Singapore then home

Well this will be the last post.

We spent another day in Phnom Pehn and had a great time at the Central and Russian markets with Steve and Maria, hunting down bargins, and cheap golf balls. There are no golf balls in Phnom Pehn!!!! After lunch at the Jars of Clay cafe we finished the day at a lovely restaurant just down from the hotel.

After leaving Phnom Pehn we travelled onto Singapore for three nights. it really is such a different place compared to Phnom Pehn. So clean, tidy, orderly. The traffic has structure, the shops are clean and dust free. Singapore is consumer driven. Mall after mall, under and over ground. As we found out you can walk for miles underground.

Although not a christian nation, Singapore has totally embraced "Christmas". The simple reason is because it encourages them to spend more. And it's not that cheap either. Most of the products we saw you could get at home for alot cheaper, especially the confectionery. I don't think I could ever justify spending $6.30 Singapore (similar to Australian dollar) on a bag of Natural confectionery company snakes, or $33.00 for a large bag of M&Ms.

My experience in Singapore wasn't helped by the fact that I got a bad batch of Chicken Masala on the first night we spent there. Needless to say, I did not move far from the loo for the first 36 hours.

We did venture out to the Zoo and the Jurong Bird park though. They were great, although I really think our Auckland Zoo has alot to be proud of.

Steve and Maria finally got their flights sorted and they spent the day with us as well in Singapore. We walked and walked and walked. It was raining outside, but as I mentioned earlier, you don't really even need to come above ground. Every thing you need is accessable below street level, although I must admit Singapore really is very hot and humid.

We boarded out flight to NZ at 9pm on Monday 8th December and arrived back to a balmy 23 degrees in Auckland at 11.45am on the 9th. Both tired but glad to be home.

We say farewell to the team

This morning we said goodbye to most of the team. Steve and Maria stayed behind, still trying to reorganise their flights to Thailand, Ben went off into Phnom Pehn to arrange cheaper accomodation until he buses to Vietnam, Colin and Adam were waiting for flights to malaysia this afternoon, but the rest of the team headed off to the airport. Smey and Andy came with us, and we had a special suprise visit from Sokhom as well.

After some tearful farewells Steve, Maria, Clinton and I said goodbye and headed back into Phnom Penh. We had heard there was a seeing Hands massage place just round the corner from our hotel. These people are all blind and organisation is endorsed by World Vision. It is an excellant way for them to make a living. Also it is as cheap as chips. A one hour massage costs $6 US. Both Clinton and I decided to get one, as we were still a bit stiff from all the riding. All was going well until they hit the Quads and Calves, OOOOWWWWEEEEEE!!! You get the option at the start, medium or strong massage. We both opted for the medium, thank God, I hate to think what the strong would have been like. We did however feel alot better after the experience and We along with Steve and Maria zoomed back to the Russian market in the afternoon.

Gas Station!!!!

Still hot and smelly, the market that is, we spent about an hour wandering around, getting some bargins and then we opted to go back to the Jars of clay cafe. So yummy. This was followed by an afternoon snoozing by the pool and a quiet night in watching the national geographic channel. It doesn't get more exciting than that!!!!

Tuol Sleng Museum & Pol Pot

Today was one of those days that will be etched into my memory forever. While 10 of the team headed off to visit their sponsored children, Clinton, Robyn, Pam and I headed in to see the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This is an old high school that Pol Pot took over in the early 70's and used as a prison and place of torture, prior to sending people to the Killing Fields to be killed.
The first block of class rooms, block A, has one old steel bed in each room, shackles, a tin toilet box and photos of the last prisoner found there by the Vietnamese when they stormed Phnom Penh. It was hideous and cruel what they were subjected to.

Block B housed boards with hundreds of photos on the front and back showing the faces of the prisoners killed there, their clothing, and also the young soldiers of the Khmer Rouge. They were young boys forced to kill.

Block C was classroom after classroom with little cells that had been built into them with bricks. They had barbed wire down the face of the classroom blocks to stop the prisoners from trying to commit suicide.

Block D housed more faces, paintings and the actual items used to torture these poor soles. They say over 20,000 people went through the school. It was a horrid place and it just showed again how amazing the Khmer people really are to have come back from this.

Coming out of the museum we were faced yet again by a number of people begging. Some missing limbs, and others burn victims. We have been told it is not a good idea to give these guys money as it only encourages them to continue begging, but I must admit when confronted with the reality of what they have endured it is heart wrenching to walk away and not be able to do anything. We have all developed such a love for these people. They have an x factor that we can't describe.

After the museum we left for the Russian market, a bustling, hot and smelly place full to the brim with stalls carrying everything. The stench in the meat and fish section was over whelming. After this morning we didn't stay too long and opted instead to go to a cafe down the road called Jars of Clay. This cafe is run by 8 women. A share of the profits goes to help street people and others in need. It was such a lovely place, very peaceful. At least here we felt we were doing something to help.

