Day 1 - Siem Reap & the Temples of Angkor

The Writing’s On The Wall

Team Itinerary Overview

Arrive in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Temples - Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon, Terrace of the Elephants)

Ta Prohm

Banteay Kdey

Cycling distance: Approx 40km
Terrain:
Team Spirit:
Overnight: Siem Reap

Something old, something new, something borrowed… and a hell of a lot of orange!

Day two of the Windermere Adventure Challenge provided a new experience for most as the group rode around the ancient temples of Angkor Wat on pimped-up borrowed bikes.

For some, the challenge component kicked in as we landed in Siem Reap with the benefit of very little sleep and then hopped straight on the bikes.

So we could tell the bikes apart, challengers were encouraged to ‘bring a bit of bling’ and they responded with a colourful array that went well beyond the normal bells and whistles.

Cath Zulian attached a row of bright yellow flowers to her bike bag, forgetting that she then had to lug the colourful array around while walking through the temples.

Graeme Moore attached a boxing kangaroo to the front of his bike, Cath Sharpe a crocodile head horn, Suellen Conway bright orange plaited hair extensions (appropriate for a hairdresser) and Krista Tomlinson had a pair of fluffy dice swinging from the handlebars. Geoff Bainbridge was more nondescript, with a cue ball tube cover doing the trick.

We were introduced to our guides. Bobby, the owner of Active Travel, Chenra, Cheak, Benrut and John Wayne – who quickly earned the nickname of Duke. Cheak and Benrut also like to go by the nicknames – Bron and Short Man.

Short Man explained that many of the friends who gave him the monnicker are actually smaller than he is! A photo was quickly arranged of Short man and our own “Shorty” Brookes.

Bron explained as we came in on the bus that Siem Reap was Cambodia’s second largest city with a population of one million (second to Phnom Pehn’s four million) on the back of the tourist trade around the nearby Angkor Wat temple complex.

There are very few high rise buildings  because no-one is allowed to build above the height of the temples as a mark of respect.

That respect became obvious when our tour of the temples began. At one stage Short Man made a passionate plea to take in the surroundings, because the scriptures on the walls were the documents of the country’s history.

“The many people who built these temples did not get to see them, and you are,” he said.

Angkor Wat means ‘city that is a temple’. It covers almost 500 acres and had one million Khmers within its boundaries in the 12^th century. Its man-made moat provides a complex irrigation system that at one stage provided for two rice harvests

It is estimated that 166,000 candles have burned in a single ceremony.

The first stop was at the main Angkor Wat temple, then the Bayon temple of faces, where many of the group tried to pose kissing one of the stone figures, and lastly the spectacular Angkor Thom, made famous more recently when Angelina Jolie ran around it as Lara Croft in the film Tomb Raider.

Shorty Brookes and Cath Sharpe took the opportunity to go into a healing room, where you back up to a wall and beat your chest three times. The thumping noise echos and apparently cleans the soul at the same time.

The ride from the temples back into Siem Reap was spectacular. At one stage we wound single file through a bush track and then found ourselves immersed in busy Asian city traffic, where the only rule is that chaos rules.

At one stage our front guide signalled a left-hand turn from the right lane, with a truck bearing down from behind. “We are not really doing this are we?” Graeme Moore asked, before putting his head down and merging into the mayhem.

Mission accomplished.

 Highlights of the first day in Cambodia:

Suellen Conway

The last temple, with the trees all intertwined. I loved the fact that they are restoring it, that’s a lot better than seeing rubble.

Geoff Bainbridge

The afternoon was just great. The weather was beautiful and the temples got better as we went on. Everything became a bit surreal and easy. The ride home to Siem Reap was entertaining and the first beer when we arrived wasn’t bad either.

Samantha Smith

It was a real thrill riding through al those motorbikes and cars on the way back to Siem Reap, They just don’t know where they are going. The fact that we got there without being run over is a miracle.

Gaylene Howe

Finding my make-up bag, which I thought I had left at home, in my suitcase when we arrived. I had already spent $75 restocking at Singapore Airport though!

Alison McHenry

The temples at Angkor Wat are just magnificent. Had I have not been here I could not imagine just how beautiful they are.

