Blog Day 2 – Takeo – Kampong Speu

Today we set off at a slightly later time of 6.00am. The first stretch of our journey started on a
tarmac road which we were all fairly relieved about as there were a few aching muscles amongst the
group. After 21km we stopped at a small village to get some supplies, it was at this point I realised
we were getting deeper into the Cambodian countryside. The locals gathered round to welcome our
group and seemed fascinated by us.

The next part of our journey led us down a gravel track, which looked like it had been prepped ready
to one day lay tarmac. As we started to cycle down the road it began to rain………. It’s not supposed
to rain in Cambodia until June so you can imagine our surprise! Signs of inhabitance along this part
of our route were extremely sparse, and we seemed to be mainly surrounded by paddyfields and an
abundance of what seemed to be randomly placed temples!

After stopping for lunch in the next village we came, to the road turned from the flat gravel road
to a bumpy dirt track. The track was lined with small villages and the screams of hello from the day
previous resumed! Physically this was the hardest part of our journey, as we hard to work hard
to stay on the bike, going over rocks and bouncing up and down pot holes. Despite the physical
difficulties this was the most enjoyable part of the journey so far. As we passed through these small
villages the locals came out to cheer us on giving us high fives and screams of encouragement.

We stopped at a shop half way along this final stretch of our journey to buy some cold drinks. Only
to find Frederik (who is accompanying us on a motorbike and who has quickly become our chief
photographer/film maker!) having a shave in the barbers behind the shop, for the bargain price of
1000 riel which is about 15p!!

Shortly after this we had the first injury of the trip as John Mills fell of his bike whilst trying to dodge
a rogue water bottle – thankfully it was just a small graze to the knee!!

After around 75km of biking we finally arrived in our hotel in Kampong Speu. As the journey today
was slightly shorter than yesterday, we had arranged to visit a local orphanage this afternoon.
The orphanage ‘New Hope for Cambodian Children (NHCC)’ was just outside Kampong Speu and
was founded in 2006 by John and Kathy an American couple. NHCC provides care to 240 orphans
and abandoned children with HIV at this residential facility and they also provide social support to
over 1400 infected children and their affected families living in eight Cambodian provinces and the
Capital, Phnom Penh. This was a truly inspirational experience and made me realise what can be
achieved if you believe in something enough!