Bada-bing, Battambang! (0km, transfer day)
Transfer day today, so up early ready for 6.30am departure. Alas, things didnt go quite as planned initially with the tickets and the boat - on getting to the harbour, they tried to palm us off with this shite bucket of a boat with plastic seats (for a 10hr journey, no way!) but Damian held firm so eventually this much better (relatively speaking) boat with padded seats turned up and we were on our way. Entertainingly, our boat was driven by this local kid who couldnt have been more than about 12yrs old - even more funny is that not one of us of the group made any comment about it! It was like "yeah, well, whatever!"!! The trip up the Tonle Sap through the mangrove swamps was fairly uneventful, except for me getting completely drenched not once, but TWICE from the wake of passing boats, setting Lenise off into fits of giggles! We went past some very poor floating villages where obviously the main activity and source of income was fishing. After about 4hrs of chugging along, we stopped briefly at a floating store where a few of our group bought some beer to drink on the top deck, then off again for the next 4hrs. The weather got worse and it started raining but, by that stage, I was already completely soaking so it really made very little difference!! But, by and large, it was quite a comfortable journey - I finished the book I'd bought the day before written by this woman who'd survived the rule of the Khmer Rouge as a child. Very compelling, extremely well written and very moving.

We arrived at our destination of Battambang ahead of schedule at around half three. Battambang is described as Cambodia's second capital - "a sleepy city full of faded colonial charm". We transferred to our hotel, The Golden Palace, which was very basic, so it was definitely back down to earth after the luxury of the past 3 nights!! I was quite tired so dithered with the idea of having a snooze but instead joined some of the others for a walk into town and have a look round. The map of hte town was completely useless (the drawing of the railway lines was especially liberal!) so of course we got lost but it was still interesting to walk through the town and observe daily life going on around us. Its not a tourist town here, so it was all very rough and raw and we obviously attracted our fair share of stares and giggles! Eventually, after much farting about and wrong turns, we managed to find a bar, the Gecko cafe, to sit and have a drink in. Whilst Daniella went and got her toenails done for $1, me, Clint and Tom took a Tuk-Tuk back to the hotel (via the cakeshop) (we drove a hard bargain and negotiated them down from $3 to $2!) as it had got dark and the chances of us not getting lost on the way back were pretty close to zero!! Dinner is at 8pm, so just time now for a quick shower and catch up on the news!!

Angkor Wattage, Part Deux (50km)
Today was another day to explore the amazing architecture and culture of Angkor Wat. After a fab breakfast, we left Siam Reap by bike to cycle to Kbal Spean (River of the Lingas) where we were to hike to the top of a hill to see some exquisite riverbed carvings. The ride was very nice, at a good pace, through some very pretty countryside. After about 20km we stopped for rest and quick Choco Pie refill before cranking out another 20km. After another quick breather, we cycled the final 10km on some very very dusty roads (hence the surgical masks we’d been given at the start of the ride!) and so got covered with thick layer of red dust! Although the road was pretty even, it was uphill in parts too so ensured we got a good workout!

We arrived at our lunch stop at around 11.30am but no-one was hungry so instead we all trooped up the hill (a 2km hike) to go and see the river bed carvings. I really enjoyed the hike (reminded me of Patagonia) and discovered that I probably hike faster than I cycle!! The carvings were good although maybe a little bit disappointing after the splendour of Angkor Wat, but it was different and good to get some non-cycling muscles working, so enjoyable nonetheless.

Trooping back down the hill, we returned to the restaurant for lunch before heading back to Siam Reap via Banteay Srei temple. Also known (I think) as the temple of the Dancing Ladies, the bas-relief motif carvings were as intricate and impressive as those I saw at Angkor Wat yesterday, so it was a great stop. I also got to indulge in a little surruptious monk stalking, as I tried to get a good picture! Succumbed to the pressure to buy something of one of the gazillions of kids selling stuff so ended up buying a silk scarf off this very persistent girl – I managed to barter her down to $8 and thought I’d done quite well until her mate rushed up, just as I was leaving, and promptly sold me a second one for $5!! Ah well!! Also bought this very cute little elephant carving for $2.

Transfer by bus back to Siam Reap, back mid-afternoon, so enough time to visit the market and do a little more shopping (bought this beautiful purple silk throw for the bed for only $13 plus another elephant that reminded me of the one Mum used to have when I was a kid). Also bought in supplies for the 8hr boat ride tomorrow and picked up my laundry from the lady round the corner (only $4!!). Treated myself to a mint choc chip ice-cream, got some cash out and then had a nice long soak in the bath at the hotel. Bliss, bliss, bliss. In the evening, we all went to a very nice restaurant (felt distinctly scruffy!) and shared some wine with Lenise and Nico – between us we got through 2 bottles and it was still only $13 each!
Left before everyone else to get back to the hotel for my massage appt at 10pm. Despite the fact the hotel was literally 200m from the restaurant, of course I got lost on the way home (turned right instead of left across the bridge). Fortunately I was saved from my own incompetence by this very nice young chap on a moped who gave me a lift back to the hotel! Phew! So made it in time for my massage, which was very good, although lady sounded like she had TB! (so I gave her an extra generous tip just in case she has large medical bills!!). Then just melted into bed ready for the off tomorrow.

