CAMBODIA BIKE TRIP

ON THE ROAD DAY 2

Taking as easy a road as was possible we headed off to Anlong Veng, a town whose only real claim to fame is being just down the hill from the final resting place of the evil Pol Pot.  We actually had to pay to visit and i queried Slim as to why any Cambodian would want to go visit such an awful reminder of the tragedy and atrocities that were committed by him.

Slim told me he pisses on the grave every time he goes, I couldn’t agree more so we unloaded the days beverages on the vile bastard.  We then stopped at a little cafe? for a cold? coke about 200 meters from the Thai border before heading back down the hill to Anlong Veng and our accommodation for the night. 

It was at this little 'cafe' that Slim told me how is brother, father and sister were all murdered by the Khmer Rouge and it was really gut wrenching to hear him talk about it, even though his tale is hardly rare here.

 The days ride had certainly been scenic, but was hard to enjoy with a foot and arm that shot incredible pain through me at every tiny bump.  We had passed through more amazing country scenery with the usual rice fields, hills, jungle and mish mash of tiny towns and stalls, which would have made for some great photos if only stopping the bike and getting off wasn’t such a big and painful job.  I just didn’t bother. Hmm I was really starting to wonder what the fuck I was still doing on this trip. 

After a shower and rest, I slowly hopped my way to the 'restaurant' with the aid of Slims make shift crutch where we indulged in a great meal and a few beers.  I guess things weren’t so bad even if i could hardly wipe my own arse, and no, Slim certainly did not help with such matters!  He really was a great guide and great help though and changed my arm dressings every day for me, in the early bit of the trip, twice a day. 

Always up for an adventure, we decided to get scooter taxis to a local girlie bar which was simply a bunch of shade clothed little huts where you could sit with girls, drink, smoke joints if that’s your thing, pretty much whatever you wanted, it was cool.  This seemed to be the standard upcountry 'girlie bar' setup i found in most of the small towns.  The girls weren’t hookers, just there for some company and a good laugh. 

We invested in a bottle of whiskey and proceeded to get a little drunk and mingle with all the locals.  Something I like to do, especially in towns like this, as it definitely was not a place they had ever really seen too many 'parangs' (white foreigners).  In fact most of the people downright stared and the extremely sexy upcountry girls simply smiled, whispered and giggled at the big nosed foreigner.

The final resting place of Pol Pot, before we gave it a good piss soaking