mornings cycling leaving me an afternoon free to explore. But ah, NH3... It's currently being regraded so they've ripped the road surface up. And then left it. 78 kilometers and I saw two sets of people working. Bloody hard kilometers they were as well, either gravel or potholed earth, always in a cloud of dust.
One of the better sections of NH3 that I dared to get my camera out on.
Only 50 more kilometers to go!
It didn't feel like it would ever end but in the end I made it to Kampot, famed for it's pepper. When I made it though I did my own little version of Ice Cold In Alex. It's a lovely quiet town with some stunning views across it's river, a nice selection of hotels and some good eating options. It's not always easy being veggie in Cambodia so that last one is always a bonus. Oh, and lots of pepper. I've picked up 1/2 a kilo of that.
Sunset over the river
I just spent one day in Phnom Penh relaxing, took in the National Museum then lost and subsequently found the memory stick for my camera. Yes, that heart stopping half hour kind of meant my plans for the day went out of the window. After Phnom Penh it was south on National Highway 2 (NH2) to the town of Takeo. Now this was a revision of my first plan which was to head 150km down NH4 to the village of Sre Ambel, overnight there then press on to Sihnoukville. I just wasn't sure that there would be somewhere to stay in Sre Ambel and at 150 sometimes hilly kilometers I wouldn't have much time to get anywhere else.
Plenty of pottery made in the area and sold by these mobile ceramics merchants
Takeo proved to be a very pleasant little town. Not much to see or do as a tourist though there were some sights out of town, it was just one of those small towns where people get on with their lives. After Takeo, next stop was to change to NH3 and head a quick 90km to Kampot. That should be a mornings cycling leaving me an afternoon free to explore. But ah, NH3... It's currently being regraded so they've ripped the road surface up. And then left it. 78 kilometers and I saw two sets of people working. Bloody hard kilometers they were as well, either gravel or potholed earth, always in a cloud of dust.
One of the better sections of NH3 that I dared to get my camera out on.
Only 50 more kilometers to go!
It didn't feel like it would ever end but in the end I made it to Kampot, famed for it's pepper. When I made it though I did my own little version of Ice Cold In Alex. It's a lovely quiet town with some stunning views across it's river, a nice selection of hotels and some good eating options. It's not always easy being veggie in Cambodia so that last one is always a bonus. Oh, and lots of pepper. I've picked up 1/2 a kilo of that.
Sunset over the river
posted by Bill at 11:03 am
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