Cambodia second part

26 November 2009 / Bavet to Phumi Banaman / 104 km / Total 1529 km
Nothing special today on the ride between the Vietnam border and the Mekong. We had our bicycles washed in the afternoon and quite late we checked in at a Hotel near the Mekong ferry.

Some people get a rest

While other people need to work

We are in Cambodia again

27 November 2009 / Phumi Banaman to Prey Veng / 30 km / Total 1559 km

Today we had a late start, some rain in the morning, some headwind and an upset stomach. The result was, that we only did 30 km.

Monica with the local football team from Prey Veng

Cambodian welding ( With sunglasses)

28 November 2009 / Prey Veng to Kratie / 104 km / Total 1663 km

We left Prey Veng at about 06:00 in the morning in order to reach Kratie. We had a very long ride with the last 35km all dirt road. There it happend, at around 17:00 and still some 20km on the dirt road, my inner tube from the front tyre just exploded. I tried to fix it but the valve was ripped out of the tube. Luckily in a near by village we found a spare tube and the villagers fixed the problem.
Conclusion:
If you buy spare sparts, make sure they fit. Our spare tubes we bought do not fit our rims due to valve diameter. If you want to ride in the dark, make sure your bicycle has a light, it makes it easier to ride on dirt roads in the night.

At this stage it was just a flat tyre

I try to fix a flat tyre with the help of the locals but during my repair I wrecked the valve!

and finaly the local people from a nearby village,  changed my inner tube, because our spare one did not fit

29 November 2009 / Kratie / Rest day / 0 km / Total 1663 km

We made a rest day after the 104 km yesterday and the late arrival. Kratie is famous for dolphin watching. Therefore we headed today to Kampi to watch the Mekong Dolphin.With a boat we went for the dolphins and after a few minutes we were lucky and could see them. A total of a about 5 to 6 dolphins could be seen from the boat.

Dolphin watching in the Mekong River

Children playing on the river shore

30 November 2009 / Kratie to Stung Treng / 144 km / Total 1807km
Today we had our first real long trip without the possibility to sleep somewhere inbetween. From Kratie to Stung Treng. We left around 05:30 but 3 flat tyres on my bike were responsible for the late ( in the dark again) arrival in Stung treng. We spent a total of 13,5 hours on the bicycle.

Belgian couple we met between Kratie and Stung Treng

First of the 3 flat tyre

Between Kratie and Stung Treng

01 December 2009 / Stung Treng to Don Det (Laos)  / 85km / Total 1892km
We crossed the border into Laos at around lunch time and had a pleasant ride until Nakasan, where we took a small boat to Don Det Island.

Ferry boat to Don Det

Cambodian / Laos Border