Angkor Wattage (around 25km)
Slept pretty well last night although since starting these anti-malarials, I have to say I’m having some very weird dreams!! Can’t really remember this one but I do recall waking up going “huh?”! This hotel is FAB with an excellent buffet breakfast that I thoroughly enjoyed. The French colonial rule of Cambodia left a rather fortuitous legacy in that the coffee, croissant and bread here rocks!

So, we hopped on the bikes and left the hotel at 8am, ready for the leisurely cycle to Angkor of 3km. Again, we were cycling through the morning traffic but – after the insanity of Phnom Penh – this was a piece of cake!! Although it was early morning, it was already bloody hot and very humid, so even though we weren’t going to be cycling far today, Damian warned us that the heat would sap our energy pretty quickly.

After about 15mins, we arrived at the entrance to the temple complex – as expected, it was very busy with busloads upon busloads of tourists. We had to get in line to get our pictures taken, then 5mins later, we got our tickets with our photos printed on – our passports for the day (more valuable than money!). We were warned to keep these easily accessible for checking and NOT to lose them - if you didn’t have one, you didn’t get in (or out!) of anywhere!

Getting very excited to see the temples – as we cycled away from the entrance to our first stop of Ta Phrom, we saw this enormous 4-sided Buddha head just by the side of the road. Already, it was incredible – and we hadnt even started yet!!

Our first stop was at the temple monastery of Ta Phrom – one of the major temples built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th to 13th century. It features a set of concentric galleries with corner towers and its complexity is also somewhat increased by its partly collapsed state, with strangler figs and silk-cotton trees interlaced amongst the ruins. These trees (in particular) the strangler figs are somewhat responsible for this damage, as the roots of these trees work their way between the masonry, so that as they grow thicker, they gradually wedge open the blocks. Eventually, the tree becomes a support for the building but, when it dies, the loosened blocks collapse. The Ecole Francais d’Extreme-Orient (who first started the restoration of Angkor in 1899) chose this temple to be left in its “natural state” as an example of how most of Angkor would have looked on its “discovery” in the 19th century.

Walking back out from Ta Phrom, we passed some musicians playing traditional Cambodian wedding music - I guess the local equivalent of the pan pipes or mariachi music! Nonetheless, I got suckered in cos it sounded good, so sent Steve in to go and negotiate me a good discount for one of their CDs from the $10 advertised price. The bartering, which started out at “I’ll give you $5” soon fizzled out when we realised we were haggling with people with bits of their legs missing! On closer inspection, it turned out they were musicians supporting people who had been injured by land mines – we sheepishly handed over the full $10 and felt somewhat bad for having tried to knock them down by a couple of bucks!!!
After that, a quick rest stop and a chance to refuel with some drinks and the Cambodian equivalent of Choco Pies! Even though you are only walking around, its very draining – with cycling, I guess you have a bit of adrenaline working through you to keep you awake!

Next, we continued onto Bayon, Baphoun and Angkor Thom (I think!). To reach it, we went through the East Gate which was framed by a huge 4-sided Buddha statue and a magnificently carved bridge leading up to it. Angkor Thom was absolutely covered in incredible bas-relief wall carvings - unfortunately quite a few had been vandalized (people removing whatever statues they can to sell), but it was still very impressive. As unexpected as the detail and state of preservation, was the thread of humour that also ran through some of the stories carved out on the walls - I especially liked the one of this turtle biting someone on the bum!

12.30pm and time for lunch – stopped at this very nice place right near Angkor Wat (an offshoot of the Blue Pumpkin in Siam Reap) and the food was delicious! Very tasty fresh fruit juices and, after dinner, I even treated myself to a dollop of fresh creamy coconut ice-cream. Yum!!

Then it was time for what was undeniably the highlight of the day and, perhaps, the trip. Angkor Wat. The biggie. The one that everyone sees in pictures and the one Angelina Jolie clambered all over in Tomb Raider. UNBELIEVABLY, I’d forgotten to pack my spare camera battery and so, just before lunch, my camera died. Yes, here I am at one of the seven wonders of the world and my bloody camera battery had run out!! What an idiot!! So, instead, I concentrated on absorbing as much as I could and imprinting it on my memory (and hoping to nick some piccies of someone else!). Its difficult to describe here cos you really have to see it but its just bloody MASSIVE! Its simply an amazing sight and again, the beauty and skill of the craftmanship, the intricacy of the bas-relief carvings, combined with how unscathed by the weather it is just staggering. It was a shame I didn’t have my camera but I tried to console myself (not entirely convincingly) that pictures couldn’t truly capture the magnificence of the setting and the grandeur and scale of the place. Hmm…

Not all was lost though, as I arranged with Damian to go back to the hotel and pick up my spare – unfortunately, it meant I had to leave Angkor Wat after only an hour but at least I got to see all the main bits (even if at high speed!) So took a tuk-tuk back to hotel for my photographic mission of mercy, picked up my spare battery and a tripod for Amy, and dashed back to Angkor to meet with the others to watch the sunset from Phnom Bakheng. Met up with others at around half four, then climbed up to the top (could have taken an elephant for $20!). Bakheng used to be the state temple of the first capital at Angkor although today its a lot more ruined than some of the other temples we'd seen. Reached by some perilously steep and narrow stairs, the view from the summit was magnificent. There were hundreds of people up there, all gathered to watch the sunset and drink beer – in the end, the sunset was fairly average, but the setting obviously made for a memorable experience! It was even worth the effort of carting my tripod up there!

