Indo-China 1
This is a capital city without a public transport system,
matched with a fairly anarchic private transport system, mainly of tuk-tuks and
motorbikes. For those who don't know, a tuk tuk is a motorcycle
rickshaw. Here they have a 100cc engine which makes for an almost
stationary fight against any sort of headwind. Motorbikes, mopeds
really, are pressed into service to deliver anything and everything although
our current spotting record is only four people on one. Six is my target.
I would say this place is notable for the traffic. Horns are
not used and everyone seems very unaggressive when driving. While Indian
driving can be characterised as a whole bunch of suicides just trying to find a
location, here in Cambodia, or at least in Phnom Penh it really does just flow,
and I choose the word carefully. For instance, if you are in a tuk-tuk
wanting to turn across the traffic on a wide road, the right-angle does not
exist. About 30 or 40 yards before the turn your driver just heads diagonally
towards the intended road in the 'Just a Minute' style, ie without hesitation
or deviation. Oncoming traffic flows around you like water round a canoe
crossing a river. It works because of that lack of aggression.
First to a gap or space gets it. No-one seems to want to beat anyone else
to a gap or stop you from going where you want. It works in much the same
way as a crowd of people who all move and flow around each without bumping.
Crossing the road on foot is the same as the driving 'Just a Minute'
style. Just set off across the road and everything flows around
you. So far I've always managed to keep Heather upstream. Just a
Minute, well, just in case.
By the way Bonnie and Newt, 'Just a Minute' is a BBC radio game where the contestants are given a minute to speak on a subject without repetition, deviation, hesitation or repetition.
Phnom Penh is generally a low rise city and flat, alongside the River Tonle Sap and Mekong junction, it isn't a beautiful or particularly interesting place but it's quiet and seems safe and starts us getting used to SE Asia. To be fair, it doesn't seem to have a bad litter problem and there are lots of green spaces about. Every year as the monsoon and Himalayan meltwater arrive together, the flow on the Mekong is so great that the Tonle Sap reverses it's flow. Goodness knows where the water goes. The biggest attraction here has to be the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda which are very impressive. Just as our dignitaries ceremonially plant trees at various times, the Cambodian Royals do a spot of ceremonial ploughing with decorated oxen on a piece of prepared sandy soil.
Most tuk-tuk drivers touting for business offer trips to the killing fields which we have no desire or need to see. I understand that when the Khmer Rouge were at their murderous peak, Phnom Penh was emptied with the population deported to the countryside or killed. An effective if brutal way to cut down on that inner city traffic congestion.
Surprisingly we've not seen a Tesco or Barclays Bank yet although the obligatory Irish bar is here, called Paddy Fields. The theming didn't seem to extend past the name, so not too over the top. Just along from Paddy Fields was a Coffin Shop without a nice window display and also the Happy Herbs Pizza. Your choice of pizza can be made 'happy' for $1. This buys you a marijuana infused butter baste. No, I'm not telling.
I don't know if it extends to the rest of the country but here in town the currency is the Riel (about 5000 to the £) and the US$. (1.50ish to the £ ?) together. Prices are in US$, you pay in Rials, $ or a mix of the two and change is given in Rials or $. So a R10,000 looks like a lot of money but is in fact $2.50 or £2. As for language, our Khmer isn't up to much and in a fair number of places the lingua franca is French, which as it should be. To be fair the lingua anglica is also common.
By bus to Angkor Wat tomorrow.
Best Wishes
Les and Heather
PS if anyone doesn't want these updates, do let me know and I'll take you off the list. No problem. To me of course they're literary masterpieces and I expect the call from the Nobel Committee any day now but they could be a bit too much like those dreaded Christmas updates of a tedious year.
By the way Bonnie and Newt, 'Just a Minute' is a BBC radio game where the contestants are given a minute to speak on a subject without repetition, deviation, hesitation or repetition.
Phnom Penh is generally a low rise city and flat, alongside the River Tonle Sap and Mekong junction, it isn't a beautiful or particularly interesting place but it's quiet and seems safe and starts us getting used to SE Asia. To be fair, it doesn't seem to have a bad litter problem and there are lots of green spaces about. Every year as the monsoon and Himalayan meltwater arrive together, the flow on the Mekong is so great that the Tonle Sap reverses it's flow. Goodness knows where the water goes. The biggest attraction here has to be the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda which are very impressive. Just as our dignitaries ceremonially plant trees at various times, the Cambodian Royals do a spot of ceremonial ploughing with decorated oxen on a piece of prepared sandy soil.
Most tuk-tuk drivers touting for business offer trips to the killing fields which we have no desire or need to see. I understand that when the Khmer Rouge were at their murderous peak, Phnom Penh was emptied with the population deported to the countryside or killed. An effective if brutal way to cut down on that inner city traffic congestion.
Surprisingly we've not seen a Tesco or Barclays Bank yet although the obligatory Irish bar is here, called Paddy Fields. The theming didn't seem to extend past the name, so not too over the top. Just along from Paddy Fields was a Coffin Shop without a nice window display and also the Happy Herbs Pizza. Your choice of pizza can be made 'happy' for $1. This buys you a marijuana infused butter baste. No, I'm not telling.
I don't know if it extends to the rest of the country but here in town the currency is the Riel (about 5000 to the £) and the US$. (1.50ish to the £ ?) together. Prices are in US$, you pay in Rials, $ or a mix of the two and change is given in Rials or $. So a R10,000 looks like a lot of money but is in fact $2.50 or £2. As for language, our Khmer isn't up to much and in a fair number of places the lingua franca is French, which as it should be. To be fair the lingua anglica is also common.
By bus to Angkor Wat tomorrow.
Best Wishes
Les and Heather
PS if anyone doesn't want these updates, do let me know and I'll take you off the list. No problem. To me of course they're literary masterpieces and I expect the call from the Nobel Committee any day now but they could be a bit too much like those dreaded Christmas updates of a tedious year.
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