Six Days, Six Hundreds Kilometers Bike Ride For Education

#Day 1

It was such an incredible experience for me to ride120 km on the first day despite the heavy rain along the way. The refreshing view of the green rice fields had turned my exhaustion into excitement the fuels my desire to reach the destination. We also donated some bikes and study materials to the village school that were in need, so sharing is the act of caring. At night, we stopped the beautiful house that was generously sponsored by the local. 

#Day 2

After the restful night sleep and the delicious breakfast in Bonteaymeanchey, we needed to cycle 100km to our second destination, Battambang. On the way there, we also donated some bikes and study materials like the previous day. After we finished with the bikes donation, we continued our journey. Instead of cycling on the smooth road, our leader wanted to get the new experience of cycling off road, it’s bumpy and muddy with the green rice field and the stream along side of the road. It was tiring, but the view and the experience was worthwhile. Before dark, we decided to stop at Banon, with our need of the place to stay for a night, we decided to asked the local for the place to set up the tents to rest. They were suspicious at first and hesitate, but after explaining them where we were from, they greeted us and generous offered the place for us to stay. We cooked and ate , enjoyed and worked together so well despite the exhaustion of the cycling. Before going to sleep, we also did the reflection and our leader also gave us some good advice of working as a team and individual responsibility of working together . It’s meaningful and good life lessons.

#Day3

After finishing with the light breakfast, we continued our journey for another 100km to Pramoy. It was hot and sunny and the road of bumpy. Before reaching to the breakfast place, it took us a few hours on the bumpy road. The people along the way were so friendly, they always greeted us with Hello and smiles on their faces. We also went across the refugee camps along the way. Seeing the kids there gives me motivation to keep going and make a positive impact to my community through education. Then we reached to Pramoy in late afternoon, so we decided to ask the local people there to set the tents at the front yard and sleep for a night. The house owner greeted us nicely and warmly with an open heart and allowed us to use their kitchen as well. After the together dinner, we did the reflection and feedback of the cycling.

 # Day 4

In the morning after we finished packing all our stuff, our leader also spent some time with us to give some useful information and instructions about the bike and to make it easier for the riders, since we needed to go up and down the big mountains before reaching our next destination. It was exhausting but the breathtaking view of the mountains made us feel relieved. By just enjoying the view along the way, I could reach our destination safe and sound.

It was such a coincidence to meet the generous local at the breakfast restaurant. After hearing where we were all came from and our purpose of cycling, she generously sponsored a place for us to stay at her durian farm. She even cooked the delicious meal for us and offered us to eat the fruit at her farm freely and donated some money our organization. Everyone enjoyed the food and did the reflection together.

#Day 5

On the way to Koh Kong, everyone still kept cycling as usual despite some rain along the way. We stopped by somewhere to eat our breakfast. We had hot noodles soup and the drizzling of the rain make our normal noodle soup even more delicious and meaningful. We also helped and supported each other along the way and this has strengthened our connection with one another. When we reached at the city in Koh Kong, I quickly went to the market with our leader to buy some food to cook for dinner while other looked for the place to stay for a night. It’s lucky that the restaurant owner near the beach offered us the place to set our tents there. We enjoyed our dinner together at the beach after the long ride and rest peacefully with the sound of the waves hitting the shore.

#Day 6

In the morning before leaving the place, there was a heavy rain, and some of us were soaked and shaking because of the cold. On that day, our breakfast was kindly sponsored by the sweet couple from Phnom Penh. We really enjoyed our meal with the cool weather. Then the ride for that day was quite extreme because there were so many high hills and made hard for our riders, but we still managed to reach our destination of 600 km. At night we sleep at Ji Pat, and one local cafe shop offered us a place to stay. In exhaustion after the ride, everyone still managed to complete their responsibilities of setting up the tents and cooked together. We also did our final reflection of the whole trip and the lesson learned. It was drizzling during the night, and some of us got wet sleeping in the tent but we all slept well.

This is such wonderful trip for me due the meaningful life experience that it offers. While helping the organization to raise fund in order to ensure the sustainability of delivering the quality of English education to the children in our community, I can also gain some new and useful life experience and explore more about my own country.