Got back to the hotel around 6pm, so enough time to have a nice hot bath to wash off the thick layer of red dust from the roads before bunking off the group dinner and taking myself off to catch up on my blog and enjoy some quiet time on my own. Ended up in the Blue Pumpkin again (the fruit shakes alone were worth going back for!) and soon will be back off to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep as apparently tomorrow’s ride is going to be a lot harder than today! Eek!!

Deep Fried Spiders and A Novel Marketing Tactic!(15km)
Up at 6.30am, quick breakfast, depart at 8am. Day was mainly spent in vans driving from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap. We drove for about hour and a half then stopped for restroom break. Again, as now expected, we were instantly deluged with kids trying to sell us things - this time, however, the local specialty were deep fried spiders and locusts! Mmmmm.... Not wishing to spoil my lunch, I somehow managed to hold myself back from diving in and devouring said crispy arachnids. I almost had a heart attack though, whilst negotiating with the little girl for some fresh pineapple, I suddenly noticed her brooch moving and realised it was a non-fried version - a frigging enormous spider!! ARRGGHHHH!!! My arachnaphobia in full swing, I tried to contain my freaking out, paid quickly for my pineapple and went an hyperventilated quietly in a corner. At least the girl had something to distinguish herself from the hoards of other sellers, so a good little marketer in the making!!!

Excitement/fear over, it was back in vans for another hour until we arrived at Kampong Tom for lunch. Mainly local fishy dishes – not massively keen but had been eating cookies had bought at rest stop, so imminent starvation wasn't too likely. After lunch, back in van for yet another hour's drive until we stopped to get out of the buses and stretch our legs with a quick cycle for an hour along the old highway that used to run north to South. The Thai border is about 100km north – where they’ve been having all the trouble. The countryside was absolutely gorgeous so kept stopping to take lots of pics. Only cycled 15km – enough to get legs moving but was very hot so still got v sweaty. Also roads very bumpy!!

After ride, back in bus for another 2hrs to get to Siam Reap, a well-developed touristy town with plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants. Quite the change from what we'd seen over the last few days! We arrived about 5pm, I had quick shower then wandered in town for a bit to check out the local market. There were lots of beautiful silks and carvings of all descriptions, plus jewellery and fake watches aplenty - I think a taster of what's to come in Bangkok!! I stopped for glass wine at a place called the Boom Boom Room cos was lost – then, on asking directions, hotel was literally just across the street!

Joined others for dinner at 8pm. Lovely restaurant – really quite posh! Shared nice bottle suav blanc with Amy and saw some frogs (who were quite nonchalent about being photographed!). A few people went on afterwards for beer, but I came back to hotel for a good nights’ kip!

Ooo, Ooo, Ooo-Udong Temple (45km)
Had a really good sleep last night (Ambien-free!) so started the day feeling much more human than on previous days! Apparently the anti-malarials can really mess with you too, so perhaps my body has adjusted to that also (although my guts are a complete mess – but we wont go there!). Today was a more relaxed pace with a bit of a lie-in as I didn’t have to get up until 7am, ready for an 8am departure. Went down for breakfast but some of the group who were already there said they’d been waiting ages for their orders to arrive, so instead I walked down to the local Mini-Mart and bought some pastries and orange juice, so had a very pleasant breakfast picnic in my room!

At 8am, we met our new local guides and picked up our next set of bikes. We were riding out of Phnom Penh in the throes of the rush hour traffic so you had to keep your wits about you to make sure you didn’t accidently ride into any vendor carts or tuk-tuks!. But again it was fascinating to be right in the thick of things, observing the passage of day to day life around you. For an experience of what a country is like, it really doesn’t get much more raw and unedited than this! The ride was at a very reasonable pace, so it wasn’t too taxing (not quite the speedy pace of Day 2 which was bloody hard work!). There was a bit of a headwind at times and I got a puncture but other than that, me and my new bike got on well!

Our route took us through many little villages along way. Today’s ride was 45km out to the temples of Oudong, with the option to either ride back (making it a 90km day) or take the bus to go see the Killing Fields. The countryside was quite different with the iconic sugar palm trees that you recognized from all the pictures of Angkor Wat. There are far fewer rice paddies or cultivated fields and, although its very green at the moment, apparently its usually far more dry and dusty, so a lot harder for the locals to eek out a living. Its obvious just riding through that there is a lot more poverty here – the streets are less well-paved, the dwellings more ramshackle, its generally more dirty with litter everywhere but, despite the impoverished conditions, the Khmer people are as friendly as before. Again, all along our ride, kids were running out to road to shout hello, beaming smiles and delighted when you gave them high fives (I’m sure I’m going to fall off my bike one of these days with a high five gone wrong!). The houses are also built differently, generally on stilts, with livestock or storage below, with the living quarters above. Despite the general poverty, there were some really nice houses and a lot of building too, so hopefully that’s a sign that things are improving and the area is starting to become more prosperous. After about 20kms, stopped for rest break with new Cambodian set of snacks – no more Choco Pies!

