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::: From rainy Cambodia to sunny Vietnam

Joined
Sep 11, 2012
Messages
531
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9
Location
Vietnam
Quite long time I was absent from TWT. So sorry guys. Now I am back :rider:

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An afternoon, I took a bus from Hochiminh City (Vietnam) to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) as my bike was stored at Phnom Penh.
We planned for a trip from PP to northern Cambodia then cross to middle Vietnam and down to HCMC.

My dinner on the bus:

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Look the "bus" for Cambodian workers after working hours:

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Prep the bikes after dinner with friends:

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It's our bed room that night - an empty office room, then we put some mattresses to enjoy the night:

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Not too bad for adventure bikers:

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Early morning looked down Phnom Penh street:

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Aprillia showroom:

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Done the morning coffee session, we went to mech shop for some additional works:

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Saw this super cub:

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Guess where the handle bar taken from?

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Speechless:

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Done with my bike:

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Where we were ready for departure:

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Left Phnom Penh noon time.
We were on a ferry to cross the Mekong river.
Quite strange ferry that we have to go in and go out the ferry by the same way. We have to turn our bikes 180degree if we have space.
Some pix taken by buddy on ferry:

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Sorry for not having any pix of the ferry from far. I feel so regret that I did not bring correct strap for my tankbag. That's why I have to put my camera in the pannier, and it's really inconvenience every time taking out for taking pix.
 
It was too hot. I was feeling uncomfortable with the Cambodia heat as I prepared for a rainy trip
At the first stop for fuel:

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The first and the only Tenere in Vietnam at the moment:

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Can you see the TWT stickers?
 
So, you liked the way my red GSA looked so much that you got one of your own? :-) What year is it? It looks to be in very good condition and very clean.
 
So, you liked the way my red GSA looked so much that you got one of your own? :-) What year is it? It looks to be in very good condition and very clean.

Hahah. You read me Rusty.
It's 2008. I dont like the word "clean" for a GS as it's a shame ;)
Well it's clean, just 7xxx miles on the clock.
 
Great pictures and I like to see the "hotels" there. I bet Cambodia was hot, how do you keep cool on your long rides?

Still like the other bike you made, wasn't it a CX500?
 
Great pictures and I like to see the "hotels" there. I bet Cambodia was hot, how do you keep cool on your long rides?

Still like the other bike you made, wasn't it a CX500?

Thanks.
Hotels? There are several of them, from very low to very high standard. And the prices are really awesome. You can't find there in the US, I think.
Cambodia is very hot. It make me sweat from top to toe. Problem is I was wearing waterproof jacket (shell waterproof), and the windscreen of my GSA is somehow an enemy as well. It was around 43degree Celsius outside temperature around noon time. I had to stand up on my legs for so many times, just to get some air.
Oh yeah, my cafe racer is CX650.

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You do have the opportunity for some very different adventure rides. Great pictures. :clap::clap: By the way 43 degrees celsius? That is some serious heat.
 
Hurry back to Texas...we all had a blast riding with you around the Texas Hill Country a few years ago.

The GSA looks awesome.

RB
 
How about posting a map of the route with total distance...
Looking forward for the report!
 
Thank y'all.

Yeah RB, really wish to come back and ride with you guys again. Don't really know when I can make it happen. Oh, why don't you guys think of coming over here??
Camilo, sorry for that because I did not have any tracklog. Well, let me try to ask Dr. Google to help me to make the similar route.
tshelfer, 43 deg Celsius, no kidding.

Some examples of the SE Asian heat:

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Keep continued with the road. It was really hot there.
We were riding on my familiar road, the one I have just experienced in the Three bikes, three countries thread some months ago.

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Sign of a KTM, can you see:

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Then good road, but it was raining like ****. There are not many houses and trees in Cambodia, so when it rains, normally comes with strong wind. Really unsafe for riding.

We had to check-in earlier than planned

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Checking in:

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Rain stopped a bit:

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Then another turn - see the clouds on Mekong river:

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Nice room with quite good rate:

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We went to dinner on a Tuktuk. It was heavy rain. The tuktuk had been covered with plastic sheets, but could not prevent us from being wet.

Long way ahead...

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With expectation to reach Da Nang (Vietnam) within the day, including aprox 100km offroad, so we departed very early.
It was raining the whole night, as so the morning.

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I 've ridden on this terrible AH11 road many times, but I have no picture showing how bad the road is. You know why? Because I always pass this road at night time.
This is the first time I been to this road in daylight. However, the road looks much better this time. They are doing something seriously.

This pix taken when the rain was out for a short while:

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Oops:

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The locals did not understand why the guy dropped his bike there:

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He saw me taking pix then he slowed down, then he pulled over to stop and wait for me. Too bad that he stopped at the road side that very soft soil and then .... yuuup....

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Not deep enough to test my new Icon Patrol waterproof boots :)

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We 've been thru some kms which they just covered by loose stone, all of us were almost down due to thick stone layer.
 
...really wish to come back and ride with you guys again. Don't really know when I can make it happen. Oh, why don't you guys think of coming over here??...

That's timing! I just sent you a PM two minutes ago about this exact thing and afterwards saw you posted another update in this thread so came back to read this.

_
 
Thank y'all.

Yeah RB, really wish to come back and ride with you guys again. Don't really know when I can make it happen. Oh, why don't you guys think of coming over here??
Camilo, sorry for that because I did not have any tracklog. Well, let me try to ask Dr. Google to help me to make the similar route.
tshelfer, 43 deg Celsius, no kidding.

Some examples of the SE Asian heat:

DSC04136_zps16105d20.jpg

That is around 103 Fahrenheit...plus the high-humidity too. It sounds like Houston during lunchtime in the summer. Can you stop along the way and swim in say the Mekong?

You guys are handling the wet dirt roads really well. What is the visa process if you ride between Vietnam and Cambodia on a motorcycle?

RB
 
Hey Viet,
Thanks for posting your adventures. Hard to believe there is actually an Aprilia dealer in Phnom Penh.
 
From rainy Cambodia to sunny Vietnam

Dude, you're making me Nostalgic. Your pics remind me of the days when I trekked all over southern China. Even made it to "Friendship Pass." Unfortunately b/c of missing documentation and approvals was unable to make it into Vietnam. Vietnam is still one of my must do dream destinations.
 
That's timing! I just sent you a PM two minutes ago about this exact thing and afterwards saw you posted another update in this thread so came back to read this.

_

I think we have lot of thing need to work out.
Consider that I am the TWT Asian Agent here. :rider:
TWT meet and ride in Vietnam, c'm on, that's doable. :eat:
 
That is around 103 Fahrenheit...plus the high-humidity too. It sounds like Houston during lunchtime in the summer. Can you stop along the way and swim in say the Mekong?

You guys are handling the wet dirt roads really well. What is the visa process if you ride between Vietnam and Cambodia on a motorcycle?

RB

And in the next picture, it was 109*F. :sun:
We can do swimming as mentioned. But I did not have time to do so. We are always on rush. And in the last trip, it was crazy rain and river was not as nice as it should be.
Between Vietnam and Cambodia, we use our own negotiation skill as there is crazy complicated visa processes for motorcycle. :eat:
 
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