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."

Today we met our kids!!!

Bob still hasn 't finished on the injury stakes. It turns out He broke his arm during the fall yesterday. He is now our water Boy!!!!!

Last night a few of us went out with Andy and Sokhum to the Pontoon Bar after dinner. We had a great night just chilling and we even busted some moves on the dance floor. It was ladies night so ladies drinks were half price, so I could sit back and "enjoy" yet another cold glass of red wine. Yes people Red wine is served chilled here in Cambodia. A little bit strange but still quite cheap.

Today six of us (Maria, Steve, Robyn, Pam, Clinton and I) got to go to the Samrong Tong Area Development Programme (ADP) to see our sponsored kids. We were met in the hotel at 7.30am and took an hour and a half journey into the area, stopping on the way to buy these awesome kites from a guy with his motorbike on the side of the main highway. $3US got us an really big kite, so each of us bought one for our kids.

As Clinton and I had already been to the ADP in the past we were particularly interested to see how it had progressed in 5 years. The roads are so much better, and the office now has a sit down (not flush) loo rather than a squat. We were treated to a two hour information session by the staff at the office, and more fabulous coffee. It is really quite mind blowing what they are doing and have done in the area, from cow, pig and rice banks to latrines, water pumps, water filters, seed supply, education, school buildings and supplies, HIV and aids education and assistance for sufferers. It just goes on and on, and you can see the difference here compared with alot of the villages we have previously biked through.

We went to see a water pump and rice and pig bank and then the moment we had been waiting for, we went back to the office to meet our kids and their families. Ok, even now the tears are welling. What a fantastic moment. The translator asked if we knew who our kids were as we were all standing around. Straight away Rith and Vibot (our kids) beemed and pointed to us, as did Rith's parents. We have met Rith before and we were so stunned how big he has grown. It was just such and exciting moment for each of us. We chatted through translators for a while and then were all whisked off to a restaurant in a neighbouring town. Needless to say these people do not frequent restaurants. In fact I would be suprised if they had ever been to one before, so everyone was so excited.

We had a lovely meal and chatted and chatted and laughed. At one point we realised that Rith actually understood a reasonable amount of what we were saying in english. He was very shy but we all encouraged him to practise his english. He will be 16 in january and wants to head to university in Phnom Pehn to become a teacher. What a buzz to see this boy/man who had so little chance originally now having asperations of a great future. Vibot also knew a little english. He was such a wee dot with a smile that took over his whole face. Not that the photos show this. They are so po faced when their photos are taken!!!

We went back to the office and we all gave the kids gift we had purchased, including 50km of rice for each family. For a Vibot's family of 7 that will feed them for 15 days. The kites and gifts went down a real treat. It was then time to say goodbye, and it was a very emotional time for all of us. The two mothers gave me a group hug and I just lost it. We got back into the van and all the girls had been crying. What an experience.

If you are reading this and you don't sponsor a child I really encourage you to do so. You can really see the difference you make. Not only for the child, but the family and the whole community.

We went to visit a school and also a water filter system. We take so much for granted in New Zealand. They struggle for just the basics of life.

We were then vanned home again, all of us pretty emotionally and physically stuffed. We arrived back in Phnom Pehn in 5 o'clock traffic. Chaos is all that can describe it. Cars, motor bikes, bikes, tuk tuks and rickshaws all going in different directions. They have traffic lights but it doesn't seem to matter. I can understand why we are not cycling through the city.

The rest of the group spent the day looking around Phnom Pehn at their leisure.

We had an interesting dinner at the hotel with the rest of the crew later on. Colin, Miles and Clinton waited so long for their meals, and when it was evident after one and a half hours that they were probably not coming they left for pizza out in the city. Yet another awesome and mind blowing day.

