Well that was Weird...

This morning, three friends from the Plan Adventure went for a cycle. I have changed their names to protect the innocent (and perhaps the silly duffer!). Actually, there is a photo of them from their ride, but that would defeat the purpose of changing names....

So let's call them:
Sherry Shrub
Jemima Wicks
Gwendolyn Woo

Anyhoo, they met this morning for a ride.

And in surprising news... they all managed to be on time despite the fact that no-one had arranged a wake up call for them. AMAZING no??

The ride was lovely, although it was noted that no kids were running out to cheer or high-five them. Even when they waved to random people, no-one waved back. They just looked... strangely... like they were seeing weird people.

Speaking of weird people... Sherry, Jemima and Gwendolyn saw all sorts of strange people riding their bikes in fancy dress. Gwendolyn's personal favorite was the bees! Turns out it is a big cycling weekend, so the assumption is that the fancy dress was related to this... otherwise the fancy dress people were very, very strange. However the three friends were just dressed like normal cycling people.

So a lovely ride and chat was enjoyed by the three friends. The weather was lovely albeit a little windy despite the forecast for a storm. In fact, there was some doubt as to whether the ride could proceed given the forecast. Jemima suggested the friends all look out the window this morning to see if the storm would eventuate - goodness, isn't she practical! The problem was that when Gwendolyn got up it was dark. Oh no? What should she do?? How would she know if the ride could go ahead??

OK so focus. Back to the ride. All was progressing well... but where was the support crew? Where were the local guides showing the friends where to go and what path to take. Where were the fabulous drivers with their much needed wet wipes and water and fruit and anything else required to support the ride?

It was all very strange....

There was however an incident with some ducks, some dogs, and an invisible water buffalo!

And then it happened! Jemima sped off because life is a competition! Sherry and Gwendolyn took a more leisurely approach being as how life is actually a box of chocolates! Hopefully a very large box of chocolates from KoKo Black! Mmmmmm. KoKo Black....

So Gwendolyn got all excited that there was someone to wave to and maybe even sneak in a high-five. BUT Jemima was not playing that game!

Oh dear.... so I wonder what happened next...

Have you ever heard that if you break hard using just your front break on a bike then things have a tendency to go a little pear shaped??

Turns out this is TRUE! I know right?

So after having ridden for over 1,200 training kms and over 400 kms in Vietnam and Cambodia... let's call that 2,000 kms (gosh I love rounding!) Gwendolyn fell of her bike.

I hear you all gasp!

AND no drivers or guides came running to Gwendolyn's aid with their trusty first aid kits.

So Gwendolyn has an owie!! Actually Gwendolyn has a few owies... but she bravely continued the ride. You go Gwendolyn!!

And despite this dramatic incident, there are plans a-foot for a repeat ride!

So, I am sure there is a moral to this story. Perhaps not to ask Jemima for a high-five... perhaps to be more careful when being a silly duffer and breaking with one hand... perhaps to always have a first aid kit at the ready... perhaps all exercise is bad... I just can't quite put my finger on it!

So I hope your owies get better soon Gwendolyn!

Until next time!

W xx

Cambodia and Vietnam Q&A

During our adventure, I prepared some Q&A. I hope you will enjoy playing along!!

Q: When is a 50km ride not a 50km ride?
A: On a Plan ride... it could be 40km or 50km or 60km!

Q: When is a 4 hour bus ride not a 4 hour bus ride?
A: On a Plan bus... when it will take 6 hours, but no-one wants to tell you that!

Q: When is a croissant not a croissant?
A: When it is a croissant shaped scone at the OC hotel in Sihanoukville! However, given how much I missed bakery items, I still ate quite a few just to be sure they were good!

Q: What freaks Wendy out?
A: When one of the guys takes her suitcase. Thankfully, I don't think it was opened! I like a bit of mystery with the contents of my suitcase! Actually I like a LOT of mystery!

Q: What freaks Josie out?
A: Tarantulas for dinner! Interestingly she seemed less bothered by the fried cockroaches, crickets, ants and other delights served by the locals!

Q: What is more exciting that a 1 1/2 hour boat trip on a mangrove swamp?
A: ANYTHING! Good grief it was loud and boring!!

Q: When speaking to someone in a different language, what do you do when they can't understand you?
A: YELL! We got yelled at by a shopkeeper in Vietnam whilst buying water! It cost 30 cents!

Q: What can be used in place of sunscreen for people who like natural products?
A: Coconut oil! Personally I prefer factor 50! And lots of it!!