Cath Zulian

The Tomb Raider temple for me. The way our guide (Short Man) set us up in front of that famous tree for a photo and said ‘don’t look at me’ was special. They speak about the temples with such affinity and passion.

Olivia Lyon

The fact that we left home and finally arrived. Are we really here?

Eva Foster

All them were great, but the main Ankhor Wat temple was the best. I think the highlight though has to be the fact that we arrived here and did this straight off the plane with very little sleep.

James Wynne

Winding through all the traffic on the way home was awesome – I’ve never experienced anything like it.

Ross Cheesewright

The ride home was a definite highlight – topped off by seeing a family of five sharing the one scooter. Mum and the four kids travelling together!

Graeme Moore

Seeing Cath Zulian come off her bike and getting back up without batting an eyelid. I also loved the fact that Ross had to pay for all the insence we brought at the temples.

Brooke Tomlinson

The ride back was fun and chaotic. We were in control but it was still a bit naughty and exciting.

Krista Tomlinson

Definitely the ride home.

Meleea Wood

The ride back in through the crazy streets.

Scott Crowe

Predominanly the last temple. It had more greenery than the others and felt more human because it wasn’t as big as the other two.

Brooke Hayward

The part of the ride on the way back from the temples when we went through the farmland. It felt like we were tourists going where tourists had not been before.

Cath Sharp and Shanae ‘Shorty’ Brooks

The healing room experience at the temples.

Carina & Ann

We are amazed at the team spirit, no injuries and all team members are ready to go!

Garry Howe, Editor Star News Group and Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby - Windermere Adventure Challenge Team Leaders

Orange Glow Spotted in Singapore

A bright orange glow transcended the sky from Melbourne to Singapore last night, but meteorologists need not be alarmed.

It was no climate phenomenon, more a charitable one.

All but one of the 22-strong team for the fifth Windermere Adventure Challenge to Cambodia began their journey – all looking the part in the bright orange challenge T-shirts.

Co-team leader Ann Selby was despatched a couple of days earlier to help set things up and is eagerly awaiting the team’s arrival, just after 9am local time.

It’s a diverse group and the bus trip from Windermere headquarters in Narre Warren to the airport provided an opportunity to get to know each other a bit better.

Chief scribe Garry Howe zeroed in on a particular point in each person’s life – from information gleaned on training rides and through pre-trip publicity – and asked them to expand on the story.

We learned that singing teacher Brooke Thomlinson shared a movie credit with Delta Goodrem and sister Meleea Wood once caused a Lindy Chaimberlain-type kerfuffle by letting out a nightmare induced piercing scream at a camp site.

That was not comforting news for her roomie Catherine Sharpe, who confessed to seeking out St Johns Ambulance for earplugs at her first concert as a teen – Debbie Gibson supported by Indecent Obsession.

Cardinia Shire health promotion officer Brooke Hayward told the crew she had put her hand up to act as a sidecar swinger on a motor racing track in New Zealand.

Star News Group’s Samantha Smith explained how she was almost run over by a tram when first moving from Sydney to Melbourne. “Well, we don’t have them in Sydney!” she said. Star colleague Gaylene Howe owned up to saying the wrong words all the time, like when she left a table of strangers opened mouthed at dinner one night when remarking how octopus have such big testicles!

Olivia Lyon confessed to recommending what she thought was controversial movie classic Clockwork Orange to a customer when working part-time in a video shop a few years back and being exasperated when he actually walked out with a similar-named video from another more ‘discrete’ section. Her City of Casey workmate Eva Foster explained how she learned electric guitar as a teen and dreamed of starting a band with a friend. “We wanted to be the next Duran Duran, but sadly we didn’t have the X-Factor.”

Pakenham hairdresser Suellen Conway told of how she was detained by authorities for taking a selfie photo from a Tuk Tuk when working for a year in war torn Sri Lanka. “I think they thought I was a spy!”

Cardinia Shire councillor Graeme Moore explained how his football career lasted less than a minute. The ball was bounced, his opponent let fly with a haymaker that landed and a young Graeme stormed off the field, never to return. His talents lay elsewhere.

