"Well this just got interesting," I say to Caitlin, one of my cycling peers, as we stop to assess the tricky situation unfolding before us.
The pothole-riddled road we'd been cycling on for the last few hours through the peaceful Cambodian countryside has now turned into a giant mud pit with holes the size of craters. Adding to the challenging terrain, a small herd of skinny cattle is leisurely strolling through the small portion of road that hasn't been swallowed by water. A truck sits patiently behind us as we try to find the best line, but there's no option other than to put our heads down and hope for the best.
"I'm just going to go," says Caitlin, who looks as nervous as I do. "Just give me a bit to get through."
Watching Caitlin's path, I grip my handlebars tightly and slowly begin plowing through the thick mud that causes my tires to slip and slide. Giggling like a schoolgirl, I peddle aggressively through the long, deep puddles, passing the dopey cattle with ease as flecks of mud coat my dust covered legs.
It's the most alive I've felt since arriving in Cambodia four days prior
to embark upon a seven-day cycling tour with Grasshopper Adventures.
The plan was to cycle from Siem Reap in the north to Sihanoukville in
the south for a total distance of 330 km.
Being an occasional cyclist in Canada, I questioned whether my reasonably fit 35-year-old legs would be up for the challenge. The most I had ever cycled in one day was around 30 km, but I was looking for a unique way to experience a new country (and one that was relatively flat) and what better way to see life in Cambodia that on the seat of a bike.
Now here I was, coated in sweat from the sweltering 35C heat, winding through cattle on a muddy road surrounded by dazzling green rice fields dotted with lanky palm trees. A smile as big as the moon is glued to my face.
Cycling through a country like Cambodia is an intimate experience that invigorates all of my senses. Mainly sticking to quiet country trails and back roads, I'm hit with a variety of smells from garbage and smoke to fish and poop as we pass through villages and towns, dodging chickens, dogs and numerous herds of cattle along the way.
We meander along bumpy dirt roads fringed by tropical palms and basic homes that look like they're built on stilts. I hear strange music blasting from the odd wedding, snippets of lively conversations amongst the locals, the never-ending sound of peeping chicks and constant "hellos!" from excited young children who run to the road whenever we pass by.
The experience is something I would never get just sitting on a bus. This is how travelling should be.
"We can see so many more things in the country," said our local tour guide Heang Chhoeurn, who has a passion for cycling. "It's enjoyable to connect with the local people. I want to show the tourists our culture and our country and how beautiful it is."
Years of a brutal civil war left thousands of land mines buried throughout the countryside that continue to claim about 100 victims every year. Many people have missing limbs, serving as a reminder of one of the worst human tragedies of the 20th century.
Despite the horrors they've been through, the people are friendly, welcoming us with a warm smile that pushes me to keep pedalling whenever my legs feel like rubber. Some days the cycling is easy, my bike moving along the assortment of roads with ease. Other times it feels like I'm trying to move a tank.
On the final day we're all feeling the six days worth of cycling. Some of us groan at the thought of getting back on our bikes for the remaining 55 km along a hilly paved road that eventually makes its way along the coast to Sihanoukville.
It's a struggle most of the way, with every bit of energy drained from my tired body, causing me question at times the things I do for fun. But once I reach our final destination on Otres Beach, I'm consumed by an overwhelming sense of accomplishment that I had actually completed the entire journey.
Buzzing with excitement, I crack open a cold beer and watch the sun set with the rest of the group chatting about the ups and downs of the final days ride and what country we should cycle next.
"It really is the best way to see a country," says one of them. I completely agree.
IF YOU GO: From tasty food and nice hotels, to good bike equipment and all the little details in between (cold face cloths, fresh fruit, cold water, coffee, drinks and plenty of tasty treats), Grasshopper Adventures covers everything you could possibly need during a cycling tour across Cambodia - and the 15 other countries it operates in. A support team and air conditioned van follows the group along the way, offering a place to rest if you need a break from cycling. For more information visit grasshopperadventures.com. A good hotel to stay in at the start of the trip in Siem Reap is the Lynaya Urban River Resort, and the Tamu Hotel in Sihanoukville is a great place to unwind once it's all over.
— published in the Edmonton Sun in January 2017