27/11: Sohm Swaakohm Cambodia - along the Mekong
Azur blue sky, hot, 30C
So... I just left Lao, happy and sad... riding there few years ago was great, it remains awesome!
Lets see what Cambodia can show!
Where am I heading to? 2 options:
-follow the Mekong toward south till somewhere
-cross the mekong in Strung Treng to reach Siem Reap from north
I decide to ride a bit first, then I will see.
Last km in Laos are a bit life full with people on road side etc... first km in Cambodia: NO-BO-DY, and no more trees!
At least i reach a "village".
In this photo , a woman on a motorcycle , holding in his hand ... a perfusion!
I head to Strung Treng . Not a single tree, it is flat in the middle of the countryside, under a blazing sun. Arriving in Strung Treng , I manage to change some Riels. But mostly I try to gather some information on road conditions across the West in the direction of Phnom Daik.
A gas station, a Russian on a dirtbike led a group. He explained that a new road is further north towards Teng Beah Menchay, on board ... I wait a bit and discovered that the next ferry is in roughly cambodia time: 1 -2h . I was offered a cargo vessel: if ever I manage to get onbard on the single plank, I will never manage to get it out on the other side: freak... and shoot. I decide to stay on the eastern shore of the Mekong, direction south and Kratie.
Heading south, heavy sun, few trees and some fileds. Other fields with barbed wire, it feels non-cleared mine fields.
The GPS is not so clear, I lost myself just before entering Kratie: it was supposed to be a shortcut!
The city is non-interesting from what I saw . Looking for a little my way along the Mekong recommended by 2 friends. I find myself on a track just along the Mekong , but in the midst of slums. The right way is actually few tens of meters away from the Mekong, not exactly along the Mekong.
Here I am, very good road, narrow, with many houses on both sides, or rice paddies. The houses have huge jars to collect rainwater . The crops are diversifying and women become veiled ? ... ? While all Buddhist temples are closed, some mosques appear. Slightly different style and appearance , people and especially women are really different! But the obstacles on the road remains the same : cows, chickens, horses, children, etc. ... The scenario will remain the same for 60-70 km. Then 50km from the finish, the road deteriorates sharply.
I missed a junction , my GPS is not very accurate. I found another track, just better ... Long passages alternate between "ok" and really crap sections. To finish, it becomes a cow track for 20km I think, downto 15 - 20km / h max speed !
Suddenly, after a village, the track becomes clean for 10 km.
And it becomes worse then a cow track again... I am looking for my way several times , back to my feet, ask, especially watching the clock turning .
All tracks come and go with the Mekong floods , so inevitably I mess a bit to find them, and when I find them , they are not in riding condition .
6 km away from the N7, I right by the Mekong, completely out of the proper way on single cow track. Mekong is just 6-7 m below... .
Sand, ruts etc ...Anytime I ask, the answer is the same: "keep going"
And finally a bridge : the N7 ! I finally cross the Mekong ... Just to say I 'm pretty happy ...
For 120 km or almost, crossing villages, I'm not gone unnoticed with my Africa Twin.

Arriving at Kampong Cham, unpacking at Miraya hotel for 12 USD after big bargaining... all young ride their Honda wave in front of the hotel/river front, it must be the parade on Sunday evening ...
I am roughly happy to be here, before nightfall. En route to dinner , two notable events :
1 - front hotel, a BBQ stall is cooking unidentified beast. It is big enough , a deer ? No, it has a long tail ... It might be a dog ! Even if I thought it was not much the region, I do not see what else it could be
2 - dark back streets resound with "massage handsome " ... I'm going to dinner and internet Lazy Mekong Daze.
I am leaving my bike fully secured in the street, but by nightime they all go empty and anything is packed inside like if anything left over would disappear!
http://pib-voyages.blogspot.hk/2011/11/sohm-swaakohm-cambodge-le-long-du.html
http://pib-cartes.blogspot.hk/#!/2012/03/jour-22-don-khong-kampong-cham.html