Shanae ‘Shorty’ Brooks had to justify her absolute fear of moths. “Of course they are scary,” she explained. “They come out in the dark and are attracted to light, so they go for your eyes.”

Brian Paynter, described this week as a '45-year-old living in a 19-year-old body’ had to come clean on his love of kickboxing and regular trips to Asia to indulge the passion.

Animal lover Catherine Zulian told of her year-long trip through the Australian outback and completing the final leg from Cairns trying to dodge the devastating Queensland floods of 2011 with her beloved dog Ruby as her travelling companion.

Outlook business manager Ross Cheesewright explained that he returns home each night to live among fruit trees and goats and his colleague Alison McHenry, the most recent sign-up, has a brother who played for then VFL club South Melbourne and she once worked as PA for Ian Dicker when he was Hawthorn president.

The third of the Outlook crew, James Wynne, tried to trump Brooke by telling of the time he met Kylie Minogue and claiming that she left singing “I Should Be So Lucky’ after the encounter. Yeah, right James! Wishful thinking.

Pressed for a bit of ‘dirt’ on himself, Howe spoke of a management retreat to Werribee Zoo once when his roomy mistook his nightly gastric groans for animal noises. There was relief all round when team leader Carina Tomietto assured he would be rooming with long suffering wife Gaylene. Carina explained how she shipped home made cookies around the world from Pakenham Upper in her previous professional life.

The group learned that Krista Tomlinson plays netball at an elite level, not through the questions, but because the bus had to pick her up at the State Netball Centre. Her team, Boroondara Genesis, won by 10 goals.

We are all still getting to know the two Grill'd executives Geoff Bainbridge and Simon Crowe, who joined us at the airport.

The bright orange challenge T-shirts, with a monk emblazoned on the front and mud splatter on the back, have certainly created interest. Graeme took the look to a new level by adding a bright orange afro wig and bright orange socks with sandles.

Team members have been greeted at every turn by fellow travellers wanting to know all about the journey. The Windermere message is spreading far and wide.

Now for the short trip from Singapore Airport to Siem Reap, where we will be introduced to our bikes straight away and head off to ride around the historic temples of Angkor Wat.

Garry Howe - Star News Group and Carina Tomietto - Windermere Team Leader

Introducing two time challenger, Windermere's Catherine Zulian - lover of animals and orphans

Meet Shenae, or Shorty for short!

Team of 22 heading to Cambodia on Wednesday 5th June

On Wednesday 5th May, 19 community minded individuals, Windermere Adventure Challenge Team Leaders Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby and Star News Group Editor, Garry Howe,  will head to the airport together to start their adventure of a lifetime, while giving something back.

Each participant has spent the past 8 months fundraising a target of $6,500 to take part in the Windermere Adventure Challenge where they will cycle 350kms off the beaten track through stunning villages around Cambodia.

This adventure challenge combines cycling around the eighth wonder of the world (Angkor Wat) and all the Temples of Angkor, participating in a 2-day volunteer hands-on project at the New Hope for Cambodian Children HIV orphanage, visiting the sites where communist Khmer Rouge regime rose to power in 1975 and to its fall in 1979 and cycling from the beautiful beach town of Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh.

Our team will get the opportunity to really get their hands dirty in the community project but also plenty of time to relax and soak it all in.  The local children love high fiving anyone who comes through their town...so, the team will have their palms ready because the kids are very receptive to people riding through their villages in orange.  There will be lots of hammocks, warm weather, ample photo opportunities with monks and some yummy fish Amok to tantalise the tastebuds.

  

Over 11 days the team will get to know Cambodia intimately, enjoy the people, history, beauty, violent past and new beginnings....it is hard not to fall in love with Cambodia.  

If you would like to follow the teams progress you can sign up to get an email each time the blog is updated. You can also follow the team on the Windermere Adventure Challenge facebook page at www.facebook.com/cambodia13

We look forward to keeping you informed and allow you to feel like you are part of this amazing journey for our participants.

For further information call our Adventure Challenge Team on 9705 3200 or email adventurechallenge@windermere.org.au

Ann Selby & Carina Tomietto

Windermere Adventure Challenge Team Leaders

Oaks challenge is a winner

Catherine Sharpe steps up