Another 25km, and arrived at Ouloong and were immediately surrounded by kids, wanting to sell us little trinkets and also offer to guide us up the steps to the top of the temple. I soon had this 14yr old boy who attached himself to me – I didn’t mind and ended up with him as my sherpa carrying my camera tripod! The 509 steps to the top will get the legs working overtime but the view was worth it. After several fish ponds along the way with hungry koi to feed (as well as a few monkeys) . View from top stunning of surrounding countryside.

Back down again and picnic lunch. Rice with beef, chicken satay and this gelatinous coconut rice thing for dessert which was v tasty. Then the group split – those of us who wanted to visit Killing Fields took bus back to Phnom Penh, the others rode back. As you’d expect Killing Fields were v grim. Another memorial filled with skulls but more disturbing was the clothing and bones, half buried, as you walked around the excavated graves. Found 8,900 bodies but think 40,000 may be buried here. Particularly gruesome was the "killing tree" which they used to kill babies with. We got back to the hotel around 4.30pm, had shower then arranged for massage later on in evening after dinner. Picked up laundry ($3 – result!) then had pina colada in lobby bar with Steve and chatted for a while. Dinner was in this restaurant down by the river, which was v nice - although we couldnt see very well, there was this woman doing traditional-style dancing, so it was a bit of a shame we didnt have a better view. Back to the hotel by 9.30pm and an early night!

Keeping it Reil in Cambodia - Phnom-enal Penh (day off!)
Another day, another country! Today was a transfer day from Vietnam into Cambodia – again, another early breakfast, ready to leave the hotel at 6.30am for our 7.30am ferry. Last night was great fun – had a Vietnamese barbecue with the little BBQ pots of embers sitting on the tables for you to cook your own supper. Was very similar to the Korean BBQ I had last year at one of Sam’s friends’ birthday parties. Lots of various marinated meats on skewers with yummy dips, chicken wings, tofu noodle soup, beef noodle salad along with the ubiquitous rice - very tasty, if not really all that healthy!!

So a short minibus ride took us into the centre of Chau Doc where it was time to bid farewell to our local guides, Mr Phat and Mr Trung and Vietnam. We’d had a little ceremony at dinner last night where 4 of us said a few words of appreciation for each of our guides and drivers as well as giving them their tips. Mr Phat had been especially fun with a wicked sense of humour (Mr Trung’s English was a lot harder to understand so some of his attempted jokes fell a bit flat at times!). Making sure we had all our luggage about our person, we trooped onto the ferry boat that would take us further up the Mekong, out of Vietnam and into Cambodia. The boat was pretty comfy so after a while, was getting lulled to sleep by the chugging of the engines (or knocked out by the carbon monoxide fumes?). After an hour, we slowed down and pulled into the side of the bank the exit point for Vietnam - and were immediately besieged by Vietnamese children selling sodas, crisps etc. Damian, our guide, collected our passports for inspection and then we just sat on the ferry waiting for about an hour whilst the bureaucratic process ran its slow and lumbering course (it pays to be patient on days like today!). A few bags were taken off the ferry for random searching and, after we’d got the all clear, we were off again for a short little hop to the Cambodian entry point. Here, we all had to get off the ferry into a fairly utilitarian courtyard, bounded by wire fences and high walls which housed the visa and customs station. I’d already got my Cambodian visa but, for those who didn’t already have theirs, the process was simple enough although it did look a little bit intimidating with the Vietnamese guy sitting across a large table from 3 stern-looking Cambodian immigration officials! After all the visas had been issued, we had to then go get them stamped (a quite intricate process involving 4 different stampers and 2 ink pads – you wonder if, on occasion, the immigration official sometimes goes wild and uses the red ink pad when really he should have used the blue one…..). My passport initially caused a little consternation until the official beckoned over another (obviously more important) official who then asked me where my Vietnamese visa was. I explained that I’d had a paper one – which was obviously the correct response, so the bureaucratic flapping subsided and the official could happily returned to his synchronized stamping.

So now, back on the boat for the remainder of the trip to Phnom Penh. It’s just gone 11am and I think we have at least another couple of hours to go, so I think I might have a quick snooze!!

Floating veg, snake wine and a sobering memorial.. (more than 50km, less than 90km)
After crashing into bed last night at 10.10pm (late night!), we were up very early at 5.45am, ready to leave the hotel to vist the floating market of Cai Rai. The market is the biggest floating market in Vietnam and was fascinating, colourful and bustling with hoards of rickety wooden boats selling great big piles of fruit and vegetables. As we puttered through the market, little refreshment boats would pull up beside us and offer us drinks and refreshments – very cool! I had a hot, sweet coffee from one boat and it was delicious! We also stopped later on in the trip for some fresh pineapple, eaten whilst sitting on the roof of our tourist boat, looking across the whole market in front of us. With the market boats, you could tell what they were selling as they hang a sample from a pole in front of the boat – very simple and very effective!! We spent about an hour bobbing around the market taking lots of pics before heading back to Cai Rang, docking, having a final look round another small covered market before then jumping on to our bikes and heading off. Today’s ride was taking us through the province of Can Tho and Long Xuyen – another area full of verdant rice paddies, water palms and banana plants. Riding along the river, we’d only cycled for about ten mins before we stopped – this time to see firsthand the production of the ubiqituous rice noodles. It’s like every day is pancake day!! They take the rice grains, grind them up and mix them with water into a gloopy opaque white paste, before ladling the mixture out onto a round hotplate to form a very thin pancake. This is then covered for a couple of mins by a conical lid, before being hoiked out onto a large long rectangular bamboo mat to cool. When the mat is covered full with the fresh pancakes, its then taken out to dry in the sun where, once dry, it’s fed through a machine which chops it into the different size noodles (rather like a pasta maker). I now know the full history, from field to plate of the rice noodle!

