Boiling temperature reached in Kampot - 87km

Today was what can only be described as both gratifying and well, ridiculously hot. It was also my first day cycling post-Cam-belly and I was excited. Due to my fellow participants turning on several of us non-morning people and agreeing by overwhelming consensus to begin the day at 6am (that is on the bikes, ready to ride by 6am) we had covered 20km before we even ate breakfast. I knew the day would be rather cosy when at 6.30am I had an attractive amount of sweat pouring off my face. We rode our bikes to a restaurant just out of Takeo province that made our group favourite - omelettes. In a moment of cheekiness I had put my hand up and asked for a chai tea latte. Belinda followed with her order of eggs benedict with salmon, Richard with eggs florentine and Andy with a soy decaf latte. Needless to say we all got omelette with coffee. Although I have to take a moment to give Cambodian coffee a shout out. The coffee has condensed milk in the bottom of the cup and is delicious. The knowledge that we are about to burn copious amounts of calories is enough for us to consume these at most breakfasts.

After breakfast we set out for the remaining 67km. The heat intensified at times while at the same time it was once again interesting to me how quickly one forgets about the heat and finds enjoyment in riding in such an intensely beautiful land. I cannot emphasise enough how extraordinarily beautiful the people are here. They are just so stunning in their approach to life. You cannot help but retain optimism and happiness when we are faced with such unrelenting generosity of spirit. I will miss this.

The lovely Dave Reynolds from Intrepid Challenges/Raw Travel joined us in this journey. We had a great conversation about child trafficking - the tragedy and the hope that exists in some of the stories that have emerged from this industry. I also had the opportunity to tell him how impressed I was with the incredible job his team had done across this challenge. Everything from day to day operations, meals, morale boosting and nightly bonding over Angkor has just been tops. The challenge crew has consisted of:

Smey - Cambodian tour leader: hilarious guy with an incredible knack for orchestrating these challenges.
Andrew (aka Andy) - Australian tour leader: equally hilarious, fantastic translator of all things Cambodian into Westernese, great support to Smey.
Several drivers and support crew who cycle both behind, in front and with us.

I was accompanied for most of my ride by the loveliest Cambodian man by the name of Sukom. He is a sweet man who has acted as a bike mechanic and tour guide support since we began the challenge. He rode alongside me encouraging me, making me laugh and challenging me to several races. I obliged and had a blast. It is comical really - Sukom the avid cyclist who negotiates the Cambodian roads and heat without effort against me. After another 50km he informed me that my average cycle speed had increased to 29.5km/h! Yessss.

For lunch we sat around under the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful shade of a tree eating our lunch of fried rice openly discussing such tantalising subjects as heat rash, bowel movements and the merits of Immodium. On either side of us at our lunch venue we had roaming cows and screeching pigs. Toto, we are no longer in Kansas.

Following lunch. We hauled our bodies onto our bikes, quickly realising how hot is was from outside the cool of the shade. The last leg of our journey took us straight into Kampot, a coastal community with gorgeous French colonial charm - and ice cream! We arrived at our hotel shattered after riding in sizzling heat. Smey, our leader happily informed us that we had broken a two year record for the Takeo to Kampot journey. As the competitive bunch that we are we screamed in excitement and took off for the cold showers. Our hotel rooms are fanastic rooms. Air-conditioned with large bathrooms. I stood under the cold water until the water with sweet relief before treating my sunburn (my farmer's tan is nothing short of embarrassing) and staring in awe at the invading heat rash just above my knees.

Well and that brings me to now, sitting in an internet cafe desperate to eat some of the ice cream I hear is but a short distance from here - oh let it be so.