The plan for today is to ride from Kaoh Nheak to Sen Monorom, where we want to spend the next night before heading back to Phnom Penh. This is the second part of our trip from Rattanakiri to Mondulkiri through forest and mountains. We get up fairly early and have breakfast, before we hit the trail again.

19.11.2005

Village in the early morning

Myself in the early morning

Breakfast in the neighbors’ house, in the company of a pig. We are lucky again as it is a sunny and dry day.

We visit the local school after breakfast and are delighted to find a new building with a teacher and two full classes, remarkable given the remoteness of the place and the overall state of education in rural Cambodia. We learn that children in this class have four different mother tongues.

Two of the villagers tell us that they are traveling in the same direction and are kind enough to show us the way.

After a few minutes the trail is getting challenging, fairly steep on some streches and still wet in shadowy places.

First break

Another break

This happened when I lean too much on my moto

Small village along the way

In another village, with a big logo of the ruling party CPP. We see few, if any, signs of the opposition party.

We reach a river. Luckily there is a ferry.

Here is how it works: You ride the bike carefully onto the ferry, keep seated and balance the bike while the ferryman walks the boat through the river the other bank. There is a rope put up between both banks to hold on to and keep the boat on track.

Becky and ox cart driver, looking at each other in mutual fascination.

Yet another village. A billboard informs about a WWF supported project in this area. Toby works for WWF and is familiar with the project, so we stop for some time and he talks with the people.

Local children

Toby with local staff of WWF supported project.

After some time we reach this bridge, which has a sharp bend right in its middle. We decide to have a break.

Right now there is little water in the river

Under the bridge: The construction does not look particularly trustworthy.

From here the track gets somewhat tougher.

Becky fall and her leg got stuck under the moto.

Katrin right after falling into the mud.

Nice spot for falling.

We continue riding until we hit a very nice, recently upgraded dirt road.

Becky kissing the ground and thanking the gods for sending this marvelous road.

From here it is only about half an hour to Sen Monorom.

Filling some more gas into the tank in order not to get stuck on the last few kilometers.

Road under construction

We reach Sen Monorom and ride straight to the Long Vibol Guesthouse. I have spent some nights here when I came to Sen Monorom about two years ago. I reported this trip here, here and there.

We visit a local restaurant to have diner and beer before going to bed early.