Bokor Mountain Challenge

Up early for the pre-ordered breakfast which was a little slowing in coming but one of the nicest we’ve had in Cambodia, Baguettes and Jam, Fruit, lovely coffee and an omelette. By about 730 we were ready to head off to Bokor Mountain National Park for the “Hill Climb Challenge”.
The first leg of the journey was down the main road for about 8km, the traffic was busy but nothing like leaving Phnom Penh and we were soon at the gateway despite the brisk headwind… then the REAL challenge began – a 20km stiff climb, up and up and up some 1300m steadily climbing to the “Big Buddha” (which is actually a famous Buddhist Nun). It was really rather a hard slog, but still beautiful riding up through the tropical vegetation with intermittent views to the coast and ocean below as well as the amazing sounds of birdlife. It was pretty warm (around 32 degree) and quite humid but there was a stiff breeze which was cooling (although unhelpful being head on!). My gears being basically… well stuffed… meant that the lowest I could go was 3:4, thank heavens I prefer to power rather than spin.
I have to admit I was pretty pleased with myself not only to make it all the way up without having to resort to the van, to do it in under 2 hours and be first by more than 20 minutes! Deb did amazingly well to, again making it all the way and in around 2 and half hours. At the top (or as far as we were going) we had a decent break, and a visit to the Big Buddha Nun. Then it was time to descend…. Ok so I might be a good climber, but I am not good at going down and have the honour of being last (although I did stop for a few photos) … I have the peddle when most people can just roll and I tend to slow more on the corners. My average speed was about 40km/hrs so heaven only knows how fast some of the others were going down the very steep and windy road. Back at the gateway we regrouped and with a fantastic tailwind we had a nice quick sprint back to Kampot and Hotel Pippali.
A swim was in order (the pool is rather lovely) and then showered and changed Deb and I had a walk down the road to café espresso where we enjoyed a late lunch and a coffee with 4 other riders (the food was western but tasty, I had a falafel salad and an affogato. Deb and I along with another rider (Carmen who is from South Africa via the UK and is a trainee GP from Bristol) then went into town for a massage, we came across seeing hands, a ramshackle place staffed by visually impaired massage people who provided a clothed, 1 hour, deep pressure massage for $6. It bloody hurt at the time as they seemed to find all my most tender bits, but boy was it effective. By the time it was done there was just time to make it back to the hotel for our 1720hrs meet up with Hoem. Just as we were about to head out the afternoon rain came pelting in – but then had a 15 minute break (most conveniently) to allow us to walk into town to the river boat he had arranged for us. The rain came again – even more robustly – for about the next 20minutes then stopped for the evening allowing us to enjoy a cruise up the river (hilariously clearing the bridges by mere inches – even more hilarious was the fact we were sitting on the roof of the boat at the time and anyone who wasn’t sitting on the floor would have been swiped off the boat!). Costing he princely sum of $5 – which included 2 cans of beer – the “point” of the trip was to see the sunset (the weather precluded that pretty much) and then see the fire flies. The latter we did see – a single tree’s worth but they were definitely fire flies. We were able to arrange food as well as beer and I enjoyed a green mango and prawn salad while Deb had some fried rice. Once the cruise was finished we walked up to the Night Market where I had a Nutella and banana crispy crepe thing and then we found a supermarket where Deb was able to get an salted caramel magnum. Then it was back to the hotel for bed.Read more