On the weather:
It's hot, humid, and sticky. I have gotten over the fact that anytime I arrive somewhere, I will be dripping sweat. But it's ok, because everyone else is too! A fun experience is when I'm biking, and sweat begins to drip into my eyes and blur my vision. You should try that sometime!
It's the rainy season, and while this is enough to keep many tourists away (so it is also the low tourist season), the rain is actually not that bad. It tends to rain everyday, for 1-2 hours in the afternoon. Sometimes that means it pours for 20 minutes, and sometimes it's scattered throughout the day, but about 90% of the time, the sky is clear. I've come to appreciate the cooling effects of the rain, and find myself chilly in the evening after a late afternoon rain, sometimes even wearing a lightweight sweater. And it is definitely a SE Asian experience to get caught in the rain, when it appears out of nowhere (yes, it does rain while it is sunny), or you look up and think you can beat the approaching gray clouds on your bike (nope, not gonna happen). I quickly learned to just stay inside when the clouds gather, either staying at the theatre or finding a nice cafe to read in until the rain passes.
On transportation:
There are many ways to travel in Phnom Penh -- car, tuk-tuk, moto, cyclo, bike, and of course, foot. No matter which way you choose, you will encounter crazy streets, with vehicles moving in all directions, at all speeds, where traffic signs and signals are merely suggestions that are typically ignored.
Car. To drive a car, like most places in the world, you need a license. This, along with car ownership, requires a lot of money, therefore ruling out the majority of the population. I have been in a car with my host family, on a few occasions, and it is a luxurious experience to travel the roads with air conditioning and music coming through the speakers. But I would be terrified to drive in the streets here. With a lack of regard to traffic laws, you would think that cars, being bigger and potentially faster, would get the right of way. But with motos zipping quickly past, you never know when one will sneak up.
Nearly all the cars in Phnom Penh are new (manufactured within ten years), Japanese brands (with Toyota dominating), and many are luxury cars. There are many Lexus SUVs, with LEXUS written on the side to show off the owner's wealth, and Toyota sedans. There are also a great number of large black Escalades and Town cars, for the wealthy (including the corrupt government officials and families) to be driven in by their chauffeurs. Thus these are the big scary cars that should be especially avoided.
Taxis are very rare in the city. There is only one company for taxis, which has to be called, and is much more expensive than the alternate forms of transport, tuk-tuks and motos.
Tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are common in SE Asia, taking on their own form in each country. In Cambodia, tuk-tuks are essentially a 2-wheeled carriage being pulled by a motorcycle. They are great for getting around town, and can comfortably seat 4-5 Americans, or about 12 Cambodians (not just because they're smaller, but because they pile on top of one another, and sit on every possible surface, including the small area that connects the motorcycle to the carriage. Tuk-tuks are relatively fast (especially when they escape traffic by going the wrong way down a one-way street, or drive on the wrong side of a two-way divided highway) and relatively cheap. Within town, it is reasonable to pay around $1-1.50 for a short trip. But at night and when it rains (tuk-tuks are open on all sides, but have plastic that pulls down to keep riders dry when it rains), drivers expect you to pay more. And oh yea, if there are more people, it's more money. So a trip that might cost me only $1, suddenly becomes $4 if there are six people. As there is no meter or list of prices, you can basically pay whatever you think is fair and hope the driver doesn't yell at you or send someone after you.
In a moto during my visit to Cambodia in November, 2008.
Yana, Rachel, and Tess (current Cambodian Fulbrighters) in a tuk-tuk.
Motos. A cheaper and faster alternative to the tuk-tuk. Motos are small motorcycles, more like motos than our giant American Harleys. Motos are ubiquitous in the developing countries of SE Asia, as they are cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, fast to get around, and can comfortably transport a family of 6 plus a refrigerator. In Cambodia, it is not uncommon to hop on the back of a friend's moto, or get a moto-taxi. Technically, a moto driver who charges riders should have a license. But actually, anyone who wants to make a few extra bucks can become a moto driver for a day. And, you don't have to have a license to drive a moto (I saw a kid of about 12 driving one the other day). Motos are cheaper than tuk-tuks, and most of the time are faster. Motos can be scary at times, especially when weaving in and out of cars, or driving through a red light at a major intersection, but accidents are actually fairly uncommon. I do have a helmet I bought for the cause, just to be on the safe side.
On a Moto with Sopheap, outside a wat (I usually wear my moto helmet, but I didn't have it with me, so I figure my bike helmet is better than nothing!).
Cyclo. Another inexpensive transport option are cyclos. Though not as ubiquitous as motos, and better for short trips, they are a nice way to travel at leisure and take in the surrounding city. Cyclos are cycle driven rickshaws. The cyclo drivers are among the poorest people in the city, often owning only their bike and the clothes on their backs. Going home at night, I often see cyclo drivers sleeping in their cyclos, or in a hammock with one side tied to a tree, the other to the cyclo. It is a humbling sight indeed.
A Cambodian family piled in a cyclo.Bike. I have been riding a bike, on loan from my host family, since just about the day I arrived here. And I love it! It's freedom and exercise combined, and it's great fun speeding through the streets (the side streets that is...I use much caution when driving on the main, crowded, roads). While I ride a tuk-tuk or moto if I know I'll be out late, the bike is great for getting to the theatre during the day. I was nervous at first to ride in the crazy streets here, not knowing how I would navigate traffic and avoid being hit. But it's actually easier than it looks. While the streets appear to be lawless, the one rule everyone complies with, is not to hit anyone. So I swerve, I backtrack sometimes when I can't make the turn I need to make, and I brake with my feet when the bike's breaks aren't enough. But I quickly learned to just do my own thing, avoid the other vehicles, and not to hit anyone -- the others will do the same. Cambodians always look at me, uncommon as it is to see a Barang (foreigner) riding a bike...especially one with a helmet (yup, I brought my bike helmet from home....while you can buy a moto helmet anywhere on the street, bike helmets are rarely used, and accordingly, are difficult to find).
Foot. Of course, as in any city, walking is always an option. My host-home is located within walking distance of the river, the Royal Palace, a grocery store, an expat restaurant area, a big park, etc. The biggest drawback to walking, is that with every step comes a call of "Lady, you want tuk-tuk," or "Lady, moto!" There is always an excess of moto and tuk-tuks in town, but especially as it is the low-tourist season in a global recession, there is an even greater number of drivers just sitting and waiting for someone to drive. Biking is great, as I avoid these cat-calls, but whenever I walk somewhere, it is through a constant verbal stream. It's as if the drivers don't understand that sometimes, some people just like to walk. I do enjoy, however, since I mostly bike, that when I take a moto or tuk-tuk, I get to answer someone's call and give them a bit more business that day.
More on Cambodian living, and more pictures to come soon!
It all sounds very exciting. It seems like the Cambodians have some very interesting modes of transportation. Thanks for sharing everything! Can't wait to see more pictures. Can't believe you've been gone a month already!
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