Q: What can be used in place of malaria tables for people who like natural products?
A: Garlic! Again, I personally prefer a more traditional approach of horrid malaria tablets! Even though they gave me motion sickness. And, I have been reliably informed since my return home that they also make me talk in my sleep! A lot. So I wrote Josie to check what secrets I had disclosed the two nights we were roomies... she has declined to answer as she wants to keep it up her sleeve! I wonder... just how nervous should I be??

Q: When are you free from locals trying to sell you things?
A: NEVER. We were on a boat ride to see the floating markets in the Mekong Delta. Up out of no-where pops this lady from the back of the boat trying to sell me all sorts of cheap useless crap! You gotta be kidding me! However, I thought the vendors on boats coming over to sell tea and coffee and snacks were really cool.

Q: Do villagers in Vietnam and Cambodia have cell phones?
A: ABSOLUTELY YES! When we arrived at the Plan school, the kids were all taking photos of us and posting them up on Face Book! I also saw a guy with a very large pig tied to the back of his motorbike which had fallen onto the road. He was standing there on his cell phone. I wonder if they have roadside assistance in Cambodia?


Until next time my peeps and web crawlers!

W xx

Things that tried to kill me!

Now I don't mean to be paranoid! BUT it seemed that our ride was quite dangerous at times! Some days I thought that many things were trying to kill me...

Again, a list might be in order!

1. Day one... the first intersection! Did the organizers want fewer people on this ride?? We rode out onto a very busy dual carriage way and stopped at the lights for a five way intersection. Now where I come from, a green light should mean that you can progress through the intersection in relative safety! In Vietnam, apparently this is not always the case! There were people and trucks and the requisite hundreds of motor bikes going in all directions! So the approach I took... take a deep breath... in fact a very deep breath... and then one more for luck... and ride like the wind!! Thankfully this method worked a treat.
2. All days... traffic, traffic and more traffic! Often on rather narrow roads. People are really polite and beep their horns to let you know they are coming past. This is wonderful, but do they really have to honk so LOUDLY while they are right next to you? AND personally, I prefer a little bit more leeway between a large vehicle and me on my bike. I am convinced that breathing in and being as skinny as possible on my trusty bike enabled me to survive!
3. A Mother Duck and her lovely fluffy babies... sounds harmless right? WRONG! So I was riding along the shoulder of the road and out comes a mother duck and her babies. So I cycled around them into a very conveniently placed pothole. WOW did I get airborne??? I had visions of coming a complete cropper... but luckily all ended well. Me still on my trusty bike and the ducks continuing on their journey
4. Potholes! Now I know we already experienced a pothole incident with the ducks... but they were EVERYWHERE! Just waiting to catch the unsuspecting cyclist! Little ones, big ones, ones which were big enough to build a house in! Well maybe I am exaggerating slightly, but small people could definitely live in some of them... maybe only very small people
5. The local man riding his bike with a very long stick which I choose to call a spear! Coming the other way on the shoulder of the road. This time I decided to breath in, be skinny and close my eyes! Worked a treat!
6. Water Buffalo. I was cycling along enjoying the scenery and noticed one of our group way off the road with 5 buffalo heading his way. I thought he was taking a picture of them, but then he cut off their exit so they turned around and ran to the road... exactly where I was riding! Three in front and two behind. I rode faster than I have ever ridden before to avoid them! I wonder if the screaming helped me to be faster!
7. Cows. Well I don't think any actually tried to kill me, but one certainly gave me a funny look while I cycled past! 
8. Kids. The kids were awesome! They would run to the side of the road and call hello! Some of them liked to do high fives as you cycled past. It was really cool... except for the ones who tried to hit so hard that it almost took your arm off! Bless them, just goes to show kids are the same world-wide

Phew... survived them all! HA!

Until next time!

W xx

I'm Back!

Hello peeps!

Well, that sure was an interesting adventure!! I am very pleased to say that I rode the entire way... no bus time for me... well no bus time when we should have been riding! Good job Wendy!

There was certainly plenty of bus time during the journey. Way more that I was expecting, but it may be that a small amount of time invested on my part before our departure may have made it very obvious that given the distances we were travelling when compared with our cycling distances made a significant amount of time on the bus inevitable!

So who would have imagined that I would have connectivity issues whilst travelling through two third world countries. I was so optimistic that I could post some quirky observations each day to share our adventure with you all... alas that was not possible... which is why I had my PA Paul post the inspired adventures blog for you all. Obviously that is the 'official' version of our trip. I plan to share with you the slightly less official version!

