The Long Way Drowned 4 – Cambodia 2012

We are heading west for Pramoey town in the Veal Veng district, the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge and therefore the most heavily land-mined area in Cambodia. This area is also home to the last 300 “Pear” ethic group families in the world. Before long Noel gets a puncture so we stop for lunch in a little village. He is not having it easy with a lost mobile, passport, cam-chain and now this puncture. Weaker men would develop a complex but not our man who turns the other cheek ready for more. A lunch of noodles and duck eggs is hastily prepared while the cook’s young son does his best to chop off his limbs with a meat cleaver.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Yup it's Mr Naughty again


Noodles for a change


After killing a chicken mother handed her little boy the meat cleaver to play with, as you do


With limbs remarkably intact the little lad passed out for an afternoon nap

Lunch wrapped and a new tube in Noel’s bike sees us off again to tackle the endless muddy quagmire waiting up the road.<o></o>
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We eventually arrive in Pramoey and get our bikes cleaned before hitting our accommodation spot for the night.

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They claim it's to keep the mosquito's at bay...whatever

We set off in the morning for the town of Koh Kong in the province of the same name. Wikipedia has this to say about Koh Kong: “The most south-western province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior which embraces part of the Cardamom Mountains and a section of Kirirom National Park”.
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Not long into the morning’s ride we encounter a wide river that looks worse than it is.

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For the rest of the day it’s fast open gravel to contrast the slow plodding mud of yesterday. It’s mountainous too so the boys are laying down some rubber in an all out race. Miraculously all survive without plunging off the side of a cliff in the middle of nowhere.


Lonely bikes on a gravel road


Lonely boys on a cement bridge


Westy needs a special helmet...special needs Westy

We encounter this failed Chinese-built dam wall at the Stung Atay reservoir. Part of it collapsed just three days ago killing four workers and draining the dam. This is a controversial project in Cambodia and this incident will no doubt tilt the odds in favour of the naysayers.


The Chinese built Stung Atay dam wall - pic by cameron




The Sandy Helmets posse


Koh Kong is a pretty little coastal town that is booming due to its proximity to Thailand. There is a great restaurant right on the sea owned by someone with a sense of humour and our hotel is an extraordinary site considering where we are. The boys waste no time and throw their grotty bodies in the pool while I arrange rooms. When in Koh Kong stay at the Apex hotel – awesome.


The boys turn the Apex hotel swimming pool into a mud-spa (Pic by Brian)


Restuarant at the end of the ride (pic by Brian)


Probably the only night club in Koh Kong is located right next door so choose your room wisely or just throw yourself into the bizarre Cambodian night-club ritual. This is a young nation opening itself to western vices but they need a little practice. A few of us slurp down some beers watching this while the other lads pass out in their rooms. Peace is restored to Koh Kong again.


Brians room just before he trashes it by simply being there


John looking demure


Signs in the restuarant by the sea

you are so right Desertsweeper, your ride reports get the low-lifes of this earth back in the light. Be sure to send me the link to the un-editted version.

Way to go mate.

This wasn't the night club you hit in Koh Kong by any chance

Hey gavo, I recon that would be it, the good old Pisey Club! And the name of the awesome spot on the River is the Bay Cafe.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

oh, my liver hearts to read this.cant imagine riding that ,as hungover as you would be,i would be looking for a land mine.great report.

Still waitin' for that NSFW link!

This is some good sh*t..,
Where is the continuation?

and then.......?

Moar?

DesertSweeper hasn't posted in 4 months. Anyone want to take bets if he has been kidnapped and forced into being a Cambodian man whore?


Of all the rainbows and sparkles ride reports that bore the shit out of me...the one I want to read and the guy comes up missing. WTF?

and then what?

nothing

Yearly bump for the rest of the story.......

Been 6 years, still waiting for the end....