Thank you to Buntry, Hoem and Ra for a great time crossing Cambodia!  A few more Cambodia notes before we cross the border. * It was difficult to find slippers in 10.5/44 so I'm a little squished in $5 "Crocs". * Noel found her best ever massages in Kampot.  An hour costs $8-25. * These concrete buildings are all over and are massive birdhouses.  They have annoying 24/7 loudspeakers broadcasting calls to attract swiftlets to build nests, which are harvested for birdsnest soup and sold for $1000+ per pound. * My quest to try durian is over!  Very interesting taste/texture combination and I didn't find the odor as off-putting as most people (including Noel and unfortunately Hoem, who put up with it in the van for an hour) do. * Cambodia is still recovering from the horrific Khmer Rouge rule 50 years ago.  Our guides talked about family members lost and survivors tell their stories at the memorial sites. * The food continued to b...

We're in Kampot after 2 nights in Phnom Penh.  Some quick notes to whet your appetites.  The biggest city in Cambodia was busy and loud, but we rode in and out. Our group in front of the Royal Palace.  The next day we caught a glimpse of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni through the gate as he took an evening walk in the gardens. The riding is FLAT, which is good because it's hot.  A typical day's ride is 30-35 miles with 300-500 feet of elevation gain and we share the road with many interesting things.b 3 times we've had a van transfer of a couple of hours to get us down the road. (Cambodia uses the US Dollar as a primary currency) The food has been excellent. Some highlights:  Prahok Ling in tamarind sauce (a lifetime top 10, maybe 5), lychee martini, pork larb, banana flower and green papaya salads, mangos, fish amok (green coconut milk curry cooked in banana leaves, prawns in...

We started our bike tour with a bang, riding in the dark to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat.  It's very impressive, especially the detailed sculpture... And plenty of tourists... With the bikes we cruised around to see other temples easily. Including one with a selfie crowd... Not unnecessary - Peter, a Kiwi in our group, had a macaque jump on him! That night we had a nice dinner at Hoem's (tour leader) house.  There are 8 in the group, 3 from New Zealand and 3 from Australia ( a mom and 2 teenager boys on their first international trip!) besides us.  Hoem drives the SAG van and Buntry guides the riders while Ra, who's a bike mechanic, rides sweep. Day 2 we rode 50km through the countryside with a 4-hour boat ride in the middle. Fishing sustains the people in the wetlands, but not very well judging by the liv...