It has been a long trip siting in economy class and after a 12 hour stop over at the best airport in the world , good old Changi in Singapore. I finally land in Phnom Penh.
I’m from a little place called Tasmania and it is cold in my home land so when I stepped of the plane I felt like a wall of searing heat had boxed me in. I had never felt this sort of heat before. To the point I could of just sat in the corner and let some throw buckets of cold water over me and that would of been it holiday done. On I push and I found that in the end after sweating 20 liters of water out of myself I adjusted quickly . My poor mate it took him a few more days to adjust .
“Where in Cambodia” I scream at my friend “this is so awesome” he yells back . Just then the tuk tuk army arrives . A short little haggle about price and where of. The tuk tuk drivers are amazing. It’s you they want to know about and your life you can tell they are a close community. Weaving through the streets like it’s formula one race our tuk tuk driver manipulate’s his machine between cars, trucks, busses and scooters with great skill while chatting to us and talking on his phone. Such great skill. After a short chat with our race tuk driver I discover that the tuk tuk’s are slowly disappearing. Modern new rick Shaw’s from India with mobile app assist are taking over. Nero that’s our tuk tuk driver explains that’s how the world works “if it is new cheaper quicker and easier to get then of course it will take over” we had no choice but to agree but I was filled with sadness knowing these beautiful machines will be gone soon.
Weaving through the madness my senses went wild. People fixing ,making and inventing all sorts of things on the side of the road. Girls on scooters racing past us as with the skill of motorbike racers . Some where playing Pokémon go while they where riding .Markets of food and goods everywhere.
The smell of Khmer food filled the air along with sewage and petrol . I might be a bit strange in the head because it smelt so good to me where my friend commented that it was a bit much to begin with.
Then it happens. Stupid me. I’m holding my wallet in my right hand will riding along in the tuk tuk when a scooter comes flying up beside us and try’s to pluck my wallet from my hand. Poor guy didn’t realise I was a rock climber and your not pulling anything from my hand. His scooter slams into the tuk tuk and down he goes. Don’t worry he was up pretty quick and of he went. Lesson learned don’t hold your wallet in your hand. We assure our amazing tuk tuk driver Nero that I’m fine. I was more worried about the scooter bandit, he did hit the ground hard. Anyway a few more turns and we are greeted with the most magnificent ornately carved hotel oh my god what a work of art epics of Vishnu and Buddhist carvings on every thing and I mean everything.
But that’s a story on its own.
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