After about 10mins we got back on the bike and rode again – the next time stopping to see a man with some snakes and terrapins in a bucket. The reason for the snakes is to make snake wine- basically snakes steeped in alcohol for at least a year. The snake wine made from cobras is the most highly prized of all, reputed to make you very strong – however, you’ve got to leave it for at least a year or it will kill you! So, of course, I had to try some and – I’m pleased to say – a) I’m still here so it was obviously aged correctly and b) it wasn’t as disgusting as you might think. Certainly more palatable than the tapeworm sushi I “enjoyed” in Saigon! After that plus a light spot of terrapin racing, it was time to get a bit of distance in (we’re supposed to bike 90km today – eek!) and we cycled through some beautiful countryside again. For the most part, the roads were really good, making for a more relaxing ride than yesterday, although there was one part where it was very rocky (a new road was being put in) which was quite hard work on the hands and shoulders. I think, all in all, I’m actually holding up pretty well – the legs are fine although thank God for Vaseline!

After about 30m, we reached our rest stop, where the bikes were loaded on to the van ready for the 1hr transfer to the killing fields of Ba Chuc where the Khmer Rouge massacred 3,000 Vietnamese in 1978. It was a pretty sobering visit, so we didn’t stay long – enough, though, to see the memorial built with the thousands of skulls and human bones recovered from the killing fields plus an extremely disturbing exhibit of some of the gruesome photos taken at the time.

After stopping for lunch, it was time to hop back on the bikes and start to cycle the remaining 56km to Chau Doc. I was feeling pretty knackered today, so I did about 30km then hopped on the bus to rest whilst the others slogged away. I met up with the rest of the group at the base of Sam mountain, the top of which afforded stunning panoramic views of the local countryside. I chose to walk up the steps to the top – the more adventurous souls rode up by bike. Am glad I did as there was a beautiful monastery at the top – took my tripod up and tried to get some decent sunset pictures. There was also this rather bizarre cave with giant snakes (and live bats!) inside, leading to another shrine of the Buddha, so I’ll have to ask and find out what that was all about! On arriving at the hotel and meeting up with the rest of the group, I was very glad I’d chosen to walk up – the hill was EXTREMELY steep and, even though I’m sure the views were magnificent, there’s no way I’dve wanted to have been coming down that in the dark!! So, another good day – now its time to relax, recharge a little and shower before dinner!

Thrills, spills and muddy Mekong madness! (80km)

Short entry today cos I'm completely knackered!! Up again bright and early at 6am, ready to set off at 7.30am. Cycled out of Trah Vinh and our first stop was this beautiful Buddhist temple in the forest. Was quite a bizarre blend at times of the ancient and the modern (an emerging theme!) - the old, old temple buildings set against a Pepsi table umbrella, rock music blaring from a radio and the Buddha inside the temple surrounded by multicoloured neon lights! Apparently neon is a fairly recent thing in Vietnam (only about 20yrs or so) so they use it with gay abandon! (the Vietnamese LOVE their kitsch!)

Today's ride was pretty long at 80km. We broke it up with a fair number of stops but it was still quite tiring. It was so much my legs hurting as my wrists, hands and shoulders from being in the same position for so long. Kept trying to stretch to ease it out a bit, but I guess its just my body getting used to it, so hopefully it'll lessen off as the week goes on. Remember what I said yesterday - its only a matter of time? Well, yep - I was right! Today had two falls from the bike - the first one when we stopped at a junction and I just couldnt get my sodding cleat out of the left pedal in time (cos they're new, they're really tight, so I ended up riding with my right shoe clipped out). I was a bit bashed up but not too bad (although I think I'm in for some impressive bruises!). The next time was about 20mins later when we hit this big patch of Mekong mud (by this stage we had left the paved roads and were going through the beautiful patchwork of rice paddy fields). Having never really done mountain biking before, I had absolutely no idea of technique, so I was a bit doomed before I began really. Coupled with my cleat issue, it was pretty much guaranteed I would hit the mud, wobble, slither and then topple over in slow motion, ending up slithering down the bank with my bike on top of me! Fortunately, I stopped short of the Mekong river (that would have been bad) and nothing was damaged (neither me nor my camera, thank goodness!). The inevitable spill over, I could actually relax a little - some of the other riders also gave me some tips on how to actually ride the damn thing (its a bit like horse riding, really), so that really did help a lot too.

The ride today was very pretty and I feel I now have an intimate knowledge of how rice is produced! The stuff was everywhere - all spread out on tarps across the road to dry and, even though we were told it was fine to ride through it, you couldnt help thinking they got heartily miffed off with all these people messing up their carefully brushed and combed rice piles! Along with the rice paddies (which were the most vibrant green i've ever seen), we also saw many different style Khmer homes and temples, built in amongst the many tributaries of the Mekong. God knows how many bridges we crossed!