So this post is dedicated to Hugh. I promised him I would blog which as we all know proved problematic.Sorry Hugh!

So I think this post should be highly educational! Or at least a little bit educational...

As you know I like a list, so let's start out with that!

1. If you set goals and work hard then you can kick patootie! At the start of this adventure, I had not ridden a bike for 100 years and let's be honest, I was not very good... in fact to be more honest, I was appallingly bad! I trained hard and found the ride easy. Who would have thought that was possible! Who would have thought that I would find being a sheep (more about that later) harder than the actual cycle!
2. If you are the person who waits until everyone else is ready before getting organized then people will not like you! There is one in every group... wait until the end of the break and then decide they need a rest room break, or sunscreen, or whatever. Don't be this person! It is annoying!
3. Taking 'selfies' while riding can end badly. 
4. Travelling in a group is like being a sheep... we were just following instructions. When to wake up, when to cycle, what to eat... so when we actually needed to make an important decision like what beverage to have with our evening meal it was too complicated! Don't be a sheep! Be a person who makes things happen!
5. There are two types of vans in Vietnam and Cambodia. Non air-conditioned vehicles have there windows and doors closed. Air-conditioned vehicles have a broomstick (or similar) holding open the hatch!
6. You can save money be putting your motorbike in the back of your air-conditioned van. You can save even more money by adding some of your friends' motorbikes and having everyone sit on the roof of the van.
7. When cycling in Vietnam and Cambodia, keep your mouth closed! This is especially important when cycling behind road-working machines... and even more important when they are spraying the dusty roads with water. But the most important time to remember this rule is where there are king sized water buffalo pats on the roads! They make the most amazing splat when driven over by a van (regardless of whether it is air-conditioned or not!!).
8. Even monks push in! Don't push in! It is annoying!
9. Now a note on workforce efficiency.. it took us over an hour to get through Cambodian immigration. There was one guy working on arrivals. He was very thorough and spent time checking every single stamp in everyone's passport. Mine has quite a lot, so this took some time. Now while we could ask why this was necessary, I think perhaps the bigger question is why the departures guy thought it was more important for him to have a nap (at 8am) rather than helping out his colleague! 
10. Completely not educational, but made me laugh... We had to put 'bribe' money into our passports to get our Cambodian Visa's (and for our entry health check... which was having this thing fired at our forehead to check our temperature... amazing that we all got exactly the same value... but I digress!). The Visa guy kept calling out "Money, money!" so we thought someone had forgotten they bribe money... turns out "Marnie" in Cambodian is actually "Money" who was one of the girls on the trip! He was just trying to return her passport!
11. There is absolutely nothing which cannot be carried on a motorbike - family, kids, pigs, ducks, rice harvest..
12. There are Sparrow Spit farms in Cambodia. They build special houses and the sparrows fly in and the spit is collected. Good grief! Who would have thought there would be a market for Sparrow Spit... but apparently it makes men very strong! So work hard, or you might become a Sparrow Spit farmer!!
13. Too much rice makes Poppy's Mum grumpy
14. Not enough coffee makes Hugh's Mum grumpy... actually a number of things make Hugh's Mum grumpy, but let's just focus on coffee for now!
15. Getting up at 4am makes everyone grumpy!!

OK, so that was pretty good. I am sure there is a modicum of educational value in each item! 

So over the next few days I will work through my diary and share with you more of the less official version of our trip. Some of the areas I am planning to cover include:

1. Cambodia and Vietnam Q&A
2. What is in that plastic bag?
3. Things that tried to kill me today
4. Are you really going to eat that!?
5. Exciting ways to pass time on a bus when experiencing severe motion sickness
6. And many, many, many other interesting observations!

Until next time!

W xx

Re-blog from Inspired Adventures 2!

Sun 9 Mar: Banteay Srey and Beng Mealea

The final day of cycling had snuck up on us! We all couldn’t believe that our adventure was coming to an end. Despite some very sore bums, backs, wrists and legs, hardly anyone had complained over the six days riding so far, and I wasn’t surprised when some were asking if we could make today an 100 kilometre day.
The ride began with 35 kilometres in the morning, with a stop off to see how palm sugar is made (it tastes delicious, we all brought some to take home). Pre-lunch riding was fairly in line with what we had been experiencing throughout the adventure. Flat roads, humidity and heat. This was our last opportunity to drink in the Cambodian countryside and enjoy the cycle, so we took it easy and made sure to take in the surroundings. It was quite funny actually, as today of all days, on our last cycling leg, the children were saying “bye bye” to us instead of “hello”. It was like they knew we were leaving! Groups of kids would be waiting at the side of the road to jump up and down and say “bye bye”. We were receiving a fantastic send off!

