Among travelers, there’s often talk about seeing the “real” parts of country, as opposed to the carefully packaged and sanitized tourist hotspots seen by most people passing through.   These visits don’t necessarily translate into a greater understanding of the country or a more meaningful experience, but going somewhere that most tourists don’t get to can give you a unique perspective or an interesting story.  Once I started biking, other travelers regularly tell me “wow, I bet biking you get to experience the real country” and I usually agree with the sentiment.  After all, if I hadn’t been on a bike I never would have stayed with a local family in Preah Vihear, Cambodia, and I probably wouldn’t have found my way to a a wedding in Siem Reap.  These were the stories that most people wanted to hear about, so, continue clicking to read about them. (more…)