We then moved on to the Central market where Robyn and Pam did some last minute purchasing and we watched Robyn fullfill her dare to eat a barbequed tarantula. Totally disgusting, but what a trooper. She said it was like eating a chewy bit of meat. Even the locals laughed at her.

Tonite was our last night together as a team, as most of the crew head back to NZ tomorrow morning. we had a wonderful dinner at the Friends Restaurant. Another resturant that trains street kids and gives them jobs in the restaurant. It is totally not for profit. We decided to give everyone a piece of paper with their name on it, then this was passed to each person and we each wrote something about that person on it. At the end we get back the paper. It was so lovely and was a great way to finish the tour.

The feeling was the same throughout the whole group. We all enjoyed each others company immensely and the dynamics of the group. We are all so very different, from all over the country, all walks of life, but somehow we just all clicked. We will miss each other and I know we will try and keep in touch.

Back to the big smoke of Phnom Pehn

A couple of days ago I reported that Bob had not sustained any further injuries. I now have to share that He also tried to take himself out on the stairwell, the bathroom door and the van. He is still standing however. At the dinner last night we had the final Nuffy and honorable awards, and Bob's was the best yet!! He had gotten disoriented during the night while wanting to go to the loo, and instead of going to the bathroom he went out the front door. Not a problem normally, unless you are completely starkers!! There has never been a dull moment with Bob.

Ben received the Honorable award for disarming Esmae's bell. Every day we were cycling Esmae would work her way from the back of the group to the front ringing her mickey mouse bell all the way. Clinton and I tried to disarm it but stuffing it with toilet paper, but she cottened onto this quite early. Ben however just knicked off with the top of the bell, to everyone's delight!!!!!

This morning after a few of the team headed down to the beach for a quick dip, we headed back to Phnom Pehn in the vans. Most of us were quite happy to see the back of Sihanukville. The beach was ok but it was so unreal compared to the rest of Cambodia. Very touristy. It is a four hour trip by van and we stopped for lunch at this lettle restaurant. Steve being one of the bravest in the team ordered lok lak and rice, not having any idea what it was. It turned out to be beef, but by the end of the day he had a raging fever, and consequently decided to stay in for the night.

We settled into the Goldiana Hotel and then most of us took a tuk tuk to the famous foreign Correspondants club. Full of westerners and europeans, but happy hour from 5 to 7pm. Two red wines and a handle of beer for $5. We then tuk tuked off to the bright lotus restaurant for some semi western/cambodian/italian fare. Nice and quite cheap to. When we arrived home Clinton and I had a ball with Esmae. She was using the internet in another room so Clinton and I spent some time showing up in her window at different angles and different times. Childish I know but we just had a ball. Later on Clinton and I headed upstairs, me lagging behind. As i reached our floor I found a near collapsed Clinton in histerics. He had though I was behind him and decided to scare the living daylights out of me as I came round the corner. Instead He startled some poor european man, who was so shaken He went to the wrong room and woke someone else up. Needless to say Clinton was nearly wetting himself with laughter and was very embarrassed.

110km and the cyclings over

Last night we walked around Kampot and treated ourselves to a plate of french fries at the "Green Man" cafe. So good. We then went to dinner wuith the group at Rivitikitavi. A restaurant owned by a lovely german lady which was serving two for one cocktails (at about $3.50 average each). Needless to say we had a great night. It was Smeys birthday and we had chipped in a gotten him a lovley silk shirt and Adam has also bought him a blowup plastic rabbit. He was so chuffed.

We then all awent to a local Karaoke room. Smey had hired the room out for us. We had such fun. We were terrible, but Adam was diabolical. He has a beautiful voice but he does not know any of the songs but belted them out anyway. Wrong speed, wrong key, but it was fantastic. The Cambodian drivers and Smey and his fianc'e however were a different story. They had great voices and actually sang in tune.

Today was our last day cycling. We woke up to gale force winds and overcast weather. We headed our anyway though. Thankfully the winds died down and we took the trip in 15 to 20km bites. We had done 75km by lunch time and Smey decided we should take a back road. More hills, but less traffic than the main route. The hill climbs were the first that we have really encountered on the whole trip. There were lots od them, and the road just kept climbing all the way, with heaps of gravel patches in the middle. The training on the farm had really paid off as I managed to stay upright all the way. Needless to say we all blitzed them. After lunch in the hills we had another two bursts. Again all hills most of the way, until we had an awesome downhill to the coast. This was the point that Ben decided to enter the elite crash and burn club. Again He came off amazingly well. We have so been looked after this trip.

Coming to thwe coast was so amazing. We stopped to view the Gulf of Thailand for a while and then did the last 20 km into our Hotel at Sihanoukville. That was it we had done it, 500km. I can't explain the feeling really. So many of us have been through so much to get here, and here it was the end of the cycling part of our journey.

