Today would be our last day of riding, but also one of the most fun. There was little traffic as we rode on the dirt roads, but there were lots of hills today! It had rained heavily the night before, and we were protected from the sun as we rode through forest, so it was cool and pleasant.
We climbed up to some old ruins which used to be a holiday home used by the King. Phea gave us another interesting talk about local history as we walked around to enjoy the view.
There was a big descent as we headed out of the park, then a fast ride along the road to the finishing point of the tour. We were greeted at the end by our support crew ready with a supply of boiled corn which was a surprisingly good snack at the end of the ride.
We got on our support bus which took us to lunch, and then headed on to Phnom Penh. Some of the riders would stay on for a few days, while others would be flying out early. We thanked all our support crew and Jason for keeping us well fed and safe through the tour. Hopefully most of us will bring back many lasting memories

Many of the riders got up early for a morning swim on the beach, which was still very warm and pleasant.  After breakfast we left Sihanoukville for a transfer to Kirirom national park.  Lunch was at a resort called ‘Picnic’, which has amazing food that they grow themselves in their organic farm.  We enjoyed the beautiful surroundings with local musicians playing traditional instruments.

Our accommodation in Kirirom was set in the forest, where riders engaged in the activities like Petanque, soccer, or just swimming at the pool on our rest day.  Plenty more cocktails were had in the main building, and there was Karaoke and dancing late into the night.

Today was supposed to be another 100km+ day, but started on a very busy highway dodging trucks yet again.  After riding this for 10km, we decided to transfer for part of our route to the quieter backroads.  This proved to be a good choice, as the back road proved very scenic, through rice paddies and quaint little villages by the river. There were lots of people fishing, and kids running out to meet us or wave as we went past.   At a rest stop Ken treated everyone to a large Durian which he bought from a street vendor.  For most, it was their first time eating what is described as the most delicious fruit in the world, or the worst, depending on their palate.

We arrived at a resort on the beach, so most of the riders cooled off in the calm and deserted beach (although Sean insisted it was abnormally calm compared to Australian waters!)

Sihanoukville is one of the cities in China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, a modern day Silk Road, so the area is home to a large population of expat Chinese. Dinner was from the resort’s Chinese inspired menu, a good way to refuel our tired muscles.  We watched another magnificent sunset over the horizon as it set over the sea.

Our ride today was fairly short. It started off on a busy main highway, but we turned off on a quiet back road through salt flats. Phea gave us a commentary on the area during our snack break, which we found very interesting. Lunch was at a local restaurant Rikitikitavi, overlooking the water. Our accommodation was another 2km out of town on a beautiful spot by the river where we watched the sunset. There were two swimming pools to enjoy while we sipped cocktails, as well as table tennis and games of pool to finish our day.

The resort we stayed at in Kep is set in the forest overlooking the sea. It had amazing views, and an equally amazing breakfast for the hungry riders.
After lunch the riders headed on a boat to Rabbit Island to relax their tired muscles on the beach.
When they returned, there was more relaxing to be had with cocktails by the infinity pool overlooking the sea. It was a good way to spend the rest day.

Today was our first rest day, and involved a long transfer to the capital city of Phnom Penh. It was fairly uneventful except for a midway stop at a the local market, where the riders got a chance to try local delicacies like deep fried tarantula, cicadas and fried maggots. The more adventurous riders sampled all three, while other riders were chased around the parking lot by kids walking around with live tarantulas. There were also a variety of interesting fruit at the market- from palm fruit, mangosteins, dragonfruit, jackfruit, milkfruit, and many others.
After arriving in Phnom Penh we went out to explore on our own. Most of the riders visited Tuol Sleng, a prison camp used during the Khmer Rouge era. It was a somber memorial to the horrors that happened here over 40yrs ago.
On a happier note, we enjoyed drinks at a rooftop bar before celebrating Josef’s birthday in a amazing restaurant by the river.