Day 12 – Sun 27 Nov: Phnom Penh to Kirirom

27 degC 95% humidity

Listed: 70km; actual: 39km; total: 476km

Walk: 6km; total: 41km

It rained early this morning so it was very nice and steamy. Greg had a very restless night coughing and spluttering, his fourth day of not feeling too flash, and subsequently did not ride with us today.

A 7:30am start to be bused out of Phnom Penh to avoid the traffic. Two hours later we stopped, unpacked the bikes and put them together and off we went. 16km later we stopped for mornos on the side of the road and made ourselves comfortable in someone's front yard. One of the kids was quite perturbed and her father had to take her away. She was smiling and waving at us as we left though.

We then went to a rice farmer's place where our guide Mr Lucky wanted to show us the stages of processing the rice from when it is picked to when it is ready to be sent to market. However, the farmer was not there so Lucky did his best to show/explain the process to us. It was then onto lunch at a little kampong in Chambok in the Kirirom National Park. The meal was a packed lunch which was not the best we've had but it filled the gap and sustained us. We (minus Greg, he had seen it in 2012) went for an almost 6km walk to view Chambok Waterfall. It was more of a hike than a walk, and there were some pretty steep steps which are difficult to negotiate when you have short legs. A bit like Carnarvon Gorge. The boys went for a swim at the lower waterfall.

Lucky had misread the itinerary and thought we were staying at a Homestay in the vicinity of the rural village where we visited the rice farmer. We were however staying at Hillside Resort in Kirirom National Park. So, after the walk and a pit stop, we were bused to the resort. It probably was a "Resort" it its day, however it is looking a bit sad and tired. The pool was good though.

Dinner was had at the resort and whilst it fed the worms, it was not the best meal. Everyone was pretty knackered so it was back to the rooms for the bed time routine. Lights out at 9:15pm. 

Waiting for the late people

Getting the bikes ready after the bus ride out of Phnom Penh

Finally rocking and rolling

Different traffic

Riding with the cattle

Little piggy at mornos stop

Pork chops at the rice farm

Roadside butcher shop - yum!

Entrance to Chambok

Lunch stop

Chambok waterfall

Bob, Mark, Greg, Wendy, Bill, Lucky

Entrance to Kirirom Hillside Resort

Part of the Resort, our rooms

Interesting landscaping at the Resort

#820 Kirirom Hillside Resort