Running Cambodia V2 - the driving day

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Leaving Phnom Penh right on time on the team (Bunna and Mombo) and the two of us, gear loaded on the poor truck that is to be our support and rescue vehicle, we headed off to Stung Treng via NH7, the national highway that we'd hope to be avoiding but we will spend at least one day if not more on the pavement. Our goal was to make the journey in less than 8 hours but it turned out to be more of a 10 hour drive. Not to worry, we had not been through the provinces so it was all new and a wonderful contrast to other parts of Cambodia we'd seen in the past.

One thing we noticed all most immediately after leaving the city, was the number of birds and bugs! That may seem odd but our initial experience was the opposite. We saw more animals over the course of this drive than we did over three days spent in the north on our original trip, very heart warming.
One of the other sights for us that came as a surprise was the rubber tree plantations that stretched as far as the eye could see. It looked like jungle from the distance but once we got closer and actually drove through them, you could see the little buckets where the 'sap' drips and is collected by hand and pail. In a way is was good to see the outcome of all the land clearing and burning....

Oh the pepper! We also came across many pepper fields, if we could only stop! Black, white and even green pepper! We will be on the hunt for some to bring back home once this adventure is completed.

Finally we arrived in Stung Treng, our stop for the tonight and where we will also spend tomorrow night. Dinner with the boys and then off to sleep. We will be driving towards the border with Laos to begin the run...WHOOOHHHOOOO!

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Comments

[Mom]

Keep giving the news. Have a wonderful and safe trip. I was told by a friend who did the Mekong (not running though) that this is beautiful part of the country down to Vietnam. Keep well, take good care.