Our first temple experience today was Banteay Srey or the ‘Citadel of Women’, believed to have been made by women due to the intricately exquisite detail which would have required incredible patience (a trait Cambodians feel is feminine). This temple also had different colours to others we had seen before. It used a very high quality pink sandstone. At over 1,000 years old, the carvings on this structure were mind-blowing and the conservation was very impressive.

After what felt like a 10 course meal (which Marty commented was the biggest lunch he’d ever had), we unfortunately had to get back on the saddle and waddle the remaining distance!

The countryside was littered with cows, rubber trees, mango orchards, rice paddies and watering holes in which children were playing. Beside the road, for long stretches, were chopped pieces of cassava, drying to be made into powder. We rode past farmers cutting the cassava with machetes, laborious work in the heat of the day.

We completed 52 kilometres in the afternoon heat and this was definitely the most intense riding we had endured. It was HOT, it was dusty, it was bumpy (with 5 kilometres of unpaved roads). It was definitely a test of endurance. Three team members showed incredible spirit today: Cheryl who was quite ill, but rode anyway, David, her fiancé, who rode by her side the whole way, and Jane who was also sick, but who hopped off the bus to experience the team crossing the finish line under the Cycle for Girls banner!
The team dismounted from their bikes, cheered, clapped, hugged and congratulated each other for a mammoth 87 kilometre ride in high heat, and for finishing their full cycle challenge for Plan International Australia.

The afternoon was spent exploring Beng Mealea, an impressive site of jumbled ruins surrounded by octopus-like trees.

A farewell dinner included some celebratory drinks and speeches, where a few tears and many laughs were shared. All in all, an inspirational effort by the 24 riders and an experience we will never forget!

Sat 8 Mar: Angkor Temples

We enjoyed a sleep in today, and a plentiful buffet breakfast overlooking a quiet street with impressive French colonial architecture. Setting off at 8:30am for a short drive to the South Gate of the Angkor complex, there were big smiles from the team as we got snapped for our temples passes.

We walked to our bikes lined up past the gate and set off, ducking and weaving through more traffic than we’d seen on the highways! There were so many cars, buses, tuk tuks and motorbikes banked up, loaded with tourists eager to see the world famous temples that were built between the 4th and 9th century, when the Khmer civilisation was at its peak of its creativity. We cruised past on bikes and pulled up outside the gateway to Angkor Thom, the largest city in the Angkor complex. It is 7 metres high with walls 3 kilometres square around. Interesting, its five gates served specific purposes—for villages, soldiers, royals, criminals, and removing the deceased.

We rode on, past the diva (good) and demon (evil) statues lining the entryway. A slim ancient doorway was expertly managed by traffic controllers and we were through! Leafy, flat road curved around and brought us to the Bayon temple. With a quick stop off to capture the family of monkeys along the way. The group enjoyed a walk amongst the ruins, and our knowledgable guide, Sokly, explained the detailed freezes.
We jumped back on the bikes and continued for another few kilometres, before a quick fruit and snack stop, enjoying the juicy tropical fruit to reenergise us. We headed to the “Tomb Raider” temple next. Made famous by the Lara Croft movie filmed here, Ta Prohm is an awe inspiring sight, with nature reclaiming its land, trees twisted and embedded into ancient crumbling structures. Our guides led us around a hidden dirt track surrounding the walls and it was amazing to ride beside the ancient temple walls through the trees and enter via a deserted gate. Even if some did get slowed up in the often sandy track.

After another delicious lunch we finally got to see Angkor Wat, the most famous set of temples in Cambodia and a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. Despite the blistering hot day, everyone wandered around the temples and admired the dedication and detail that went into building these incredible structures.

Most agreed today was the easiest day of cycling because we had so much to see and we stopped all throughout to walk and visit temples. 50 kilometres over the course of a day felt so manageable, we could have done it twice!