We kept riding til finally reaching our destination at 4pm for a late lunch of Beef Pho which was absolutely delicious (and well earned!). Again, with only about 10mins to go, we got caught in the rain and COMPLETELY soaking! Ah well - at least its warm. After lunch, we all trooped back on the vans for the 2hr drive to Can Tho, a large trading city. After all the rural quiet of the last couple days (moped horns aside), it was a bit of an assault to the senses to be back in a town! Was lots of traffic and we sat in a queue for the ferry for a good half hour. But finally made it to the Saigon Can Tho hotel around 6.30pm, so it was a long day but another very rewarding one. Dinner is in about half an hour - I could crawl into bed now, I'm so tired, so I hope I dont fall asleep in my noodles!!

Ho Chi Minh City to Trah Vinh (47km)

Up bright and early at 6am, ready for 7.30am transfer out of Saigon. Breakfast was buffet style and good, with breads, fruit, cereal, fried rice and noodles. Started off in the vans to transfer a couple hours out of Ho Chi Minh City to Cai Be - the gateway to the Mekong Delta. HCMC is a big sprawling city with a population of 8 million, 90% of whom seemed to be on mopeds! Was very interesting driving out of the city, seeing the juxtaposition of both the traditional way of life next to the new developments and huge building projects. Also fun were the goldfish farms,, which I think win the prize for the most entertaining way to use the middle bit of ground in between the two sides of the road! After about hour and half, we stopped for a bathroom break and coffee stop at this stunning place with an amazing water garden and beautiful outhouses, full of very ornate carved mahogany furniture - much better than your Little Chef or roadside diner!

After about another hour, we arrived at our starting destination of Cai Be and all piled out of the vans, readying ourselves to start riding. Got introduced to my steel pony, a 3500 Trek Mountain Bike and Mr Phat fitted my pedals and cleat system (managing, fortunately, to get my shoe out of the pedal that I'd got it stuck in, right after I bought it!). Also fitted my gel saddle cover (a VERY good buy!) and little under-the-seat saddle bag, and I was ready for the off! It took me a while to get used to the cleats and clips on my shoes on a bike that's not fixed to the ground and I think it probably only is a matter of time before I end up in a heap on the floor! But, other than a few wobbles, it was pretty comfortable and didnt take me long to get the hang of it - just as well, really, cos you needed to have all your concentration to avoid the many road hazards and craziness in front of you!! I guess in Manhattan you dont often have to swerve to avoid chickens, coconuts and stray dogs!

The ride was simply breathtaking as it led us right into the heart of rural Mekong, pedalling through narrow roads and lanes, past banana plantations, fields of sugarcane, and through lush green landscapes of the delta. It was everything i'd imagined it to be, but in even more vivid colour (and smell!). Another thing that you hear about, but you really do need to experience it firsthand to understand, is just how friendly and smiley absolutely everyone is. It really is incredible, but as you cycle past, people smile and say hello as if seeing you is the best thing that's ever happened to them! You shout a greeting back too and can't help smiling also, wondering just how come everyone looks so happy to see you. What a wonderful national psyche to have. Cycling past one school, this big hoard of kids ran up to the road and starting waving and shouting "hello!" - honestly, when I come back to New York, I shall be devastated if I dont get the same treatment! One kid was really cute, walking home carrying this adult sized briefcase that was almost as big as he was!

A section of biking took us off road onto gravel and dirt lanes, weaving through hamlets, across rivers and through quite thick vegetation. We crossed the mighty Mekong several times today, in a variety of ferries - some rather more rickety than others!! After about 50km, a final ferry crossing brought us into to Tra Vinh, where we cycled through some verdant green rice paddies, before entering the town, a pretty tree lined place with many ethnic Khmers. Alas, we didnt quite beat the rain, so got completely soaked by the regular downpour at 4pm, but it was warm and I smelt quite bad by that stage, so I didnt mind too much! Arrived at our hotel for the night, the Cuu Long Hotel, at just before 5pm, so enough time to shower (yey!), change and blog before dinner. Which is where I'm off to now!

All in all, an amazing first day - I didnt manage to get squashed or hurt myself too badly (almost spraining my ankle stumbling on the step in the lobby of the hotel first thing this morning doesnt count!), and I think the legs held up pretty well. Saw some amazing scenery and a constant stream of rural vignettes (alas, didnt take as many pics as I'dve liked but I would get left behind if i did!) and the people were so charming and friendly. If its like this for the whole 2 weeks, I'm in for an absolutely unforgettable experience.

Tip of the Day: sushi when feeling queasy is not a good lunch choice
So only quick note because in 20mins, we’re finally off – the official start of the cycling holiday! Yesterday’s transfer to the Bong Sen 2 hotel was very smooth and – huzzah – there was a room for me, so that’s an auspicious start! I had a late lunch at a place called Sushi Bar (my original choice having been converted into a Pizza Hut!) and it probably wasn’t the wisest choice of cuisine given I was still feeling a little nauseous. There was one piece of sushi that I have no idea what it was (I think it might have been a giant marine tapeworm or something) but in my gung-ho-ness attitude I tried it anyway – big mistake! One chew in and it was clear I was eating something that clearly should never have been suggested as suitable for human consumption. It was vile. I just stopped chewing and swallowed it before it could register its noxiousness anymore on my taste buds and washed away the horribleness with a big slug of sushi. Yeeuuchh!!

