moto trips

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AndyKK
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moto trips

Post by AndyKK »

A Good Ride Out

Stage one

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It was mid morning when I had got myself sorted and decided to head off to Kampong Cham.
I only wanted to take one bag (small backpack) for the pair of us, keeping down the overall weight, certainly more possible for me, but we know that “Om” would prefer more then one change of clothes for the journey. So, there was the fairness alongside my change of shorts and two tee shirts, because us guys tend to be smelly if we wear a shirt more than one day, that is usually what are fairer sex companions usually think anyhow, result was now two smallish backpacks on the coffee table, with the kitchen sink on standby if the little 125cc could take the weight. a little bit of reasoning and some reshuffling we managed to get most in one bag, bits of food “her daily nibbles” in-between meals would hang off various parts of the moto with no problems.
Soon we were heading up Route national 1 passing Niroth Pagoda and Borey Peng Huoth away from the city. I shortly pulled into one of those little coffee kiosks my low blood pressure was crying out for strong Cambodian coffee, then back on the moto and a left turn down the side road for the car ferry to cross over the Mekong river, departing from prekpo road, two people and one moto at the cost of one single dollar.

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The pleasant ferry crossing over to Lvea Aem beats going up Monavong or riverside towards road 6 and then crossing Cambodia-Japan Friendship Bridge. Over the river seems a better more peaceful relaxed route. “Usually” it is but this time it was not too be, it was holidays and I was to go along 7NG road instead of following the river then over the bridge and onto road 6.
I have up to now never used the 7NG, and it was so busy with day trippers and holiday makers staying at the resorts and eating at many of its roadside food stalls, but especially busy around the area of Jet's Garden Resort. Approaching road 8 now the darkness was falling, with the sky also looking in a very threatening mood. I took this route because I had a meeting with someone toward Kanhchom near Sithor Kandal District.
This evening was exceptionally dark, I tend to be very alert when riding in these conditions, the roads are bad enough with the many ruts and potholes, add a few dogs and other livestock, Khmers were partying in force too, load music in the little communes we passed, then suddenly the heavens opened, I pulled over on the country road, quickly to get our waterproof coats on between the safety of the row of white posts along the roadside, we were not going anywhere in a hurry considering the torrent of the water level on the road was between my ankle and my knee. It was so cold now too, I road until I saw somewhere open to take some shelter, the large tree before just was not very adequate. I could make out between the tree lined road, lights and the rustic wooden pagodas with the grass type roofs, yes, it had the usual sexy girl waitress ready, just about, eager to serve you, it was a welcoming sight, but they had no rice! How many times I have gone to eat and the restaurant has no rice, most of the whole f—king country is rice field after rice field but the place has no rice to eat. Actually, I found the north of the country worse for this “no rice” but only noodles. Luckily the restaurant had some type of half edible soup, and the young lady told us of a new hotel not far from there, this is just what I needed somewhere to now sleep has I was wringing out my tee-shirt, and it’s not the first time in this country the weather as got the best over the Gortex. So heading off to sleep, my meeting will wait until tomorrow.
Always "hope" but never "expect".
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Re: moto trips

Post by AndyKK »