Now I hand over to Jeannette for her thoughts on todayas she went to the actual project that the money was raised for:

I was going to be the only person going to Koh Andeat but Marilyn expressed a wish to go there and I was delighted. We were picked up from our Hotel Castle at 8.00am by World Vision, and driven in a very smart Ford Ranger Pickup for two and a half hours, to the ADP at Koh Andeat. For three quarters of that time the road was extremely rough, but the car had four wheel drive, enabling it to climb out of the steep and sloppy holes. On arrival at the office we were given a tray of fruit and seated on cushions on the floor. Our World Vision worker explained the current and long term plan of the programme. Then Sophean and her family were brought in to meet us. There was immediate rapport and emotion as greeted Sophean, almost eleven years old. Small, pretty and sweetly confident. She has only been on the programme since about March so I was suprised at the reaction that I experienced. Her parents looked so young, father 39 , mother 34 and little sister 6. The father was one big smile. He was full of warmth, love and gratitude, for what I am doing for them. The World Vision interpreters explained their comments. The mother was also warm gentle and loving. I had read and signed that I wouldn't make inapproriate gestures or touches, but it wasn't long before affectionate hugs were exchanged and Sophean snuggled up on my lap. Among the gifts I took her was a skipping rope. She could already skip, but she was excited about that, and other small things that I had taken for her.

We then went to lunch at a small town nearby. Another journey over the horror road, with the family and I and a cambodian woman from World Vision, on the tray of the truck. Sophean's mother held my hand all the way.

On the way earlier we had picked up a 50kg bag of rice and that was presented to the family back at the office after lunch, and many photos were taken. Then after many hugs and kisses my little family of four hopped onto their motorbike and left.

Now I will hand over to Marilyn, to share her thoughts on the visit to the Koh Andeat project:

On arrival at Koh Andaet the management team, after greetings, proceeded to explain to us all about the project. This was done by way of handwritten charts and broken english explanations !

The team was very proud of its work so far and very conscientious on the admin side and then we were taken to actually see the project underway. With another bottle of water under our arms we proceeded to walk the short distance to the water pond. I was taken by surprise as to how basic the beginnings were in fact how basic the whole project was but of course this still represents a change in behaviour and thinking which we all know how difficult this can be !! Everything is done manually and team work is of the up most importance here. From the reinforcing of the concrete posts to the boxing for the posts in preparation for the fencing of the water pond. The fencing was to keep the animals and children out but water was still to be collected by hand via bucket. Sand filters were then used one to every 5 house holds. So far this is all a major achievement and all the villagers are very proud of the work World Vision is doing and extremely grateful.

Phnom Pehn here we come!!

The Mekong river at day break

Well today was the most challenging of all to date. 65km in total, however 40km of the journey was dirt, rutted road. It took all our concentration to keep upright and moving forward, and the heat was intense. At one point it must have been up over 38 degrees.

We began the day however saying goodbye to Bob and Leah in the morning. Bob decided to try one of his unplanned dismounts and ended up being vanned straight to Phnom Pehn with his wife Leah. He was concused, but is ok. He is beginning to look like a mummy with all his bandages. I think he will be viewing the rest of the trip in the comfort of the van from now on.

Although it was an immensley challenging day on the body and brain, it was also really amazing. Weaving through small villages and slapping the hands of the kids as we wizzed by. They are all just so gorgeous, no matter how tired you are you just have to put your hand out for the next one to give it a slap, or yell out "hello". As the group has varied levels of fitness we can tend to spread out a bit, so if you come to a cross roads and no one is behind you you need to wait until someone comes and then go. They then wait and so on, so you know what direction to take. I ended up having to do this at one point. Our group was about ten minutes ahead of the next bunch and I had to wait in the middle of this little village. I felt like I was in a zoo as very quickly I was surrounded by people. I guess I must have looked funny in all my garb, covered in sweat and dust.

One of the highlights of the day was stopping at a school. What a buzz. The kids were just so excited and each of us had a circle around us. Some were brave enough to test their english, limited as it was, but some how we managed to communicate with them. One little girl Danine gave me a hair ornament. The kids are always a lot older than we think. I could have sworn she was 8 or 9 but she was in fact 13. We got to go through the class rooms and had a ball trying to teach them the mexican wave (of which I might add we weren't flash at either. We had one way fine, the return wave was horrendous).

We stopped for a english lunch of bread rolls, cheese and salad (oh and peanut butter). it is amazing what you will eat when you are hungry. I don''t think I have ever considered a peanut butter, cheese and lettuce sandwich before.

After lunch we finished the last of the 18km of our journey. This had to be the hottest part of the day. It really took it out of all of us. At one point when I thought I couldn't go on a local boy on his little bike came out and indicated to Adam He wanted a race. off they went and Adam eventually powered past him. As I was behind Adam I had a feeling I was going to be next. i was so stuffed, but sure enough the challenge came. It amazes me where you can find the energy when you really need to. Needless to say we raced hard and I finally changed down and blitzed him, to his delight and the line up of others along the road.