After that traumatic experience, went and had a quick lie down before meeting the rest of the group at 6pm for our briefing. I’ll give you more details as the trip goes on but they seem like a fun crowd (some, on first impressions seem more lively than others) – and – relax, everyone – no single guys under the age of 50, so no chance of finding love amongst the bike spokes this time! After orientation mtg, went out for dinner at The Temple Club – a bit like Tao but without the 40ft high Buddha statue. Food was excellent but Damian, our tour guide, did warn us not to get used to the poshness of this particular restaurant. So, now finishing packing, ready for our 7.30am departure. Yep. 7.30am. And this is one of the later ones! Hang on – aren’t I supposed to be on holiday or something?!!!

Photo Ops, Unidentifiable liquids and Advanced Scooter Avoidance Skills
So very successful morning’s exploring again – didn’t get as hopelessly lost this time! Am, however, still having to take my life into my own hands when I cross the street (again, very glad Mum isn’t here to witness this!) but I think five years of living in Manhattan is proving to be very good training!! So set off this morning bound for Cathedral Notre-Dame and actually managed to navigate my way there, walking along Tran Hung Dao, one of the main roads through the city. Walking through a pretty park, 23/9 Park, a group of 6 or 7 locals stopped me, holding out a camera phone. I thought they wanted me to take a picture of them – until I realised they wanted to take a picture of me! So stood there sheepishly and smiled, even taking off my shades on request, before continuing on my way, wondering only briefly what on earth that photo is ever going to be used for! If nothing else, this holiday is already proving to be full of firsts! On my way to Cathedral Notre-Dame, happened to walk past the Ben Thanh market – wasn’t sure about going in on my own, but I took a deep breath, gathered my courage and thought “what the hell!”. I was glad I did as it was fascinating (very reminiscent of the market I stumbled across in Singapore), full of enticing wares I did very well to resist. The food stands were the most interesting of all – I still have no idea what this drink I ended up having was. I’d stopped to watch the vendor push what looked like sugar canes through a big metal press to produce a cloudy liquid, but seeing as my familiarity with sugar canes is only a passing one, it could have been anything! As it was, it was pretty tasty and I felt suitably intrepid and adventurous! (I’m hoping also this feeling of mild, continious nausea is a side-effect of the anti-malarials and not an ominous portend of gastrointestinal disaster to come… Wandering in the market, I also stumbled across the meat section – decided to be unphased and cool and go have a closer look. Good idea – until I remembered I was wearing sandals and everyone else around me was wearing big rubber booths, the reason for which became clear as a bucket of sluice and God knows what else suddenly got thrown on the floor ahead of me and oozed menacingly my way. Beat a very hasty retreat, but not before I managed to take a couple pics of this guy chopping up some hapless animal with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth – guess it just adds to the local flavour.

Continued my exploration, stopping off at a Vietnamese equivalent of Starbucks along the way for an iced coffee, before arriving in Lam Square and the impressive façade of People Committee Hall. Then wandered down Nguyen Hue (as planned! – well done, me!) to try and look for a small camera (no luck yet – they actually seem more expensive out here) before coming back up along the posh shopping street of Dong Khoi. Felt way too scruffy to go shopping in any of the upscale boutiques (not that I shop in them in NYC anyway!) so continued along to the Central Post Office (designed by Eiffel of the Tower fame!) and also the Cathedral. Bought a little fried waffle thing from a sweet old lady sitting outside the steps before checking out the Diamond Shopping centre. Just like a regular department store, so nothing very exciting but stopped off for some water and a fresh orange juice in the upstairs bit that is obviously a hotspot for young Vietnamese, as it was a bowling alley and full of video games machines I havent seen for years! All very noisy with flashing lights but kinda fun to sit and watch. Got a taxi back to the hotel (they’re not all that cheap, actually – but still cheaper than that bloody pedicab from yesterday!), caught up on my email and blog, checked out and now I’m off to go find somewhere for lunch before transferring to my next hotel and the official start of my cycling holiday!! Whoo-hooo!!!

Slept well (thanks, Ambien) and awoke to the hotel being without power. No big deal (although the Blackberry is going to die soon, so that might be a bit more distressing!) and having breakfast by the light of a paraffin lamp almost makes me feel as if I’m camping! So, ordered beef Pho for breakfast this morning (yesterday, stayed on the beaten track with the eggs (no pun intended) and toast), so we’ll see what turns up! Got absolutely eaten alive by mossies last night, so the legs are already suffering – perhaps the trick to surviving is to cover them so thoroughly in bike grease, no self-respecting mossie will go anywhere near me. I have no idea how this happened, but checking through my first aid kit, I seem to have packed for every eventuality except this one as I can’t find my anthihistamines or anti-itch cream anywhere!! So I think this morning’s itinerary is to check out some of the old, grand hotels and buildings along Dong Khoi, before also making a stop on Nguyen Hue to pick up a cheap, little camera that I can keep in my back pocket whilst I’m riding. Then will need to get back to the hotel to check out in the afternoon before transferring to the next place and meeting my fellow cycling enthusiasts/nutcases. Anyway, the beef Pho was delicious – pretty basic with bits (not sure where from ) of beef and rice noodles in a savoury broth, but very tasty nonetheless. Only downside is that I’m now sweating like crazy given that I’ve just eaten a bowl of hot soup, in a basement where the air con is not working! Ah well!!