A Good Ride Out

Stage two

We woke early but did not make any move until once again mid-morning, waiting for the rain once more to stop.
The hotel was very nice being brand new, I would say a snap at $5 for the night, we still had half dry clothing, but clean since my partner decided to wash what we were wearing on arriving at the hotel room, then again, no worries due to the rest of the drying would not take long in the days sun, wearing the slightly damp clothing while traveling onwards on our journey.
Bike ready and packed, now on the search for hot coffee and a bite to eat for breakfast, the sun was shining and we were warm and happy, my lady I know like most Khmer be happier still once she had eaten rice.
But I never make plans these days (well not the ones set to a timetable) loosely is a good word to sum up my travel planning and arrangement’s, it never was, nor didn’t used to be like that in the years past, I think Cambodia may have had a hand in helping the change, also thinking the country and the people that help you make that kind of more laid-back judgement, more so when you have been here for some time. At first, I would get pissed off at many situations, some of you may have had different experiences, for me it seems what differs more from the west is the pace of life, or importance, even dealing with officials nothing seems worth the rush, and there is always tomorrows attitude. Such an example I wanted some workforce labour at one or more times, and that never really worked out, nor happened either, some example’s of this was that at one time all who would be available were busy with rice harvesting, but when it was finished, now too busy again having money, it was how many packs of Angkor beer can they get through per day and night! Once run out they came knocking on the door for the work I offered over two months back, and was pissed off because I had done the work myself. Another is pricing too high, such as half a days easy work at $30, since I told that person “No” on hearing this a mother of a young man in his mid-20s said she would send him round in the morning, two days later he came with his friend, “but there are two of us $50”!!!
Back on the road again I like to ride at a sensible pace being aware of my surroundings and hopefully limiting the hazards, dogs, cows and buffalo, people and bicycles, snakes and other transport users, also the odd pothole. The later I have hit one or two, then getting the tap on the shoulder from my pillion, this trip I also hit my second snake, I looked back in my mirrors and did not see it, now I am looking down at the front wheel and around the engine, “What you do” the voice behind asks, now I am pulling over to the side of the road, I want to make sure I don’t have a unwelcome passenger.
It was a good stop, photo opportunity and fag time, also without the 3rd passenger too.
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Soon we also had breakfast of soup, pork and rice, two cups of strong coffee for me, time to call the person I was meeting who had ended up staying down at Prey Veng with the weather being so bad. We rearranged to meet at his shop in Svay Antor on road 11.
That route I have done before on a few occasions, road 1 over the Neak Loeung bridge, road 11 to Prey Veng then onwards. One time we had also done this by bus, bad move at the time! She had booked the bus due to us staying with Khmer friends outside Phnom Penh, It was the last day of one of the holidays and I promised that I would get her home. The bus picked us up like arranged and all was good up to this side of the bridge, the driver explained we was to get on the moto dop he had called and paid for, to meet another connecting mini bus that was waiting for us in the market place of Neak Loeung. On arrival of the very dusty market my doubts became reality with no connecting bus and a moto dop demanding the same price as the whole cost of what the bus journey would have been. “You have been paid by the bus driver” my lady said firmly to him, he did not like the answer, now he was joined by two more moto dops. “Barrang give me louy” I was not in the mood for this replying you have been paid, one of the others started to have hash words with my lady, I pulled out my empty pocket linings “louy but I have not got” the lady is treating me to the trip. But how would two of you want paying to take us to Prey Veng. They started to get nasty toward my partner “HAY there is no money” I was walking in the middle of the road banging my hands on my head, anything to try and defuse the situation, but the mad English man in the mid-day sun, then the police arrived, a few words to the moto dops to get on their way and a stern look towards we has now I was ordering coffee at the roadside stall. With the hot coffee in my hand a taxi pulled up with room for us to Prey Veng. Shit that 23km was bad, no wonder the moto dops didn’t want the fare. Last time I rode a road that bad was over towards Koh Kong and after the second bridge I shredded the motos rear tyre having to leave it there with no one to repair it.
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Prey Veng no buses, or taxi, and no vacancies at hotels. I am happy no room at hotels, due to the last stay I was eaten by bed bugs. “What are you doing” has I put my thumb out. You never see this before? This is a magic thumb and will get you to Mamas. I had not hitched for years since leaving Glastonbury festival in 1997.

From there home page -
Torrential rain just before the weekend resulted in this being the “Year of the Mud”. Undeterred, festival-goers boogied in their boots to more live performances than ever before. This year’s highlights included a “dubhenge” made from upended VW beetles and campervans and the first ever Greenpeace field with a reconstructed Rainbow Warrior and solar heated showers. The site expanded to 800 acres, a daily newspaper was published by Select and BBC2 broadcast live. Greenpeace, Oxfam, Water Aid and Mid-Somerset CND were the main beneficiaries.
Acts included: The Prodigy, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Ray Davies and Sting.



I did not know if hitchhiking would work in Cambodia, I was hoping so. 10 minutes with my thumb out we had our lift with two Army officers heading home. The rain was pouring again in the night sky and pothole one after another, dropping us off at Mamas doorstep not wanting any payment I thanked them for their time and kindness.

But now we were on the bike heading up road 11 towards Ou Reang Ov District on a new road surface with one or two potholes in the late afternoon sun on our backs, enjoying our motorbike ride in the kingdom of wonder.
Always "hope" but never "expect".
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Re: moto trips

Post by AndyKK »

A Good Ride Out

Part three

After about a week’s visit to Kampong Cham it was time to head back home, Phnom Penh.
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I asked if my partner would like to take the bus back, possibly being more comfortable. I wanted to look at a few palaces off the normal route, here again I have a few places that I would like to visit, also I would wish to take the ferry just beyond Rika Koyo Kha, on road 223 after Koh Pen. But, she wanted to travel with me once again, consequently, I would leave the crossing of the river until another time, which would be some other occasion when the rainfall had stopped, due to the entrance road being difficult.
Now heading out of town via road 7 to Skun, the place well known for its production and sale of spiders, the delights and delicacy of the Tarantula.