We transferred to the vans again and were bused to Phnom Pehn along the Mekong river. It is so amazing. It is certainly the life blood of so many families. We arrived in Phnom Pehn and had a chance to sower and then a few of us zipped down to the Central market on a tuktuk. We are visiting our Sponsored kids tommorrow so we wanted to pick up a few things for them.

This market is a world in itself. The sights and smells do your head in really. You can get anything from a snake kebab to barbequed cockroaches and stereo equipment. After paying far to much for balloons, T shirts and soccor balls we were wisked back to our hotel. Travelling in a Tuk tuk in Siem reap was one thing, here in Phnom Pehn it is just exillerating. There is just so much traffic here, all weaving in and out.

Another Temple - but what a beauty

Last night we were treated to a fabulous buffet dinner in Siem Reap. The entertainment consisted of Cambodian dancers, Fabulous to watch but the sound track was brain numbing.

Prior to heading out we celebtrated Leah and Bobs 41st wedding annivesary. Smey our guide arranged a cake (green in the centre) and Andy a bottle of wine. Also we had the daily awards. There is one called the "Nuffy"and the other is the "Honorable" Award. We had several nominations for the honorable, but Bob won it hands down due to the fact He canned off twice and still managed to get back on his bike and finish the day. I won the nuffy for my spectacular dismount over the handle bars on the bridge. Bob got a gold scarf to wear for the day and mine was pink.

Today we started off at 7.00am and biked through the crazy Siem Reap traffic to the long straights outside the city. We stopped a couple of times, one for coffee. The coffee here is amazing. A shot glass of condensed milk is placed in the bottom of a glass and then ultra thick coffee is then poured on top of it. Mix with a spoon and drink it back. So sweet, but really nice. Again the kids and people were fantastic.

Our destination today was a temple called Beng Mealea. It was built in the 12th century by the same king that built Angkor Wat, but unlike the others no restoration has occurred. It has also collapsed and is overgrown. They have put a walkway through the place but other than that it is untouched. Many of us found this to be the best. So peaceful. today we cycled 45km.

From there we had yet another fabulous lunch we all piled into the vans and were driven to Kampong Cham. This was a five hour journey and it was so nice to just sit and view it through the van. The villages are amazing and so basic. We took a "quicker"40km dirt road to the town rather than go around the outside (150km) on the sealed roads. We saw Cambodia at it's most rural. These people are so poor. At one point we had to stop and get out and walk to allow the van to get through the mud.

We often have to stop at random villages and towns in order to go to the loo. Todays experiences really pushed some of our boundaries, but when you got to go you got to go! Most of the toilets are squat toilets (pan in the ground) and you have to pour water into them to flush.

We arrived at Kampong Chum 5 hours later and went straight to our restaurant. The guides are trying to ensure we get to try different types of Cambodian food each night. So far it has been really great.

We got to our Guest house, all of us pretty had it really. The Awards were given out for the day.
Lynn got the honorable award for staying back to bike with Leah for alot of the day. Gaylene got the nuffy. She had complained about how hot the nights had been in Siem Reap and how she hadn't really slept well for three days. She had removed her hotel key card each night to turn of her lights at bedtime, instead of just pressing a button to put off the lights. Consequently her room had no power and therefore no air conditioning!! Colin was also nominated for waving at the people through the tinted windows of the van. I should also mention though Colin (who is actually an ex-All black) Farrell was also nominated for the honorable award due to fact He allowed some of the ladies to hang their washing in his room as they ran out of space in theirs, and then he handed it back to them in the morning all folded.

I will upload photos shortly. It tends to take some time on this computer.

I will now hand over to the fabulous Steve to share his thoughts about the day:

Today another temple visit, but quite a contrast to those seen to date. Obviously off the normal tourist circuit as we had the place almost to ourselves. This temple has had no attempts made at restoration and I actually found this gives it character - its significantly collapsed, but not hard to imagine what it once was. Called the "jungle temple" the tree routes intertwine around the stones to create a photographers delight. Wandering round the mounds of giant stone blocks on the official route was an experience in itself, but as we were about to leave Adam and I were beckoned on by a uniformed guide. She would be lucky to weigh 40 kg, up to my chest in height, but clearly a cross with a mountain goat as we had trouble keeping up with her as she leapt from stone to stone. We were lead through little tunnels and rooms that would have had the OSH people bringing prosecutions back home if anyone approached within 10 metres.

