Gear Up Girl OCF Cambodia Challenge

19 January 2010

Read about my journey cycling through Cambodia with nine other ladies on our quest to raise money for the Oncology Children’s Foundation, while conquering over 500km on the bike…

Day 1

I’m slightly anxious. For myself, I know this trip to Cambodia will be an experience unlike any I have had before.

We arrive in Cambodia in Siem Reap, and after a team meeting with RAW Travel our bikes are adjusted and it’s time to try them out around Siem Reap. We realise very quickly that there seem to be no traffic rules, but there is no road rage either so it kind of works. We get a thunderstorm and arrive back at the hotel like drowned rats.

Day 2

We start our touring today and the theme is temples. We’re lucky to have a local guide who is a temple expert, to ride with us and teach us the history.

We ride to each temple and it’s not far, but this is good as we spend a fair bit of time at each one. The temples we visit are Ta Phrom (where the movie Tomb Raider was filmed), then the East Victory Gate. Then on to the Elephant Terrace and the Bayon Temple. After a lunch of rice and curries (including some spicy ones!) we explore the ruins of the most famous temple, Angkor Wat. It is unbelievably big and full of history and information.

We ride back to Siem Reap with a comfortable total of 35km.

Day 3

This morning we are a bit apprehensive about starting our ride in the rain so we put on rain jackets, which are very quickly removed as it proves to be too hot and after all, what’s a little bit of water for a bunch of tough ladies like ourselves? I enjoy today’s ride as it’s off-road on the way to the Benteay Srey temple, famous for its intricate carvings.

After lunch, we head to the Landmine museum, which was founded by an ex-Khmer Rouge soldier who has now dedicated his life to clearing the landmines in Cambodia. This is an amazing story and I realise there is more to cycling in Cambodia than seeing a new country and challenging myself.

Today’s ride is longer at 85km

Day 4

Today we say goodbye to Siem Reap and drive to our next stop, the ruined temple Beng Melea. As we travel it’s clear just where all the rain has ended up – in the rural areas, as they are very flooded. The flooding means we cannot do our planned off-road ride today.

The drive is long and we are all keen to get our legs moving on a bike, and after a late lunch we finally get this chance. Our ride today is only a short one into Kampong Cham, a little provincial capital along the Mekong River. Kampong Cham is home to Cambodia’s longest bridge, which is 1500 metres, and after dinner we go for a walk to check this out.

Today’s ride is 35km.

Day 5

Adventure is the theme today and it’s my favourite day of riding. We follow a dirt road alongside the Mekong River towards Phnom Penh and because of the rain we are met with mud – and lots of it. After discussing with the locals about the road conditions we decide to keep on riding although it gets so bad that we have to walk our bikes through a lot of sections. The locals come out of their homes to watch and laugh at us and this keeps our spirits high.

After a few spills, a broken down support vehicle, and a long day covered in mud, we arrive in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

A muddy but fun 65km.

Day 6

Ahh rest day! Time for clothes washing, internet and shopping! I find I’m keen for more information about the history of the Khmer Rouge so we check out the Genocide Museum and I’m now well versed! Dinner tonight is at the famous Foreign Correspondents' Club after drinks.

Day 7

We ride out of Phnom Penh this morning -- quite hairy with all the traffic but after some road riding we arrive at the Killing Fields where I learn even more about the horrors of Cambodia’s history.

Back on the bike we eventually turn on to a dirt road for the last 13km and this is where one of the ladies in the group has a bad fall over the handlebars and breaks her elbow. However, not aware it is broken she keeps riding for the rest of the trip! It makes my sore behind seem minor in comparison.

We arrive in Takeo after an 83km ride.

Day 8

After a breakfast of bread and honey, today’s ride is challenging and all on road. We endure some amazing heat, rain and headwinds even before we reach lunch at the 70km mark! The group is showing signs of fatigue…

Still tired after a break, we press on to Kampot, our next destination, with a big total of 90km.

Day 9

It’s our last day of riding today and I’m somewhat relieved although I know it will be a long day to get through. We also hit some hills for a change. This proves difficult for some of the group but we all battle through and appropriately ride the last kilometres together to our final destination, the seaside town of Sihanoukville.

It’s only fitting tonight to head to the beach for a well-earned seafood dinner. Our final day's ride is 110km.

***

So, with a grand total of 503km, I completed the challenge. The experience of pushing my physical boundaries and learning new things was, as they say, “once in a lifetime”. I have learnt you can be happy in any situation, if you choose to. Thanks to the Oncology Children’s Foundation and Bicycle NSW for supporting this trip and to my great friend Emily for joining me on the journey.