Dinner tonight was at Morum, another restaurant affiliated with Friends, the organisation that trains street kids to work/cook in their restaurants, where the last of the bracelets were awarded:

• Tammy, a quiet achiever who made riding look so effortless
• Tim, for having such an inquisitive nature and genuine interest in learning more about the local culture
• Claire, for pushing through her intense spider fear and cycling past hundreds of spider webs near Ta Prohm
• Josie, nominated by her dear friend Karen for their 22 year friendship and the love that they share
• Cheryl, for battling bad food poisoning and continuing to be upbeat, enthusiastic and cracking jokes. She also continued to ride the full 50 kilometres, determined to finish what she started
• And, last by not least, Willa, for her gentle attitude and compassionate spirit, bringing a lovely sense of peace to the group

Fri 7 Mar: Project visit

Our day began with a 4am wakeup call which was a real test for the team; even more of a test than the challenges of cycling! As we left Phnom Penh behind, we were greeted with some incredible sights – fog and mist ascending towards the sky from dark rice paddy fields and the view of the country coming into life as we passed markets setting up and men sitting on motorbikes, the steam from their coffee rising. The bus drove through dusty towns already bursting with activity – we passed by a wholesale fish market with crowds of people buying and selling energetically in the coolness of dawn. Sunrise finally met us in a dark shade of orange, a stunning side effect of pollution.

The reason for our early start today was to go and visit a Plan community and school project in Kampong Cham province. This was an invaluable opportunity to meet some of the Cambodian girls who our fundraising was supporting. The team have raised a phenomenal amount, over $121,000 (–> support the team to raise more)! These funds were directed into the “Because I am a Girl” campaign, which focuses on preventing child marriage, promoting gender equality and empowering girls through education. Everyone has dedicated more than 6 months of their lives to fundraising and raising awareness about the plight of girls in other countries and the need to keep girls in school. Now we finally had a chance to see what that looks like in action as some of our funds had gone directly to this community. Imran, from Plan Australia, introduced us to some Plan Cambodia staff at their Kampong Cham office and we briefly walked around to visit different sectors of Plan.



Some of the key points for this province are the following;

• Poverty is a critical factor that significantly influences the effective access to education
• Young women in rural areas suffer more from domestic violence
• 84% of children aged 3-5 years to not have access to preschools
• Girls are less likely to enrol and complete secondary school compared to boys

After a slight delay with a broken down bus, we were soon on our way again and we finally made it to our bike collection point. The school wanted to see the Plan Australia Cycle for Girls team on their bikes so we rode 2km through the local village which was rural and then onto the school for a grand entrance. On approach, we could hear music and see crowds of people, I remember thinking that they couldn’t be there for us could they?! We dismounted our bikes and walked across the road where we were warmly welcomed by what had to be over 100 children and adults from the community – they were all clapping for us! What a moment, after 5 days of cycling and crossing two countries by bike, bus and boat, we were greeted like celebrities – even the Cambodian national newspaper was there filming us!

The team were sat down and introduced by the country Program Director of Plan, who explained that the gaggle of smiling teenagers wearing pink Plan t-shirts, were teen leaders who spread awareness about preventing child marriage in schools.



They ran a short Q&A with Sokly our guide (and a former teacher) who was a gracious translator for us all. Admittedly we were a little underprepared but it was great to swap some ideas through broken Khmer and English.

A tour around the primary school was next, where some gifts that the team brought from Australia were presented to the teachers. We all had an opportunity to have conversations and share a smile with the teenagers and young children who taught us some Khmer words and asked us our names, how old we were and if we were married. After a few rounds of photos and some more stories we said our goodbye to the school, its children and teachers and the curious nearby villagers.



We cycled back out with a chorus of “bye bye” and huge smiles. It was a surreal few hours and felt very special to be a part of. It was wonderful to meet incredible people who were so keen and eager to practicE their English with us. One thing that was surprising was the amount of mobile phones the teenagers had, I guess teenagers are the same everywhere in the world. I’m sure our Team Plan Australia cyclists will find themselves on some Cambodian Facebook pages today!

Our lunch stop today was at a Buddhist monastery where we ate packed lunches amongst the temples and inquisitive young monks. Next up was a long transfer to Siem Reap where we will spend our final days in this amazing country. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we cycle through the temples of Angkor…



Today’s bracelets were given to:

• Mark: for always sticking with Jane when we cycle, epitomising team work they appear to be riding a tandem bike!
• Karen: for always having a smile on her face and for sneakily filming us through her inbuilt sunglasses camera
• Linda: for her positive attitude and genuine enjoyment when cycling. Whenever you pass Linda she is looking left and right with a wide grin, taking everything in
• Shannon: for her endurance through being sick and pushing through it while always looking out for others and continuing to cycle after a day of rest
• Deidre: for always asking how everyone is doing whenever she cycles past you
• Marty: for loving cricket as much as Jason does, and watching it in bars with him!

Thu 6 Mar: Exploring Phnom Penh & Cambodia’s history

Today we enjoyed a free day in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city. We split off into small groups and hired tuk-tuk drivers to take us around town. Some of us chose to head to the Killing Fields, the Tuol Sleng (S21) Genocide Museum, The Royal Palace, Central markets and the Russian markets.