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Extract from Wikipedia –
Fried spider is a regional delicacy in Cambodia. In the Cambodian town of Skuon (Cheung Prey, Kampong Cham Province), the vending of fried spiders as a specialty snack is a popular attraction for tourists passing through this town. Spiders are also available elsewhere in Cambodia — in Phnom Penh for instance — but Skun, a market town on the highway 75 kilometres (47 mi) from the capital, is the centre of their popularity. The spiders are bred in holes in the ground in villages north of Skun, or foraged for in nearby forestland, and fried in oil. It is not clear how this practice started, but some have suggested that the population might have started eating spiders out of desperation during the years of Khmer Rouge rule, when food was in short supply.
“Well that was tasty” 2000reil per spider. I don’t know if many of you have tried them, but I actually like them.
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A little way from the main road 6, on to dirt and dusty roads, possibly not on the tourist agenda we was to visit the old 12th century complexes of Hindu temples. This the first one to arrive at, particular has a rule that no monk is allowed to sleep there overnight, for the temples main purpose, that of being a meditation retreat for the fairer sex.
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Onwards once again, with the darkness of nightfall drawing in quickly. I still had one more place that I wanted to visit. Win-win being open 24 hour. Then time for a late night meal in one of the Muslim areas of Phnom Penh city before arriving home.
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Brody
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Re: moto trips

Post by Brody »

AndyKK wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 5:22 am Image
Great write up Andy.

Where exactly is this Mig? I'd like to go have a gander at it.
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Re: moto trips

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

AndyKK wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2019 11:17 am Image
You are the lotus flower amongst our patch of scrappy weeds, Andy.

- always great road writing and the photographs really help set the scene
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Re: moto trips

Post by AndyKK »

Brody wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 9:08 am
AndyKK wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 5:22 am Image
Great write up Andy.

Where exactly is this Mig? I'd like to go have a gander at it.
Just over the river Brady on road 5. Open 24 hours and free entry, you can gander real close at the little jet fighter, even at night time they have lights around the complex.
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There in a area right-side of the monument.
Map to help with directions -
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If you have time I would also recommend this place, not that far from the Win-win, a peaceful Buddhist centre.
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Well worth a visit.

If you live the other side of the city, like me, I live at Chbar Ampov. It's worth taking the ferry from Prekpo Road.
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Cuts out driving in the city, ferry is cheap and pleasant
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Lots of room on the car deck
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Good views too. when on the other bank just turn left and follow the river. :hattip:
Always "hope" but never "expect".
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Re: moto trips

Post by Brody »

Outstanding, @AndyKK

I'll definitely be checking this out.......thanks :thumb:
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Re: moto trips

Post by AndyKK »

Brody wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 2:41 pm Outstanding, @AndyKK

I'll definitely be checking this out.......thanks :thumb:
Your very welcome :hattip:

I have done some distance of late on my small bike, and its still going strong. But the last journey had me thinking! Which I will be happy to write soon.
So answer for the longer rides, Honda CB400ss............
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I also bought it too occupy me, and have been working on it already.
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Being the original Japanese bike it is only kick start, now I have got it down to 3 kicks or less instead of the 10 or above. :plus1:
Always "hope" but never "expect".
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Re: moto trips

Post by Brody »

@AndyKK

I finally made it out to see the Mig-21 at the Win-Win memorial.

It's a pretty expansive memorial with many war time pieces on display.

I'll post the Mig photos in my aviation thread.

I did notice this menacing behemoth in the distance, it looks like some Bond villain's particle accelerator or something. I think it's a stadium of some sort.

Anyway, thanks for writing about this place. I don't think I would have found out about it otherwise. :thumb:

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Re: moto trips

Post by AndyKK »

Brody wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:05 pm @AndyKK

I finally made it out to see the Mig-21 at the Win-Win memorial.

It's a pretty expansive memorial with many war time pieces on display.

I'll post the Mig photos in my aviation thread.

I did notice this menacing behemoth in the distance, it looks like some Bond villain's particle accelerator or something. I think it's a stadium of some sort.

Anyway, thanks for writing about this place. I don't think I would have found out about it otherwise. :thumb:

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Your very welcome Brody, happy you got there. I think too it's a stadium, I may be wrong, because I have read differences about this. First I read it is that of an Olimpic stadium built has a gift to HE by the Chinese. But then I read how much money is needed to finance the project.
Win-Win memorials I also read that several more are planned for around the country.
Always "hope" but never "expect".
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