We were up early to wander the promenade and after another sumptuous breakfast overlooking the Mekong River we boarded another fast river boat to visit local fish farms managed by people that dwell on a floating village. Feeding the catfish sent them into a wild frenzy, churning the water into a virtual froth and soaking the tourists in the process. We then continued up river through a plethora of floating house boats & visited a community of Cham people who live on the river bank in houses built on high stilts to cater for the rise in water level during the rainy season. The highest water level encountered was in 2002, which was +/- 5m above the current level. We thought that Pakistan might learn a thing or two here.
After returning to the hotel we then boarded the bus and headed out of town for the start of today’s bike ride – our last in Vietnam. 30 minutes later we found ourselves on top of a big hill, mounted our bikes and hurled ourselves down to the plains below. Alas, shortly after veering off onto narrow country lanes among picturesque paddy fields, Simon’s overwhelming sense of self drove him to steal the day’s headlines once again by staging a flat tire and claiming it to be the result of a hit-and-run with a heavily armoured Rhino beetle.
Following quick repairs enacted by Hien in true F1 style, we continued on our idyllic mega transect of the Mekong Delta. Alas, the oppressive heat and humidity took its toll on Alex, who is a veritable traffic light; once her face turns bright red it really does mean stop!! She opted to recover in comfort of the air-conditioned bus and, chameleon-like, slowly revert back to lily white via amber and green. We arrived at Ba Chuc shortly before noon and visited the shrine erected in memory of the savage massacre of over 3000 villagers by the Khmer Rouge in April 1978. The hall of remembrance is adorned with photographs of the horrific torture and murder inflicted on these poor people. From my perspective at least, Vietnam’s subsequent invasion of Cambodia to end the barbaric Khmer Rouge regime is entirely understandable and justified by the graphic memorial assembled from the skulls & bones of it’s victims.
After lunching at Ba Chuc we then continued on the last stage to the border with Cambodia, arriving at 15:00hrs. The transfer into Cambodia was time consuming but uneventful, with the team presented new bikes for the final 30km stage into the Cambodian wilderness at 15:30hrs. The scenery along the way was simply stunning and a welcome distraction from the bone-shattering pot holes and craters littering the dirt track. Astrid was clearly invigorated by the experience, and got a 3rd wind (just in front of Simon) for the last 15km, with Barry, Simon and myself in hot pursuit of the lady in pink. Barry, a.k.a. The Uber-Meister of Sweat, being the strongest cyclist, eased past Astrid over the last uphill section, hurling her into the undergrowth in the process. He pushed on to take the line honours, cheered on by his vast army of young fans who lined the dirt track for a ‘high five’ at every opportunity. I (Uber-Meister’s apprentice) battled the elements to finish a creditable second, losing well over 2 liters of liquid on the final 500m section, aqua-planning in at the last.
4 comments:
Who is the ubermeister of sweat?
Who's the guy with hand on hip? Defo friend of yours Q! Keep it coming hilarious to read - Oh have emailed Africa with link so I am sure some "faux pas" will be written. Z
Q how many sumptuous breakfasts can one have in one week.I doubt the days exertions are enough to compensate for the copious amounts of food consumed, in the photos begining to take on a Buddahesque shape. Say hello to your much better half. Feil.
PS Drilling the most perfect well in the Congo, on second sidetrack and fourth cement job, ooops
Q anyone offered to lurve you long time, Astreed not included.
Have any of the crowd been on a bike before, awful lot of accidents for flat terrain. As ever a good read.Feil.
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