Alarms set for six and tasty omelettes and toast at 6.30pm, accompanied with tales of many things going bump in the night...outside our rooms I hasten to add!
Bikes ready and after a few mechanical fixes we head off at 0730. A glorious morning and we basked in the coolness as we headed back to the town. Sadly though the overnight mechanical fix on Stephen's bike was not up to the job, forcing an unscheduled stop in the town centre.
And forcing a unique insight into morning life, Myan style. The school children heading to class, and sweeping the school yard before lessons, the tuk tuk taxis waiting for fares, the slow moving lorry warning other traffic by the man with a bell on top of the cab. Odd glances were passed to the lycra clad be-helmeted cyclists, but nothing like the sort of commotion we might have expected. Perhaps the modesty of these people is reflected in the unfazed way we are greeted wherever we go. None of the constant cries of hello we encountered everywhere in Cambodia. Or perhaps it's just sheer incredulity at the sight we present.
The following cycle was glorious. Through villages, paddy fields: a privileged view of everyday rural life from small roads that the handful of tinted tour buses could never. And the most stunning scenery to go with it all. Wonderful.
Amongst todays sights to remember; the goatherd and her herd, the ricketiest tin shed toilets ever (it was probably most unwise Crispin and I went in to the two cubicles at the same time), so many dead snakes on the road that I quickly lost count) and a political meeting of the people's democracy party with posters of Aung San Suu Kyi to the fore.
Amongst todays sights to remember; the goatherd and her herd, the ricketiest tin shed toilets ever (it was probably most unwise Crispin and I went in to the two cubicles at the same time), so many dead snakes on the road that I quickly lost count) and a political meeting of the people's democracy party with posters of Aung San Suu Kyi to the fore.
Lunch gave us a welcome break from the saddle at the Golden Glass restaurant in Kyaikhtisaung. A large concrete floored room that reminded me of Aylesbury bus station terminus c 1976. Never ending plates of prawn curry, lamb curry, dried chilli and chicken soup. But most welcome was the personal fanning service from the cheerful waitresses. You don't look cool and sophisticated when you get off your bike drenched in sweat- as must have been pretty apparent to these young ladies. Kate looked right at home when she joined the serving staff for a perfect photo opportunity. One felt it was best not to ask what was in some of the pots!
The water stop some 20 kind later was an absolute necessity. The going was unbelievably hard for us in the midday heat - c40°, and an undulating road that in the UK would have been a breeze. Oh, for a coool breeze! Adam, Ben, Ed, Crispin and I decided to go one better than the ice bucket challenge... Nothing, but nothing at that point in time was better than an ice-cold bottle of water over the head. We decided to break for an hour chatting, napping or, yours truly, blogging as we gave ourselves a bit of time to allow the heat to subside.A wise move welcomed by each and everyone of us.
We hit the road again at 1500 much refreshed, joining the many school children heading home on their bikes. At 1700 we drew stumps having completed 77.7km. An heroic effort on top of yesterday's 94km.
After a day like that we all agreed that a little pampering wouldn't go amiss. A pool perhaps, Molton brown toiletries, and maybe even just as at lunch someone to fan you down......
to be continued......
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