Kratie to Kampong Cham

Weds 15/01/14, 131km

Later start today as for once I'd booked a hotel in advance. Figured this would mean I could really take my time and not worry about faffing about finding a place when I arrived late in the day.

Before setting off from Kratie I stocked up on water, baguette and cakes: nom. Then it was a pleasant ride along road 308 along the Mekong until the town of Chlong where I faced a choice of either carrying on the 308, which looked like it might just go all the way with a little wiggling albeit on very minor roads or drop onto 73 and then onto the main highway. In the end, conscious of my wobbly bottom bracket, I went for the safe option of the latter.

Started regretting it almost immediately as the traffic grew and the wind turned side on to me. Still, the road was in good repair and it was nice to see a different terrain to riverside, albeit still pancake flat.

Eventually I made it and after a brief "discussion" with my pre booked hotel (no, I didn't care if they did have 24 hour security I was not leaving my bike out on the street). Nice enough place but I wouldn't recommend it for cyclists (the Daly Hotel FWIW), there are plenty of other places in town.

Did my usual wander around and bumped into Eli and Ivan, the elderly Norwegian couple I'd met previously in Laos. This may have caused me to have one or two more beers than I'd planned to...

Note to UK housing market: if you must build on a flood plain *this* is how you do it.