Soooo much has happened!!!!

I think the last time I wrote I was making my way to Koh Chang island off the coast of Thailand. Well I went there, and it was great! I stayed in a bungalow right off the super secluded beach (because of the terrible roads) on the far south side of the island. I went snorkeling, met some amazing people and got some really bad sunburns. It was soooo nice. After two nights in Koh Chang I made my way back to Trat and stayed one more night there before finally making my way into Cambodia. It's funny how I thought I would spend all of my vacation here but I'm actually only staying one week!!
The difference from Thailand and Cambodia was instantaneous. The Thai's are sooooo much wealthier than people here in Cambodia. Crossing the border was like going from modern civilazation to something out of Mad Max. This place seriously reminds me of something post apocalyptic (which I suppose is the case with Pol Pot and all that). Also, they drive on the right here and on the left in Thailand...that was really weird for me.
Koh Kong City was dirty, rundown, and full of people that made me feel like a nice stroll in the dark wouldn't be so nice...I stayed in after I ate dinner.
The next day (which was yesterday) I left Koh Kong City and made my way to Sri Ambel, a place about 140 km away (80 miles) where the book SAID it would be a nice quiet town right off the highway. Well the beginning of the trip was beautiful. I was the only person on the newly paved road with jungle on both sides. I heard monkeys, saw a snake and a variety of different tropical birds. I kept and eye out for elephants but didn't see any. And then I hit the Cardamom mountain range. Now I'm not used to climbing hills here because aside from Koh Chang (which was insane) there really haven't been that many hills. Needless to say it was absolutely exhausting. I've never been so tired before. After that moutain there was another...
Anyways Finally I leave the mountains and I stop and rest and boom! I had a flat tire...
After that I continued eastward toward my goal, 40 km...30 km....20 km....10 km, my legs were burning and exhaustion had consumed me. The last 10 km was grueling. Finally I arrive in Sri Ambel...or so I thought. As it turns out Sri Ambel was another 3 km down this very treaterous looking road. Well it was getting dark and I had been on my bike for 10 hours so I had no choice but to press on. Slowly I make my way down the road. I was doing quite well until I hear this *hisssssssss* come from my bike tire after taking one bump too many. From that point on I was walking my bike, with about fifty pounds of gear resting on that flat tire. But what else could I do? Darkness was approaching, I was exhausted, and I could feel that bed in that guesthouse, so I kept walking that bike along. The constant nag from children following me, shouting "HELLO!!!!"and laughing was getting to me. *Save face Micah, don't lose your cool, just keep going* "HELLO!!!" I kept walking, exhaustion taking my strength away. people pointing out my flat tire and then laughing at me. I had to walk through the entire village to get to the guesthouse. Every child was shouting, every person staring, laughing, pointing. When I finally got to the guesthouse I closed the door, and did my best not to lose it. That night I couldn't find a restaurant and ended up having sweets for dinner. I went to bed early...
So today at 5:30 am I had to leave that city!! I figured I could get out before everybody woke. I fixed my bike the night before and decided I had to ride out of that city, as a personal goal I had to be on that bike on that horrible road. So I set out, slowly. One bump...another, and another. My bike was tossed all over that road and me with it. Nobody was up but the dogs and the occasional shop owner. I rode right out of that town, and on the highway and covered as much ground as possible before resting.
Today my fortunes were much more in my favor. I met and chatted with a monk, who gave me a personal tour of the local temple. I spoke english with a girl my sisters age who had dreams of becoming an interpreter. I ate with a group of gruff Khmer men, each of whom had survived the Khmer Rouge Holocaust (One man even had a scar running down his face). I raced little children on their bikes. I was chased by mobs of kids as I entered their town, giving them each high fives. The constant "HELLO!!!" was much less annoying now that I was in good temperment and not ready to keel over and die. I had no mountains to worry about and got some great views of the coast, the mountains, and what the daily lives of these amazing people are like.
These people have nothing, absolutely nothing, but they are so happy, so hardworking, so full of life and promise. What does that say about us back home?
Today I arrived in Kampot city, a small provincal capitol, and this...sadly...is where my bike trip comes to an end.
I want to push on, my heart is screaming at me to push on. *Go into Vietnam, see the hill tribe peoples, make your way into Laos, China, Mongolia, Korea....* I want to keep going, I don't want my cycling to end. However I still have a couple small trips set up for me and the bike. My tires are thrashed, but this has to have been the best trip I've ever taken. I just wish I could keep going. Just means I'll have to save my money and maybe someday I'll be able to take a yearlong trip on that back of that bike.
Tomorrow I will make my way to some caves, and then to a nearby beach and after that I'll bus it to Phnom Penh, then to Siem Riap where I will visit Angkor Wat and then make my back to Bangkok before departing to Japan to see my friends.
Soo I suppose I'll just have to start saving when I get back...damn you travel bug...