February 29, 2004

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

It was late afternoon and I was heading back to my hotel after spending some time by the riverfront and playing pool with the locals. As I approached the six lane road that runs by the river I was amazed to see an elephant calmly walking along in the outside lane, seemingly oblivious to all the traffic and mayhem.

I decide to grab a cyclo, a three-wheeled bike with the passenger in front, back to the centre of town. A likely candidate quickly appears, a price is agreed and I jump on board. Problem is, we're on the wrong side of the road. No problem for this driver though, he just turns around and, with me leading the way, bravely pushes in to the three lanes of oncoming traffic, weaving between the cars and motos that are simultaneously weaving around us. Somehow we across to the right side of the road without incident.

As the driver puffs and pants with the exertion of cycling I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for him, until I see a cyclo heading in the other direction with five passengers. I had to count them twice to be sure!

It's tough work for the drivers though. Most of them come from the country and don't have residence permits for Phnom Penh. They can't rent an apartment, even if they could afford it, so they just sleep in their bikes. Walking around late at night you see little pockets of them here and there, half-a-dozen maybe, grouped together with their bikes and a few chairs. By ten o'clock the city is asleep, the cyclo drivers along with it.

Posted by David at February 29, 2004 03:31 AM