Hello friends, its been 5 weeks since my last update. many apologies. Rest assured I have not been sitting around watching paint dry. I have been in South East Asia since September 5th when i flew into Bangkok Thailand with my bicycle in tow. The bike was a last minute addition as i was tired of spending so much time on long bus rides crossing South America the previous 2 months. I longed to be more in touch with the landscape and the local peoples. Bringing my bike on the plane cost no extra money which was a nice surprise. And now for a brief synopsis:
At the moment I am in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the gateway town to the vast temple complexe's known as Angkor Wat and the many other temples, or "Wat's" that are scattered about this part of the ancient Khmer Empire in various states of ruin and restoration. I spent two days visiting the temple's. They are an awesome sight to behold and made me feel rather humble and small. The experience was nearly overwhelming and i struggled to not become "templed out". I was there to observe and appreciate the magnificent structures of ancient civilization and I did see and most certainly appreciated all the ruins. Some are swarming with tourists, some are abuzz with Cambodian laborer's who are slowly and miticulously rebuilding what all consider their pride and joy and part of their own collective pasts. Many hundreds are employed doing various tasks of archeology and dusty sweaty grunt work.
I am staying in a nice guest house, Garden Village, where i am finally taking a couple weeks off and just hanging out, especially as it is quite affordable-only 2 dollars a night for my own room. I'm reading alot and am in the middle of a great memoir travelogue", "The Snow Leopard", by Peter Mathieson.
So thats now. Rewind a month. I stayed a few nights in Bangkok and then the next week riding west and south down the Peninsula to the island paradise of Koh Phangan. The journey there was 500km over 5 days, my longest bike trip to date. I enjoyed it immensely and was challenged and inspired and exhausted in equal portions. People certainly treat you like a god when you are on a solo cycling trip, staring in wonder and amazement as I pedaled my big red bike past them, laden down with bags and a tent. Thai people (and Cambodians) are astonishingly friendly and helpful and go out of thier way to help you with whatever you need. I was daily blown away by the spirit of friendliness and hospitality. I must have waved back and yelled hello a hundred times a day, mostly to little kids who ran after my shouting hello and goodbye and giggling sweetly while waving their little arms in the air like i was a rescue helicopter.
After 3 days laying on a white sand beach and reading a great book called "Better Off", i'd had enough sun and hopped a ferry and then a night bus back to BKK (bangkok). After a few days rest i rode the 3rd class train east to Cambodia, (which cost 48Baht, or $1.50 for a 6 hour ride) through flooded fields glowing with lush greenery and dotted with palm trees.
And here I am. At this moment i am being devoured by Mosquito's so i must go.
More later, but not too much later i hope this time.
At the moment I am in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the gateway town to the vast temple complexe's known as Angkor Wat and the many other temples, or "Wat's" that are scattered about this part of the ancient Khmer Empire in various states of ruin and restoration. I spent two days visiting the temple's. They are an awesome sight to behold and made me feel rather humble and small. The experience was nearly overwhelming and i struggled to not become "templed out". I was there to observe and appreciate the magnificent structures of ancient civilization and I did see and most certainly appreciated all the ruins. Some are swarming with tourists, some are abuzz with Cambodian laborer's who are slowly and miticulously rebuilding what all consider their pride and joy and part of their own collective pasts. Many hundreds are employed doing various tasks of archeology and dusty sweaty grunt work.
I am staying in a nice guest house, Garden Village, where i am finally taking a couple weeks off and just hanging out, especially as it is quite affordable-only 2 dollars a night for my own room. I'm reading alot and am in the middle of a great memoir travelogue", "The Snow Leopard", by Peter Mathieson.
So thats now. Rewind a month. I stayed a few nights in Bangkok and then the next week riding west and south down the Peninsula to the island paradise of Koh Phangan. The journey there was 500km over 5 days, my longest bike trip to date. I enjoyed it immensely and was challenged and inspired and exhausted in equal portions. People certainly treat you like a god when you are on a solo cycling trip, staring in wonder and amazement as I pedaled my big red bike past them, laden down with bags and a tent. Thai people (and Cambodians) are astonishingly friendly and helpful and go out of thier way to help you with whatever you need. I was daily blown away by the spirit of friendliness and hospitality. I must have waved back and yelled hello a hundred times a day, mostly to little kids who ran after my shouting hello and goodbye and giggling sweetly while waving their little arms in the air like i was a rescue helicopter.
After 3 days laying on a white sand beach and reading a great book called "Better Off", i'd had enough sun and hopped a ferry and then a night bus back to BKK (bangkok). After a few days rest i rode the 3rd class train east to Cambodia, (which cost 48Baht, or $1.50 for a 6 hour ride) through flooded fields glowing with lush greenery and dotted with palm trees.
And here I am. At this moment i am being devoured by Mosquito's so i must go.
More later, but not too much later i hope this time.
There are many photo's of Bangkok and my bike ride on Flickr. Am working on uploading Cambodia pics. Check them out at; www.flickr.com/photos/rustblue. just click on the Bangkok Set" and the "5 day solo bike ride Set"
Cheers, Nick
Cheers, Nick
