So central asia has been and gone!
I think back to what I’ve just cycled through and it seems incredible. What a crazy experience.

So Barry and I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand at the end of October, our flight was via Moscow so we flew backwards initially. Moscow is roughly level with Istanbul on a map. So what took us 4 months to cycle took 4 hours on a plane!

We stayed in a hotel for 2 nights to rest before parting ways. It had been tremendous cycling with Barry and everyone we met on the road along the way. Now it was time for some solo riding.

It was wierd cycling alone again for the first time since france. But I only had 400km to go before meeting my parents in Siem Reap, Cambodia!

It was just fantastic to see my parents again after 7 months. They would be here for 2 weeks.

After a few hours from arriving they fell asleep.

The next 3 days we spent visiting the temples, local villages and county side. Above is the biggest temple. Angkor Wat, a quite magnificent structure.

Angkor wat from above …

Taking a ride in a tuktuk …..

The popular and very loud ‘Pub street’

The night market ….

My new bicycle mascot!

A few more temples (Angkor Thom).

A boat trip to the ‘floating villages’

…. and a little rafting swap trip. It was very relaxing.

Enjoying lunch at one of our hotels.

We then moved onto a town called Battambang. Here we saw millions of bats leave the cave above.

A lookout over the countyside.

Fruit bats sleeping during the day.

Riding along the Bamboo train!! No health and safety here.

Buying local fruits from a street stall.

Our roof top pool on the hotel in the capital city, Phnom Penh.

The city square.

Fish spa treatment, not for the ticklish!!

Dinner and traditional show on our last evening.

Another farewell …..

The 2 weeks with my parents were incredible and I had a brilliant time. Thank you so much for coming out to visit xx

After an emotional goodbye it was time to get going again.

I decided to cycle back to Phnom penh and then to the south coast and continue back to Bangkok. Making a big 800 mile loop.

Some of the roads were unfinished and trucks kicked up a lot of dust!

Bananas for 50p a bunch!

Hitting my 6000 miles ….

Slip streaming a tuktuk

Lovely guesthouse accommodation

My first beach in what felt like forever.

My 800 mile loop from Bangkok to Phnom penh and back via the south coast.

My last few glimpses of Cambodia ..

When I arrived back on Bangkok my good friend Andy flew in to visit for 9 days.

On the first day we visited the Grand Palace. Stunning architecture and decoration.

On day 2 we hired scooters and made our way up 500 miles to the city of Chiang Mai in the north.

It was Andy’s birthday on the day we arrived … 🙂

The day after we went to an elephant sanctuary. I know there may be people who disagree with riding elephants but from what we saw and did it was just lovely. It was if we werent there, uprooting trees, knocking things over. Thrashing around in the mud and water. A great experience to see and feel these majestic animals up close 🙂

We also visited a few historical sights.

On our last day we went whitewater rafting! This is the moment our guide took us down the biggest section of rapids ….. backwards!!!

Luckily we both just survived the inevitable tumble. Andy gasping for air and my back having been battered on the rocks we continued on to the finish …

The ride back from Chiang Mai

Again after another goodbye it was time to move again.

I am heading south towards the beach resorts of Phuket to spend christmas and new years there.

I’ve also visited and stayed at a few nice beaches along the way.

So my solo aventure has well and truely started.

After Phuket I will cross into Malaysia and go to Kuala lumpur and then on to Singapore. Exciting times lay ahead 🙂

Next blog I intend to be at the end of January.

I wish you all a lovely Christmas and a wonderful new year!!