At the Coast


I’ve updated this entry and the one about Angkor, and added a bunch of photos to both of them.

I’m in Sihanoukville now. For the last couple of days, I’ve been cruising around the coast of Cambodia on a dirt bike. I rode to a town called Kampong Trach on the road to the boarder with Vietnam. I pulled off the road to turn around and saw this man fishing in the rice paddies. It’s the dry season here so there’s not much water, but this place must have water year round.

Honda owns the market here for small 125cc mopeds, but there seem to be more Yamaha dirtbikes. Yesterday, I drove down some dirt roads and ended up on some dirt tracks between rice paddies. Some of the places I went, the people were very surprised to see me. There may not have ever been a westerner there before. One of the greatest things about riding here is that a gas station is never far away.
My face was so covered in road dirt by the time I got to this place that the woman laughed at me and gave me a wet-wipe with my soft drink. People here are amazing. I’ve had to learn to ride with one hand just to wave back at the armies of school kids walking and riding their bikes down the roads. Are those enough photos of the bike Adam, or should I take more?

It’s been a bit of trial by fire for a new rider, seeing that there are no lines on the roads, people drive wherever they want at whatever speeds they want. Trucks coming straight at me while passing other trucks on a two-lane road make me very aware of the on-road/off-road capabilities of this particular motorcycle. Oh, yeah and the only protective gear I’ve been able to get my hands on is some SPF 30.

But alas, it’s nearly over for this year. It’s going to be tight getting back to Bangkok by Friday night, but I should make it. I’ve got the bike until 2pm tomorrow when the guy will come to pick it up. After that it’s the border at Koh Kong and then on to Bangkok by whatever means possible. Just to avoid the potential shock when I come back and you’ve forgotten what I look like, here’s a photo.

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3 responses to “At the Coast”

  1. now that’s a nice ride … if you find out you really like it, i’ve got one sitting in the basement just right for you…. sounds like you are having fun… one of these days i’d love to take a trip with you… it really looks like your having more fun than me …. yamaha 250 right?

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