Fun at large in Saigon!

It’s the end of my first full day in Ho Chi Minh City and am sitting in a little green restaurant just opposite from the hotel called Thanh Noi. No real idea what I just ordered but its been that kind of day – surrendering yourself to circumstance and the help of others.

So I got lost the instant I left the hotel to look for the gold shop to change money in. It was 10 metres and a whole world away. It is actually a little daunting, especially on your own – you’re completely the odd one out and who sticks out a mile and whom everyone is staring at. Stopped at a café for an iced coffee and some weird green water (its not a case really of “if” I get the squits, more just “when”) and to get my bearings. As suspected, I was heading in completely the wrong direction! With a little help from the people in the café, got back on the right track and started heading towards Reunification Palace and the War Remnant Museum. This place is insane with an unfeasible number of scooters - honestly, I’m glad Mum can’t see how you have to cross the road here! Its more a sport than a pedestrian activity – I will be truly amazed if I manage to navigate this place without getting dented! Got suckered into taking a pedicab to the Palace and heavily overcharged, but it was a fun experience even if, at one time, I genuinely did close my eyes shut in panic and whimper cos I was convinced we were about to get squashed by traffic!

My handy guide book tells me that the history of the current building dates from 1966, though the site’s relevance as a capitol winds back to 1868 when the French laid the cornerstone of a palace for the governor-general of Indochina. It was a romantic flight of Second Empire and Greek Revival fancy, with a pediment, a mansard roof, arched galleries and jutting wings. However, in a failed coup d’etat in 1962, two pilots bombed the Independence Palace, destroying large parts of the interior. In the design of the new palace, a South Vietnamese architect worked the shapes of the Chinese characters for good fortune, education and consistency into the building’s floor plan and façade. The dominant exterior motif is a stone curtain of bamboo segments that shades floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, a grand stairway rises through the five-story core of the 95 room palace.

After my tour of the Palace, it was time for lunch at the renowned Quan an Ngon. I got there just after 12 and, because I was on my own, didn’t have to wait for a table (unlike later on when there were big long queues!). This is the best place to eat in the city where street food is king, but without having to perch on tiny stools or be engulfed in traffic fumes! The dining areas spill from a gutted French villa into courtyards and up stairways to balconied perches in adjoining annexes. Best of all, it’s ridiculously cheap! I had no idea what to order, so asked one of the waitstaff to help me choose – ended up with some very tasty rice-wrapped prawn rolls followed by a pork patty-thing on a lemongrass skewer that you chopped into bits and then ate with vermicelli noodles, basil and salady stuff, wrapped in a rice wrapper and dipped in sauce. I had no idea what was going on with the second dish, thus making for one of the most memorable experiences of the day – the waiter donning a pair of plastic gloves and constructing a roll for me! Mildly embarrassing, yet somewhat endearing at the same time – was I guess the Vietnamese equivalent of showing a child how to use their knife and fork!

After lunch, I walked over to the War Remnants museum but it was shut til 1.30pm, so I rested my feet for a bit in a nearby café and had another iced coffee. The War museum was very harrowing with many, many disturbing photographs. I spent just over an hour looking at the exhibits and left in a reflective mood. I didn’t take many photographs as it just didn’t seem right somehow. As I was leaving, the heavens opened (a sign of things to come on my bike trip, perchance?!) so I took a covered pedicab back to the hotel (and this time paid 1/5th of what I’d paid the first time!). Had a very emotional reunion with my backpack (it promised not to go wandering off again), then crashed out for a quick snooze. Got up around seven, showered and figured out where to go for dinner. Considered going to one of the posh, old French colonial hotels but honestly, just was too knackered. I keep forgetting there is a 12hr time difference and that might have something to do with me feeling a bit spaced out! So here I am, having a very quick dinner – have since discovered I’m eating Bun Thit Nuong (BBQ pork with rice noodles). They’re OK but not a patch on the lunch! At least it was quick and cheap!! After dinner, it’ll be time to just come back to the hotel to crash and get ready for tomorrow’s fun to begin!!

Miss Saigon
Really knackered but I made it. Irrational visa fears proved completely unfounded as went very easily through Vietnamese immigration. Am now ensconced in the Saigon Mini Hotel, a perfect little place in the centre of town (thanks, TripAdvisor!) – very comfortable, modern and clean. Unlike me, at the moment, after a long day’s travelling!! Unfortunately, my backpack is on even more extended a trip than I as it didn’t make it to HCMC on the same flight! It should be here first thing tomorrow morning, so no stress (unfortunately, though, it does have my bugspray in it and I can already see a couple of hungry mossies circling with intent, just waiting for me to turn the light off so they can chow down on some Western meat….). Too tired to write much else right now, but I can’t believe I’m actually here! After all the waiting! Whooo-hooo!!