Those who went to The Killing Fields and/or the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum were able to bear witness to some of the horrifying atrocities that occurred during the Khmer Rouge rule during 1975 and 1979, where over 2 million people were killed. Our local guides, Sokly and Mr Vath have been informing us about the history and seeing these sites really brought it home.

Bou Meng, a Tuol Sleng survivor, was present at the museum and was selling copies of his story. Some of the team took photos with him and shared a touching handshake. What an incredible man, to go through so much hardship yet he continues to raise awareness and speak up on a daily basis.



Phnom Penh is a bustling city, alive and full of noises, smells and sights. You could get lost in the laneways and spend days exploring the different monuments and temples around the city. The traffic is typical of southeast Asia, with motorbikes and tuk tuks ducking and weaving across lanes and footpaths. Poverty is a real issue in the city and it is visible, raw and tangible with beggars and homeless people present on most streets. It’s a strange juxtaposition to the large car dealerships and electronic stores, huge government buildings and ornately designed monasteries.

Sokly told the team that the average yearly wage for a Cambodian is $950. It’s hard to forget this figure when you go shopping and spend $50 in 5 minutes. I think we are all realising how blessed we are to come from a prosperous country like Australia and England. Despite all this, the Khmer people are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met and they warmly welcome us wherever we go.

Re-Blog from Inspired Adventures!

Re-blogging from the inspired adventures blog site until Wendy can get her posts in! See their progress below..

Weds 5 Mar: The ride to Phnom Penh

The day began with an early wake up of 6am. After a quick breakfast and a final goodbye to the lush pool at our hotel in Sihanoukville, we began our first 17km cycle up and out of the coastal port town. This included a steady incline and some fantastic downhills that made everyone feel like they were 5 years old and riding a bike for the first time again.

Our first pitstop today was at Ream National Park where we hopped onto two boats and glided up the fresh water river. Our guide, Sokly, informed us that the mangroves surrounding the river were protected and home to many fish. We spotted local families fishing with small nets and by hand, apparently the only kind of fishing allowed in this area. The boat ride was relaxing and we enjoyed the break from the bikes momentarily.

Next up was a fairly flat 15km along a busy main highway. Big trucks passed us and made it very clear they were approaching, with their turbo charged horns. The team rode single file and stayed close to the shoulder of the road, looking out for each other as we passed through smaller towns in between.

Today the scenery was a mix of greenery and farmland, as well as some industrial development, such as the Angkor beer factory we spotted! We also passed a few schools, where the friendly children—in their white and blue uniforms—gave us a wave and cheered us on.

Roadside bovines butting heads…

Our final 18km was another fairly flat stretch, but by now it was hot and humid and our legs were feeling heavy and fatigued. We all had a celebratory high five at the finish line and congratulated Megan for finishing a 50km cycle on her birthday!

After the ride we hopped on the bus and transferred to Phnom Penh. On arrival, we checked into the hotel and freshened up. The team dined at Romdeng restaurant, a charity-run restaurant for Friends International, where its profits are reinvested into the students who train there to teach them new skills and to offer them a secure future. The food was excellent and widely praised. Those who dared also ordered some fried tarantulas and then held live tarantulas afterwards (They really do taste like chicken!)

Tour Leader, Isabel, lets a tarantula rest on her head…

Tarantula is on the menu for the brave who will try it, at Romdeng restaurant…

We celebrated Megan’s birthday today with a cake and our two local guides, Mr Vath and Sokly, gave her gorgeous lotus flowers for a present, another example of how fantastic our guides have been and how they have helped to make the adventure so special. Mr Vath and Sokly gave us a lesson into Cambodian history on the bus ride today, explaining how the Khmer Rouge genocide came about and how their families had been personally affected. It was hard not to cry listening to their horrific stories which will all be made more real when we visit the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum tomorrow. Cambodia has a deep and solemn past, and so many lives have been lost. After putting things into perspective, it made us realise how lucky we are to be travelling this now beautiful and charming country, with such an awesome bunch of people.

Tues 4 Mar: To Sihanoukville

Today was D day. A scheduled 83km—the furthest we had ridden during this adventure. We mentally prepared the team last night and everyone was excited to take the challenge on!

