Tay Ninh to Kampong Cham

May 31, 2016

Despite knowing that we had a long day ahead of us, we only got on the road at about six o'clock. The usual banh mi for breakfast and then down the flat track to the Xa Mat border crossing into Cambodia. The road was quite busy but we just put our heads down and got on with the job.

The cold that I have been struggling with over the past few days is relenting but had taken hold in Leigh's body so we had to make sure we didn't push too hard and ensure we took in enough liquids. Some of the drinks stops were quite entertaining, as most of them have been in Vietnam, with people either not knowing where South Africa is (the first question is "Where are you from ?") or refusing to believe that we can be Africans because we have white skins (while at the same time bogging on Leigh because she has allowed herself to become suntanned).

Exiting Vietnam was painless and took only a few minutes. The visa application on the Cambodian side seemed at first too good to be true. The official was very friendly and soon we had another Cambodian visa signed and stamped in our passports. Then a conversation followed that was something like this:

Visa Official: That will be seventy dollars. Me: Isn't thirty dollars per visa ? Visa Official: No, thirty five. Me: But the Cambodian Embassy website says thirty. Visa Official: Yes, but maybe you want to sponsor me. Me: Well, I've only got sixty dollars.

To cut a long story short, quite persistence (and showing him my almost empty wallet - only a few Vietnamese Dong left because I had hidden the rest) saved the day and we walked off after paying sixty dollars.

While passing though immigration on the opposite side of the street the visa official came over to say he couldn't accept the one ten dollar note because it had a tear. I told him that that was all I had (which was true). Another standoff ensued. Eventually I took out my stash of foreign notes and got him to accept a UK ten pound note in lieu of the ten dollars.

Of course, the ten dollar note was happily accepted about twenty kilometers down the road where we stopped to have lunch.

Torn $10 note good enough for this meal ($3 for two plates of rice and chicken).

The ride onto Kampong Cham was quite hot and we had to make a good few liquid stops. The roads and traffic seem a lot better than I can remeber from four years ago.

I had forgotten how flat and featureless parts of Cambodia can be.

We got to Kampong Cham at around two thirty and checked into the Mekong Crossing. Great room for $12. We had eaten supper and breakfast here when we in Cambodia four years ago, choosing to stay in the cavernous Mekhong Hotel instead that time. After the usual post-ride chores (shower, wash clothes etc) I booked bus tickets for ourselves and our bikes (six USD per person and five per bike).

The little wire bicycle is back at the Mekhong at Kampong Cham where Leigh and I first saw the Mekhong four years ago.

The owner of the Mekong Crossing kindly took me on his motor bike to find a money changer where I changed the last of my Dong into USD - the Khmers are being as friendly and helpful as the Vietnamese. Afterwards, as storm clouds gathered, we enjoyed a pleasant meal at the Mekong Crossing whose staff have been great during our short stay.

Today's ride: 118 km (73 miles)
Total: 3,724 km (2,313 miles)

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