Some traditional Khmer homes along the side of the road.
We’ve done a good bit of traveling in Cambodia, mostly back and forth between here and Phnom Penh. While it is only 314 km (195 miles) away, the lack of infrastructure and bad roads means that trip takes us a minimum of 7 hrs (including a 30 minute stop for lunch and a 5 minute toilet break). This leaves plenty of time for daydreaming & watching bad movies on the video screen above the driver’s head. But my favorite thing to do on these trips is to look out the window at what we pass by. Such interesting and changing scenery, and a little window into everyday life along the roads of this amazing country.
And now, a visual tour of Cambodia out the windows of our bus. All photos taken from a moving vehicle with our iPhone or iPad mini, which means the resolution, sharpness, and focus are not always the greatest.
Motos on their way to Siem Reap.
People traveling to Siem Reap.
The Iceman Cometh! Ice delivery at one of the roadside convenience stores. Most people here don’t have refrigerators.
A very fancy (& wealthy) gated community outside Phnom Penh. Considering the average annual income for a Cambodian is ~$800US, the folks who live here are in the top of the top of the 1%.
A collective tuktuk ~ the way the locals usually get around, especially to and from work.
There aren’t any true semi-trucks here. This is about as large as you will see. Usually they are loaded down with cargo stacked higher than the cab.
Road construction, anyone? Japan is paying for an improvement of the road between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, including putting in drainage. That means that the road is completely torn up fairly regularly along the way.
Oh look! More Construction! Water pipe anyone?
Drying Rice. It’s the harvest season and everyone is drying rice along the sides of the roads and in front of their homes. Pretty much anywhere where they can spread out these plastic nets.
A wedding. Cambodian weddings typically take two days. The music is so loud that we can usually hear it about 30 secs to a minute before we come upon it. So beautiful!
Rice fields along the road.
A collective minibus. They cram as many people as they possibly can into (& on) these things. These guys are riding on the roof and on the luggage strapped to the back.
A store along the side of the road. They will sell drinks, bottled drinking water, cheap petrol, sometimes fruit or sandwiches, and other necessities.
More construction! This pretty much sums up the trip. Always more construction.
Llama Mart! My favorite convenience store in Phnom Penh.
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