Day 4 cycle: 39 miles

Day4 route map

After another early night we were up before sunrise and on the road at first light. There was a beautiful sunrise and a lovely cooling breeze, both of which put us in the perfect mindset ðŸĪĐ. Today was the last ride of this leg and only 39 miles so we were confident we'd nail it before the real heat of the day got to us. 


Sunrise from the guesthouse balcony
Getting ready to leave - chickens everywhere! 

Just a few minutes into the ride we were routed onto a side road. We hesitated briefly and then decided to take it. That turned out to be a good decision as it led us over a beautiful old bridge - the only real tourist attraction in the area which we would have otherwise missed. We took the opportunity to stop, take some photos and have our takeaway breakfast - fruit and nuts and water 😂

 The 12th century bridge at Kampong Kdei 

We quickly rejoined the main road and set off at a fairly quick pace. We were definitely spurred on by the thought of the lovely hotel and four luxurious rest days that awaited us 😀

We were entertained by school runs aplenty and passed through many different roadside markets and cottage industries. Each seem to have their own speciality and as we pass by we try to figure out what it is they're doing. Today was sugar palm production we think, they seemed to be very busy stripping the husk off the canes.

Not surprisingly the volume of traffic increased as we approached Siem Reap. We also noticed the change of landscape with the roads becoming considerably more tree lined - which created some very welcome shade and a lovely cooling breeze. It was only 9.30am so although still hot the cycling was so much more bearable than anything we'd experienced up to this point. Or maybe we're just toughening up?? Either way I'm definitely saddle sore and in need off 4 days off to rest and recover 😂. I think Max feels much the same even if he isn't admitting it 😉
Strawberry and Kiwi frappes = brain freeze 😂

We made just one proper stop - for a cooling frappe 😋 and several roadside stops just for water and to quickly readjust our saddles!  

By 9.30am we'd reached Siem Reap. Navigating to the hotel was very easy (well done Max 👏) and we arrived to a lovely warm welcome about 9.45am. Iced tea, spicy peanuts and a refeshing cold flannel - all served as an instant pick me up! 

We're staying here for the next 4 nights and couldn't be happier. It's a beautiful hotel - we've been upgraded to a room with a pool view, given a complimentary lunch and a voucher for the spa. Suddenly all that gruelling cycling seems worth the effort 😀

Four nights of luxury - what bliss ðŸĪĐ

Poolside view 

A delicious four course complimentary lunch 😋 

Nightlife in Siem Reap - both vibrant and chilled! 

Our initial impressions of Siem Reap are very positive. It's got a lovely chilled vibe with lots to see and explore! Will report back in our next blog on our overall experience here ðŸĪĐ

Bye for now and thank you everyone for all your lovely messages so far ❤️ xxx 

Comments

  1. Kerry15 December 2023 at 12:15

    Well done! Sounds like you earned your lovely hotel at the end! Look forward to the next set of adventures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah18 December 2023 at 15:30

      Thx Kerry. It was like finally reaching a watering hole after days in the desert ðŸĪĢ

      Delete
  2. Kathy T15 December 2023 at 15:19

    What an amazing start, and you definitely deserve the 4 nights of luxury. Loving the blog, keep it coming xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah18 December 2023 at 15:31

      Thx Kathy 🙏. Glad you're enjoying it 😊

      Delete
  3. Anonymous16 December 2023 at 14:43

    Amazing, well done, and enjoy the rest. It all looks lovely, Amanda xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah18 December 2023 at 15:32

      Thx Amanda. I fully intend to 😊. You would love it here I'm sure 👍 xx

      Delete
  4. Anonymous29 December 2023 at 08:35

    Loving your blog Sarah…..so glad you are both coping with the heat, it all sounds quite wonderful! Max’s mum and I have caught up with news this afternoon over a welcome cuppa xxx Ann

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah30 December 2023 at 20:34

      Hi Ann, it's lovely to hear from you. I'm glad you like the blog, it's hard to do justice to all the sights and experiences but we're trying hard 😀. We're in Laos now - resting before a few days of more challenging rides coming up 😅 xx

      Delete
  5. Anonymous31 December 2023 at 13:49

    Happy new year! The pictures are beautiful. I’m so glad it’s going well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rosie1 January 2024 at 03:26

    It's an amazing way to see out 2023 and see in the New Year - you'll never forget it! Respect and admiration for your staying power, both of you! Hopefully you're feeling stronger every day - the days of rest, yummy food and being tourists sound like the best rewards 😋👏😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah2 January 2024 at 03:10

      Thx Rosie 🙏 Your words will keep us going through the tougher moments when we have to dig a bit deeper 😉 xx

      Delete

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