After spending a fantastic day at Preah Vihear we headed for Siem Reap.
The quickest most direct way is to go back the way we came to Anlong Veng.
Having just come from that direction and not wanting to retrace steps we look at the OSM map on the GPS.
There is another way. Get back to the main road after leaving Preah Vihear and turn left.
It adds about 40 km may be more to the journey.. Yet again.. Great roads.. Rob finally found our first pothole later on.
Enjoying the riding and not wanting to get in to Siem Reap too early.. we ignore the GPS and take a few other routes.
You can see on the map how we go down then back up and down again before Siem Reap.
Yet again, more amazing roads.
A couple of occasions the nice road ran out and we had to ride 4 or 5 km on dirt to join back up to the next main road.
Then to the north of Siem Reap.. We come across the Mile Marker Grave Yard.
It is north of Siem Reap on the most potholed roundabout in Cambodia
Next stop Siem Reap.
Love this town. My first visit here was around 20 years ago… Yes I am that old.
The town is just growing like crazy.
20 years ago when we changed money at the local bank.. They had a petition they asked us to sign.
The petition was from the bank branch to head office… They wanted to get the first ATM in Sieam Reap!
Now ATM's are everywhere..
Never at the time did I think I would be recalling that event all these years later..
Check in and head off for some beers.
Plus great pizza.
With a red wine to accompany the pizza.
We gave this fella a few bucks and he took us around town for a pub tour
Monday morning and time to head back to the big Durian (AKA Bangkok).
Years ago when at Siem Reap.. We did the tour one day and rocked up on bicycles the next day.
They let us ride around for free on the 2nd day, but we couldn't go in to the temples.
Thought we would give that a try again.. But no go.. not too disappointed anyway.
The crowds getting in were crazy and we would have only had temple pics with all the tourists in the photo's.
So we head back to Bangkok
The road from Siem Reap to Poipet is pretty rough in parts.. Too much traffic and poor quality road..
Quite cut up, but still doable on a road bike.. Just have to watch the potholes and road works, not to mention the crazy Cambo driving.
Arrive at immigration / customs in Poipet.. The fella offers to go and do the paper work for us.
I politely say no, we will do it.. (Which you need to have finger prints and photo taken, so not sure what he was going to do).
No hassle from them.. you could see they were trying to think of something to make a few bucks.
Then over to the Thailand side
We had a bit of a hiccup here. At Chom Jom they didn't give us any conveyance paper work.. Just see you later with the customs form.
I should have known better.. Will put this down to flu and drugs too…
The fella was not very happy.. explained in English. That didn't help
Then in Thai.. they were immediately more friendly and listened..
To cut a long story short.. We had to complete the conveyance forms there and then.
I guess they just needed the right bits of paper to show they were doing their job properly.
All friendly with old mate at the end.
It is amazing what gets pushed and pulled across this bordering crossing
Before this, the same type of setup.. but with blue tarp and water with live fish swimming around.
some what hilarious.. as one of the cops came up and started telling them off for the water that was spilling on the road.
It smelt like a brothel.. Fish water every where and drying sun.. You get the idea..
In the end.. everyone listened to the cop rant a bit.. then all laughing.. Like really.. how can we stop the water sloshing around.
All across and back in Thailand… Now the scenic way back to Bangkok.. Great ride and managed to avoid most of the big highways.
That is our Bangkok Weekend Warriors long weekend to Cambo in a nutshell.
Cheers
Brian.
PS,
Both our photo's are used in this report.
Petrol is only $1.03 up country but near the border at Poipet.. $1.30