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Published: February 11th 2013
Cambodian Dust Roads!
Our route across the rural north of Cambodia!Mel's Aunty Dawn showed concern (in an email to us) that Mel had resorted to washing her hair with a bar of soap, and Andy had denied her any make-up in place of a spare bike chain. However, despite losing these luxuries, it is still of paramount importance that we look good. It isn't just about the journey, the cycling, the experience... it is also about a flawless complexion and good skin. How is this achieved? We considered Estée Lauder skin treatments... we investigated plastic surgery. We settled on the Cambodian Complexion regime. This regime gives you the full range of spa treatments, without ever getting off the bike, you then arrive in at your destination looking a million dollars. How do you achieve this? Well....
1. Cleanse - This is achieved with the bar of cheap soap (which incidentally we also use for our camping pots, and our socks).
2. Exfoliation - To achieve the skin-renewing benefits of micro-dermabrasion we opted for a sand-blast treatment. This is achieved by periodic traffic passing by producing a
dust cloud, which is then whipped into your face with the strong wind. This dramatically resurfaces ones skin to reveal the radiant look you want.
3. The fake tan - Clearly we couldn't be seen with pasty white skin, so opted for the Cambodian fake tan. Application is relatively simple: Apply suncream and then cycle for about 5 minutes on remote dust roads (so you are suitably sweaty in the 30+ degrees sun). The red dust will then cling nicely to your skin, giving an all over orange glow.
4. Tone - Ride out on your bicycle into the intense inland Cambodian sun, with hardly any chance of shade, for about 6-7 hours a day! This should blast your pores into submission.
*****
Cambodia has been an absolute highlight of our trip so far. It has also been a real education - seeing how it is now, and trying to comprehend how it would have been under the Khmer Rouge regime has been difficult to do (people don't really talk about the past), but some signs (e.g. the mine fields that remain) are still very evident. Every trip to Cambodia must include Angkor Wat - this
Rough Ride!
Sometimes the roads were so exciting / rough that we had to push. was breathtaking, albeit drowned in tourists!
Key Stats: Distance covered in this stage: 706.03 km
Distance covered so far (since 20 Dec): 3281 Km (This is slightly further than cycling Manchester to Moscow!)
Total Hours in saddle (since 20 Dec): 188 Hours and 11 Minutes (This is 1 Hour and 11 Minutes loinger than it took Wiley Post to complete the first round the world solo flight in 1933!)
Cumulative Mechanicals: Sheared Pannier Rack x1 (Mel), Snapped Bike Chain x3 (Andy), Puncture x2 (Andy), Puncture x 7 (Mel), Snapped Water Bottle Cages x2 (Andy), Pannier bag rail snap x1 (Andy)
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amanda
non-member comment
makes me tired to read your blog!
But what a trip! You will certainly never forget this one! and I have always wanted to go to Cambodia And you are missing a pretty miserable winter here damp and cold I am looking forward to our trip , even if its only two weeks in Atlanta/Belize/Gwatamala from next week I am delighted to here you are coming back to the Bristol area as it is near Bolehyde so hopefully you will come and see us and tell us all about your adventures Much love amanda