Saturday, November 14, 2009

Cambodia part 2 - travel Cambodia style

After 3 days of travel, Becky and I got back to Kudjip this am. We were suppose to get back yesterday afternoon, but due to no plane being availabe we stayed the night in Port Moresby. I was thankful to get back this am and managed to nap, play tennis, garden, do laundry, unpack and now blog, so I am getting back into the swing of things here again.
As I looked at my pictures from Cambodia, I was reminded of the crazy things we saw as we drove around. The 4+ hour drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap to see the temples was quite a Cambodian cultural experience. The majority of people in Phnom Penh and other cities in Cambodia, use motorcycle taxis, tuktuks, bicycles, or cyclos as a form of transportation. The cars or trucks that are used are jammed as full as can be, even using the truck or roof (without anything to hold onto). There are no real lanes or driving laws it seemed. Motorcycles weave in and out, wherever they can; small kids navigate busy roads on bicycles; oxen pull carts of pottery at night without lights, boats are carried along the road, and much more.
It was quite impressive to see a motorcycle with a pig riding on the back upside down and apparently staying still. We also saw a motorcycle carrying a bunch of chickens to sell at market, and a guy with an IV hanging on a pole while riding the motorcycle. They also carry everything they possibly can while on the motorcycles with 4 or 5 people to a motorcycle and often a little kid stuck in between some adults. Thankfully, we had a great tour guide in Ken and were in no accidents, I am glad I wasn't driving.