First Days in Cambodia
on Mary In Cambodia (Cambodia), 30/Oct/2009 11:24, 34 days ago
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Wed 14th. Oct.2009 No.1I left Dublin airport at 9.05 a.m. and travelled through Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur, and on to Phnom Penh, where I was met by V.S.O. rep. I was taken by truck through streets of P.P. to V.S.O. headquarters. What a journey! I have never seen so many mopeds---4 or 5 people on many of them, with all sorts of loads, boxes, sacks, bags, etc. piled high. Very few cars, but lots of tuk tuks. These are mopeds with trailers attached to the back of them. Some of them have seats and a canvas roof ( a surrey with a fringe on top style) I believe Cambodians drive on the right, but it could be just a rumour, they were going in all directions. My driver found it easier to drive in the middle of the road and blow the horn. Mopeds were coming at us from all directions, weaving in and out around us, and crossing in front of us. It was SCARY.All along the sides of the road I noticed little huts and stalls selling all kinds of things, from plastic buckets and spare parts to flat screen televisions. The whole family seemed to sit around the stall and wait for a customer. On further investigation I discovered you can buy anything on the street. I wondered what was in rather dirty looking lemonade bottles on sale at one stall. Petrol----- that’s the cheapest way to buy it I’m told.You can also eat on the street, there was a young man frying eggs and selling them to passers by, on the pavement outside the gate this morning.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22/10/2009I have survived the first week in Cambodia.It has been an amazing experience.The highlight had to be the cyclo tour of the Capital City, Phnom Penh. A cyclo is a sort of wheelchair attached to the front of a bicycle. The‘driver’ pedals, while you sit back and enjoy the sights. The traffic can be a bit scary. Someone told me the only rule is, that there is no rule. You go, don’t make any sudden moves, and they will avoid you.It seems to work. Phnom Penh(P.P.) has many beautifil Wats( Buddist Temples) but also many very poor places.