After the temple we were in for an exciting trip in the vans down to Kampong Chun. The road needs to be experienced to appreciate - as rough as any we had biked over, and a very slow trip. It is easy to see why cattle are so widely used as transport as in the rainy season any vehicle giving traction through the wheels would be going nowhere. Much of the road we could have covered the groud as quickly on our bikes, but as we were in the dark long before our destination this would not have been an option.

Well someone had to be first to cane off!!!!

Hi all tania here again.

Last night we were treated to another fabulous local Khmer dinner, but got to go to and fro on tuktuks. The sensation of cycling through the traffic is one thing but these are fantastic little motor bikes with a trailer on the back. We were then wisked off to the Siem Reap night market, where you could buy anything from cushion covers to 15 minutes of having fish suckle the dead skin off your feet!!! Clinton was going to give it a try but was concerned for the welfare of the fish in the pool after his feet went in.

This morning we started off at 7.00am. This is the day we have all really been worried about really. 85km round trip. Originally we were to ride up a mountain road, however the road is now so bad they had to change the itinery, much to our delight. It was such an awesome day. We were all so proud of ourselves. We caned it. At one point some of the group decided to race each other for 3km, reaching speeds of 39km an hour. Needless to say I was not in this group but even I managed to get to 30km without too much problem. clinton wants me to let you know He led the group for a time (show off).

We started out visiting another very old temple. This one built in the 10th century. the carving work on these temples is extrodinary. The roads to start with were sealed and really lovely to ride on. Children lined the roads as we went, cheering us on. After a brief toilet and snack stop at the 20km mark we headed off again.

Cambodian Superloo!

Soon after we hit the dirt roads. What a blast. Pot holes everywhere and red dust. it was so much fun, until we came to the little river passing, otherwise known as two boards side by side. now I am not not to so things slowly, so of I went hurtling at full speed behind the rider in front. Within no time I had lodged my bike wheel in a gap between the boards, and decided to see the scene from a totally different angle, upside down and over the handle bars. By the grace of God I came off with a skinned knee and elbow. apparantly it was quite spectacular to watch and was narrowly missed being filmed by our camera man Adam. I must admit however Bob gets the award for the most falls today. He flew off his bike twice, and still carried on till the end. Bob is in his sixties I believe and is such a delight.

We had yet another wondeful lunch, sampling dragon and jack fruit for the first time and then we headed off the the land mine museum. Very sobering. There are still a millions of land mines at around Cambodia and the damage is devastating. It just reminds us again how amazing these people are. We went mad in the shop as all the proceeds go towards the victims and clearing mines.

We had several stops on the way home, some mingling with the locals in the villages. The kids are just so persistant, trying to tout their postcards, fish on string, palm sugar, tshirts, you name it, and all with the cry Only $1.00.

Several of us realised for the first time that we had been training on mountain bike tyres and this had been so advantageous as we are now on hybrid road/mountain bike tyres. we were flying compared to when we were at home.

We arrived home to cheers and hoots and were told we had done 81-86km (depending on whos speedo you were using) in 3hr50mins. Fantastic effort from everyone.

I am now handing over to the lovely Gaylene, the Cambodian Kids dream when it comes to bartering!!!!

I have finally worked out why they swarm around me like bees to a honey pot and are relentless in their pestering to buy their wares. I have been wearing my money bag outside my clothing so it is quite visible to them. From now on I'll tuck it inside my shirt. I was amazed how easy it was to cover the distance today. The weather was quite overcast this morning which was much more pleasant to cycle in. For a while after lunch the sun did its thing but on our homeward ride we must have narrowly missed a shower of rain which settled the dust, which is everywhere, and also cooled the air somewhat. The cycling is the best part of the day in a way because the fast movement creates a breeze. My right hand is quite weak tonight from the intensity of gripping the handle bars which is necessary because of the road surfaces. I really want to be looking at the scenery a lot more but it is quite imperative to keep a good eye on the road most of the time. I tend to be the last rider in the group because I prefer to have my own space not cluttered by other riders. So as not to give the impression that I'm the slow one I decided to do a sprint for the last few km today and arrive home in the first bunch.