Day 9 - Takeo to Phnom Penh - The Long and Binding Road

Team Itinerary Overview
Takeo to Phnom Penh
Terrain: Off road rocky and bitumen

Cycling distance: 75km
Team Spirit: Excited and ready for the last leg
Overnight: Phnom Penh

The last day of riding for the Windermere Adventure Challenge team, a 75 kilometre trek from Takeo to the outskirts of Phnom Pehn, did not disappoint, with a new adventure around every turn and the first real casualty of the trip.

Up bright and early to ride off at 6am, the orange army soon blended into white and blue uniforms for the school rush hour. The Cambodian school day is split into morning and afternoon sessions to beat the heat and the kids are ready for their first class by 7am.

Most of the first 20 kilometres wound through villages as people began their daily business – some scurry around and others watch the world pass by swinging in a hammock. Music blared out of the loud speakers at one particular place, like it was an alarm clock for the entire village.

Breakfast was on the banks a of large wetland area – the crusty baguettes again, with a sprinkling of egg to add to the chicken and beef to distinguish it from the normal lunch time spread. The bonus was a hot cup of coffee, with water boiled in a large silver pan and served by ladel into plastic cups with a sachet of coffee and cream.

The last presentations for the trip were made over breakfast. Coach Brian Paynter handed out a few life memberships for his team – to veterans Ann Selby, Carina Tomietto, Garry and Gaylene Howe, Cath Zulian and Graeme Moore.

The councillor handed out the last of the gold medals for service above and beyond. Grill’d pair Geoff Bainbridge and Simon Crowe had already been awarded for helping those battling through the cycling legs and the day’s medals (which had to be recycled by this stage) went to the Tomlinson sisters for being so delightful, Casey workmates Olivia Lyon and Eva Foster for being such great contributors and Brook Hayward, well for just being 'way hard'. Everyone has had a medal hanging around their neck at some stage of the journey.

Our presence aroused the curiosity of the locals and quite a crowd had gathered by the time breakfast was over. Brooke Tomlinson led the team in a rousing rendition of The Proclaimers song "I Will Walk 500 Miles', with the ‘walk’ substituted for ‘ride’ – and we were on our way again.

The group came to a sudden halt not far up the road. Graeme Moore braked slightly and sent Meleea Wood off her bike, with Ann Selby and Geoff Bainbridge crashing over her. The latter two escaped unscathed, but Meleea was left nursing deep cuts to her knees and a grazed palm. After she was patched up, Graeme got down on one knee to apologise, but the coach suggested he face a tribunal of his peers to decide a punishment.

We had again attracted a crowd. School kids came from everywhere to see what was happening, causing a bit of traffic chaos. Graeme loves and audience and soon had them engaged in his orphanage ditty Little Cottage in the Woods. Meleea was also a little flattered by the attention. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a whole village come out to see if I was okay before,” she said.

High fives all round for the school kids and it was back on the bikes heading towards the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

It wasn’t long and the ride was over. The team rode into a park to the sight of an orange sign plastered over the bike trailer 'Warmly Welcome Windermere Adventure Challenge' (which had been hanging at the front of the hotel in Siem Reap when we first arrived) and a Cambodian flag from the bus.

There were hugs, handshakes and high fives all around as the team celebrated the achievement of finishing the 360 kilometre cycling journey - although only the latter for Krista Tomlinson. “I’m not a hugger,” she smiled.

After a short bus trip, the hotel was a welcome sight and soon everyone was in the pool for a celebratory beer or cocktail. A dose of Suellen’s ‘Tarantula rain’ didn’t worry anyone – we had become accustomed to it.

As a treat on the last night, we had been booked on to a river cruise for dinner, which was a chance to officially thank our tour guides and hand over a collective tip. They provided great support through the 10 days, had a lot of fun with the group and provided a lot of information. The team leaves knowing a lot more about the history and culture of this wonderful country and its beautiful people. Lead guide Chenra said that in the nine years he had been taking tour groups he had not come across one that had gelled so well and had so much fun along the way, despite the challenges. “When I took the booking eight months ago I thought the trip length was too long, now after 10 days I feel it is too short.”

The highlight of the boat trip was a hilarious dancing duel between Gaylene Howe and Brooke Thomlinson to the tune of the Queen classic Bohemium Rhapsody. No one will be able to listen to it the same again. Not surprisingly, Gangham Style got a run as well.

Brian Paynter also thanked co-team leaders Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby for their support and guidance. Carina came up with the idea of adventure challenge fundraisers back in 2010 and the five held to date have raised in excess of $400,000.

The 2013 Cambodian group was as diverse as any – with people from different backgrounds and stages of life aging from 22 to 61 – overcoming illness and fatigue to rise to the challenge. There was potential for the group to splinter – some came with workmates, others with friends, there were three sisters and a group of individuals who knew no-one before the experience began.

But we fly out tonight as a team, united by a shared experience, while giving something back to two communities on different sides of the globe. Toilet movements were being randomly shared by the group at day four and Cath Sharp took it to another level on the last day by reaching over and picking a bit of food out of Brooke Thomlinson’s teeth, rather than just telling her it was there. That’s a sure sign of a tight bunch.

With apologies to The Beatles classic, it has been a Long and Binding Road.

* Watch out for a wrap-up of the challenge in an upcoming edition of the Pakenham-Berwick Gazette.

To make a donation on behalf of your Windermere Adventure Challenge Champion CLICK HERE

Garry Howe – Editor Star News Group
Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby – Windermere Adventure Team Leaders