Cambodia
 Poipet - Phnom Phen: October 22 to November 2, 2006
 Phnom Phen - Wat Opot: November 2 to 8, 2006
 Wat Opot – Vietnam: November 8 to 15, 2006
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Cambodia

Poipet - Phnom Phen: October 22 to November 2, 2006

Our entry in Cambodia was a choc because of his contrast with Thailand. After the border crossing, we pass some huge hotels (casino) and couple a meter further we notice that Cambodia is a lot poorer. There is no lawn, no flowers, no lights and the roads are crowded whit all different transport and no asphalted. Several young barefoot workers also transported huge loads in small wagons because no thai truck cross the border. I was felling like I arrive in India because everything was chaotic and over populated. On the road, our first shock was, after 9 mouth of left driving, we have to right side. The worst thing was to ear all these horn, not for encourage us, but to tell us that we have to move away of the car way, if we want to stay alive. The road between Poipet and Siam Reap is the most dangerous and most disastrous than we never cycle in our journey. It is necessary to live it to believe it. This road has been maintained for last time in 1960’s. With the raining seasons, most of the country is flood. So on our way we met over 20 pound or river that we cross. They where mostly 1 to 1,5 foot deep, but some was over 1 meter and around 1km long. It was a wonderful experience that we will remember for long time. On the road, we met a cyclist couple from Norway, Stale et Elina. They started their adventure in Bangkok and they tempt to reach bake Norway by bicycle while passing thru Mongolia and Russia. Their apparition on the road was like a vision and like a miracle.I (Ge) dreamed to see some cyclists since several months! We made the path together until Siam Reap and spent some days there together. We enjoy our visit experience of Angkor Wat. It is absolutely unbelievable that human can build such a thing. The Siam Reap was a big shock, when we arrive there we discover those rich hotels. After the countryside, it was a bit like we have cross an other border. For me (Ge), that smells mafia and prostitution. It’s a big tourist town; it was only build for that you can almost think than you are in Cancun. The Khmers are not nice; they are always try to sell you everything for 1US$. This is crasiest stuff. Everything is priced in US$. Be careful because everything should be half price. One meal in a local restaurant cost 0.50US$, but they will ask you for 1 US$. After a time, the situation can be indeed frustrating, you always have to bargain for everything thing and they always try to make money with you. Never buy before to know the price. This is our best advice as far. Otherwise, people are extremely nice and you will attract a big crowds around you when you stopping. After Siam Reap, we took a boat to cross the Tonlé Sap. That was a long way 6hours, but we really enjoy seeing these floating village. The Tonlé Sap is the biggest reserve of fresh water fish in the world. After that, the road for Phnom Phen is really good. All paved. Every evening, we asked again for the hospitality of the Monk. Our first night on the road was special because we participated during the evening in an English lesson with the head monk. He was more traditions, so we have been following more the Buddhist procedures. We are presently in Phnom Phen at Rub and Zara house (warm shower). We will stay here for couple of days because Saturday it’s the Bom Om Tuk festival. During this festival, people celebrate the re-inversion of the current of the Tonlé Sap toward the Mekong due to the end of the rainy season. After that, we gone spend 2 more weeks in Cambodia before crossing to Vietnam.

Phnom Phen - Wat Opot: November 2 to 8, 2006

Our vacancy in Phnom Phen has been much appreciated. We thank Rob, Zara and his brother from this cordial welcomes and the confidence that they testified facing us while letting us their apartment. We benefited from this, to relax and to cook some copious meal. Genevieve was indeed happy of it because she had not cooked since 4 months. We also benefited from this, to going to see the festival " Bon Om Tuk ." It was interesting, but there was too much people everywhere in the city. One day, we went to visit the shopping mall and we have been touched by an evenement of the most banal. For this special weekend, several peoples descended from the countryside to come to visit the capital (for some, it had to be the first turn. In the mall, people made the line to borrow the escalators (stairs). Several had never seen that of all their life and some was even afraid of it. The security guard was there to help them to go on it. This evenement, allowed us to return 40 years in the passed and to appreciate something that we never had luck to appreciate because it always had been existing in our live.

We left Phnom Phen late this day, in the afternoon. It was about 13 o’clock and the temperature rose to 40 Celsius. We leave for the adventure while knowing very well that we didn't go a make it to Kep. After having made a mistake who added 10 km to the trip, we took the right turn. On our way, a young man was sitting on the roof of a pickup hailed us, and when he was at my height, he threw me a peace of bread. It felt on the ground. He restarts his show when he arrived to Genevieve's height, except that this time, the bread hit her face. What an idiot!! We make a long pose that allowed us to pass are fury about the pass incident. The day was pull to is end, and more we ride, more the sun threatened to disappear. Finally, a sculpted door indicated us the entry of a temple. We flew ourselves quickly in this gate. The dirt path led us deeply in a village; our incognito entry in the Pagoda (Wat) was missed. After a few km, no news of the Wat and about hundred villagers looked at us whit surprise. Most of them greed us whit a piercing: Hello. Finally, 4 or 5 km farther we turned in the entry of the Wat, the monks rather nonchalant, and tell us to go behind their cabin, to find the chief monk. What was our surprise to find a Barang (white man) sit there whit about ten children. The sign on the wall, just behind him, said: Wat Opot Project for AID. He (Wayne) invited us immediately to stay whit him for the night. We make a short visit around the facilities and he explained us the mission of the establishment. He and the director were in charge of an establishment that regrouped people who were live whit HIV. We realize that the majorities where just children end some are orphan following the death of their parents. All kept the smile and seemed very happy to live there.

Wat Opot – Vietnam: November 8 to 15, 2006

We find hard to left Wat Opot. After 2 days, we had to go back to our journey. We spent 3 marvelous days to Kep. This place is magnificent, calm and revitalizing. Several years ago, this place was destined for the French elite and Khmers, but after the war with the Khmers rouge, this place became the destination number 1 in Cambodia for vacations. It is also there that I learned, for the first time in my life, to use a scooter. It was indeed funny! We also had a lot of pleasure to review Rub and Zhara of “warm shower." We love you so. We will miss you! Early in the morning, we took the road for Vietnam on the way we crossed two other cyclists, they were from Holland. We ride a little bit with them, but we let them after a while. In evening, we took a wrong turn, what lengthened us for more of 40 km. Fortunately, we had met someone couple days ago on this road and he had offered us to remain at home. He wishes to improve his English while speaking with the tourists, so one day, he will be able to find a better job and quit the countryside. You can visit it at home for one day and spend a night there. It can be a good opportunity to cut the road in two and to have an experience with a Khmer family (Please bring some food before to go). If you wish to have his telephone number, write us a message and we will put you in contact with Sophoeun. He lives in the province of Takeo, on the national 25. The following morning, we rolled 60 km to reach the border. We arrived there around 13 :00 p.m.. At the border, for no reason, they ask us to unload our bicycles and to pass everything on the “scanner". Of course, they never find anything and they only make us waste our time!