We began cycling at 7:15am. Riding this early was a treat as the weather was cool and overcast and allowed everyone to settle into it. After a fairly easy 20km on flat, straight road, we arrived in the river town of Kampot—a bustling old town with French colonial architecture. The team dedicated the rest of their rides with “I’m doing it for” signs. Some nominated friends and family back home, friends no longer with us, themselves for slogging it out and taking on the challenge, and also fellow team members that helped them tackle the may kilometres. Some also dedicated the ride to Cambodian girls, change, choice, and hope!

Next up was a 10km cycle, before we had our first snack stop of mangoes and watermelons. The scenery we passed was very rural and had little development. There were cows everywhere and Bokor mountain was in the background. Small brick houses, thatched roof houses and stilt houses were some of the sights we saw. The friendly children again provided a chorus of hellos wherever we passed. They also high fived us which helped lift our spirits.

Continuing along for a flat, easy ride, the main road to Sihanoukville gave us a show of passing mini bus taxis heading into town, most laden with chickens, wood, and sometimes just bursting with people.

The team make a brief stop to hydrate at the 65km mark…

The team was surprised when we reached 75km, which was the furthest most people had ever ridden! Taking the time to stretch and use the “happy trees” bordering the clearing, we all remarked how well we were doing and how fast the pace was.

After a simple lunch of fried rice at a small restaurant in Veal Rinh, the team continued on for the last 10km where we finally finished with Angkor beers and a huge cheers. The total tally for today was a whopping 88km!

That evening we began the bracelet game and awarded 5 bracelets to people who deserved some recognition. First up was Jane, who fell off her bike on the first day and got back up and continued cycling each day since. Second was Wendy, who overcame technical difficulties with her bike. Third was Imran, for cycling without padded shorts for 3 days. Fourth was Karly, for dealing with culture shock as a first time traveller and being so patient, and finally Hannah, who pushed through sunburn to complete the day. Honourable mention was also given to David, who helped Marty get to the end after some pedal issues.

Tomorrow, we’re up for a 50km hill ride. Bring it on!

Mon 3 Mar: Crossing the Vietnam Cambodia border

After breakfast the team said goodbye to our hotel in Ha Tien and transferred 15 minutes to the Vietnam–Cambodia border. We passed through customs and were stamped through.

After completing a required health check, the team then walked 5 minutes to be greeted by a large bright pink bus which would be our new vehicle for the adventure. We met our local guides and new bikes and soon set off to ride through Kampong Trach to Kep. Southern Cambodia is gorgeous and, while it’s in dry season, there’s still much to see, which we learnt passing salt flats and brown rice paddies.

Cycling to Kep…

Team Plan cyclist, Claire, on her way to Kep…

The ride was 35km and everyone pushed through the sore muscles and made the whole distance. Cycling the last 10km into the beachside town of Kep was beautiful and tonight we are staying right on the water, which is a fantastic treat. An ocean dip before sunset was enjoyed by some of the team, while others opted to have a well earned rest by kicking back in a hammock.

The team on arrival in Kep…

But it’s definitely not all rest and relaxation! Tomorrow we are set to cycle over 85km, a huge distance through 35-39 degree heat in the Cambodian sun.

Lunch today was one of the team’s favourites, with local fresh seafood and delicious Cambodian flavours (ginger, lemongrass, black pepper). The time we spend at lunch is a great way for us all to reflect on the ride and to share stories of what we have seen in the saddle, there’s just too much for one person to take in!

Sun 2 Mar: Can Tho to Ha Tien

Today we took a boat from Can Tho along the Mekong Delta to the Cai Rang floating markets. Phuoc, our local guide, advised us that these markets are an authentic part of Vietnamese culture and not designed to sell goods to tourists.

With over 200 boats carrying fruit and vegetables, these products are sold wholesale to local people, restaurants and cafés. Each boat has a long stick attached to the deck which has the item they are selling hanging.  We spied pumpkins, onions, watermelons, lettuce, carrots and pineapple just to name a few.

We then continued to a market on shore which the team were able to walk through and admire. The sights and smells were quite overwhelming as market owners hacked up fish on the ground and live eels slithered around in buckets. Chicken heads, duck heads and rat meat was also spotted.

Lunch was next and we visited a crocodile farm where we saw hundreds of crocodiles. Nobody was keen to try crocodile for lunch and so we were treated with an array of fish, meat and vegetable dishes. I must say, the potato, papaya and shrimp soup was interesting….

After a bumpy bus ride to Tri Ton we finally began cycling for the day.

Everyone was incredibly keen to tackle the 50km and we set off excited, despite the afternoon heat and humidity. Today’s scenery was varied as we further delved into life along the Mekong Delta. As we rode, we passed many children who would wave and say ‘hello’, their enthusiasm never waning. Marnie remarked that this usually occurred just when you needed an extra push and having these kids as our cheer squad definitely made the ride more enjoyable and bearable.

