Day 1 - Team Inspired SBS for UNHCR finds the world's next David Beckham

It's 7am and it's hot. Really really hot. The team is prepping for a 50 kilometre day one cycle and just standing still in the shade leaves sweat lingering on our brows in this unseasonably hot November. But this is an Inspired Adventure and the challenge is to be expected. Embraced, even.

We hop on the bus and bumble to the entry gate of The Angkor complex, have our badge photos snapped, prep our bikes, and head off into the rice-paddy jungle that is Southeast Asia.

It doesn't take long for us to find our "wheels" (even Jared, who only just learned to ride a bike a few months ago for this trip) and before we know it we have arrived at a school deep in the countryside, which is locate down an unsealed side road that I would have missed had it not been for our brilliant guide Vutu.

We devour our lunch, recharging our battery packs for what is to become a wild two-hour soccer extravaganza encompassing 16 Inspired Adventurers and every kid in the school that wants to join in! It was absolute street ball style, no holds barred fun!

The goals were blocked by a wall of kids (brilliant strategy) and both teams had a power forward that was no taller than my hip but faster than a cheetah and more agile than whatever animal is really darn agile. These kids were stellar!

We played everyone in then just the girls then just the boys before finishing with an MVP match that pitted Dan and boy wonder against James and boy wonder's best friend. It was brilliant soccer on any scale and wildly entertaining!

Just after 3pm we saddled back up and hit the dirt road again (this time nearly wilting in big sand pits), cruising all the way back to where we started in the cooler afternoon air. A little dip in the pool was followed by a fantastic dinner at one of Siem Reap's newest non-profit restaurants that trains street youth in hospitality. Now it's off to bed, as we have another massive day tomorrow!

Big shout out to Dan, who took MVP with his little buddy and also managed to stack it TWICE today, the second time falling off his bike while sanading still. Nice one Dan!

GO TEAM!

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