Sihanoukville is a coastal town which compared to the rest of the country is relatively new. Only being built in the 50's. It is different to the rest of the country rreally. Heaps more tourists and big hotels. There are lots of street kids and a more seedy undertone. It is the first place we have been told to keep a close eye on our stuff.

We went out for a lovely seafood dinner at a restaurant on the beach. We said our official goodbyes to the Raw Travel as several of them will be leaving us tomorrow when we get to Phnom Pehn. Then it was back to the hotel poolside for $2.50 cocktails. Yet another great day.

Where oh where has my bum gone!!!

Sorry folks, but after 87km of cycling you tend to lose touch with your nether regions.

Last night we had a lovely meal at a local restaurant in Takeo. I have to make special mention of the awards as Andy our Australian Guide had a double nuffy nomination. The main one was for taking off without his helmet and glasses. Sokhom received the honorable award for hanging back with Leah, now nicknamed the "Riverton Express".

Our guest house was quite comfy but had no hot water. Climbing two flights of tall steps was a killer after the days riding. Some of the guys decided to have a party in one of the rooms. It only lasted for 15 minutes as most people were so stuffed and Sokhom's jokes were really bad!!!!

This morning we headed out early again, 7.00am, after another hearty brecky of omlette and french bread. The road was sealed almost all of the way but it was still quite rutted. We spent most of the ride in the gravel/dirt beside the road as this gave you the smoothest ride. We road 70km before lunch, stooping a couple of times at various peoples places. At one place we met this delightful 85 year old dot of a women. As with every stop we tend to have heaps of people gather around us to see what we are doing. It really does make you feel like you are a zoo attraction at times.

At one point prior to lunch Maria decided to do a double somersault with a twist over the top of her handle bars. Her dismount was a little bit off though. She had been trying to overtake a motorbike on the side of the road and her bike stuck into the tarseal and gripped. What an amazing woman though, she got back on and continued to cycle for the rest of the day.

I am also happy to note that Bob has not sustained any more injuries. This is mainly due to the fact that he has been travelling in the van.

We had a stunning picnic lunch, of fried rice, inside a temple building compound with monks and several others looking on.

After lunch we cycled the last 18km into Kampot. An older township, quite dirty and full of hustle and bustle. Several of the team have gone off to the seeing hands massage. These people are blind.

The big smoke of Takeo & the Killing Fields

This morning we started of at 7.00am and were bused to Chheong Ek (spelling may be up the pole), otherwise known as the killing fields. Again even though we have been here before you can't help get over whelmed by the emotion of it all. It is a tragic place where over 20,000 people lost their lives, and were buried in shallow mass graves. You are met at the entrance by a 17 story tower full of 8,500 skulls of some of the victims. Our guide had lost his parents, sister and uncle. This was the work of Pol Pot when he ruled with terror in the country. It is sobering to note you are walking over the bones and clothing of the victims.

We cycled from there, on sealed roads, thank goodness, through the country side stopping a couple of times for coffee and lunch. The total cycling was 66km today. It got so hot though in the last stages after lunch, again up around 35. We have reached Takeo and have booked into our cold water only guest house. We have just heard this morning about the Air NZ airbus going down and several of the team are due to fly from here to Bangkok after the challenge, so we are not sure what will be happening really for them.

Smey at the local hairdressers

Takeo is not a big place, and in fact does not really have any stunning features. We have been for a walk down to the town, and again we supplied the locals with a bit of entertainment. Still the kids love crying out hello, and when we answer, giggle histerically.

Now I hand over again to the wonderful Jeannette for her thoughts on today:

Big deep breath in to control emotion.

The Killing Fields. The name is chilling. The presentation is dramatic. The reality is terrible.
Our guide is a stern face Cambodian aged fifty one and from his first words utside a multi-storied tower, layered with human skulls his pain and anger invaded us. I didn't like him.
The fields are honeycombed with many shallow graves now cleared of the 300 bodies of men women and children that once each depression had held. He strode angrily from station to station each one of which carried an icy description of terrible acts of cruelty and murder. He demanded our attention as he graphically acted the part of the murderers and took us with
him into his painful past. His face was full of anguish and hatred of the Pol Pot regime and he constantly reminded us, "I was there! I saw it! I remember!" Each retelling of his story has reinforced his despair, has hardened his heart. I was beginning to understand and forgive the austerity of his personality.

Many of us by now were visibly shocked and emotional. He reached out and took my hand. Forcing it high up above my head and touching the tree, he said. "The children. Arms chopped off!" as he lunged against my arm. At the end of this tour on which we learned that he had lost his grandfather, his uncle, his parents, his brother, his everything, I wanted to ease his pain. I wanted to surround him with our collective comfort, to hold him close to me. And so I did. I loved him now. He was receptive to my embrace and kept murmuring,"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I was so glad to have over-ridden any inhibition to comfort him. That night I could only pray,"Please God, bring peace to this tortured man."