We also rode through a small market, where sellers were just inches from our bike wheels. They took the sight of 26 Aussies and Brits in their stride and welcomed us through, ducking and weaving carts and motorbikes around our group.

Some of the team were also witness to an ox and cart accident, where two ox escaped from their farmers cart and ran down the road. It was a pretty incredible sight and we were all glad we weren’t in front of the running animals!

Here are Karen and Tim at the water break 15kms into the ride…

Everyone really dug deep today as we made up for lost time due to traffic earlier in the day. We kept a good pace and the 46km was further than some of the team had ever ridden before. What an achievement! We rode until just before sunset which gave the scenery an even more beautiful edge.

Megan and Linda after riding 46km…

Riding through Vietnam’s countryside is hard to describe, there are so many things to take in. Tomorrow we cross the border for Cambodia, can’t wait to see what’s in store for us there!

Sat 1 Mar: Let the cycling begin!

Today we began the first leg of our cycle challenge, a fairly flat 30km through the Mekong Delta. After a slightly scary start in My Tho, with the help of our local guides we weaved our way through traffic, motor bikes, trucks and cars. After 3km we started to see signs of the Delta – dragon fruit plantations, coconut trees and lots of greenery.

The team made great headway and we finished our first 15km in no time at all. After a quick break to eat locally grown sugar bananas and a pitstop at a random Vietnamese house for the ladies who needed to visit a ‘happy house’ (aka toilet), the team continued on the final 15km together.

We passed incredible scenery, from colonial style houses with the Mekong lapping at their doorstop (you wonder what happens to these families when it floods), to school children on bikes passing us giggling, to small motorbikes carrying 10 times their weight in leaves, sand, wood and other bits and pieces.

Many of the team remarked that it was an amazing experience, with Linda saying she “felt like she was in the scene of a movie”.

Next stop was the Vinh Trang Pagoda where we enjoyed the beautiful gardens and temple with various Buddha statues.

After lunch in Cai Be we caught a boat along the Mekong Delta where we got to see a taste of river life, whole families live on boats and sell their goods on a daily basis. Boats stacked with pumpkins, potatoes, green vegetables were easy to spot. Lots of children along the river waved to us and we were able to see families preparing for their nightly wash, using just a bucket and water pulleyed from the Delta.

Along the way we stopped to visit a variety of local shops which were selling handmade food. This tour included a toast with snake wine (alcohol with snakes inside fermented for a year) as well as seeing how rice paper, popped rice and coconut candy are made. We all agreed that the hand made care put into these foods was awe inspiring. Everything required a different methodical step and was repeated hundreds of time throughout the day. Patience is key!

Tonight we will have another team dinner and then will visit a local night market.

Team Cycle for Girls are in good spirits and everyone is getting to know each other. We have participants from remote Northern Territory, Horn Island off far North Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Perth and the UK. It’s really exciting to hear why everyone was inspired to take on this challenge and why they have done it for Plan International Australia.

Fri 28 Feb: Team Cycle for Girls arrive in Ho Chi Minh City

Today is the first day of our Cycle for Girls adventure! 23 riders have flown from 5 different states and were joined by two international travellers from the UK (undertaking a 21 hour journey! )

The team got to know each other at the welcome dinner where we enjoyed delicious Vietnamese food and introduced ourselves. Overall the team have just passed $120,000 raised for Plan’s Because I Am A Girl campaign. Imran, from Plan Australia, has joined us on this adventure and he spoke to us about Plan’s work and his role within the organisation. Imran is in the gender equality taskforce and told everyone how incredible their fundraising efforts were!

Bec arrived earlier than the team and had the amazing experience of meeting her Plan sponsor child yesterday in Hanoi – this will make the Cycle for Girls even more special for her. It’s an early night tonight as we prepare for our first day of cycling tomorrow!

Technical Difficulties...

Hi all,

Now I am playing the role of Wendy's personal assistant because she is having all kinds of problems with connecting to the internet in Cambodia and Vietnam. So I am writing this on her behalf - based on the intermittent conversations we have had on the phone. 

So Wendy and her cohorts are in Cambodia right now having done the first 89km day last Tuesday. From all accounts she has had no problems other than a few errant water buffaloes and other strange traffic you seem to see only in Asia or Africa. I'll leave it to her to fill in on the details when she can actually get a decent web connection. 

Until then - stay tuned!

P