One of the biggest challenges I have found living in Cambodia is the traffic, which is crazy. I have got more used to it now but it can still be a bit scary.
On 1 January 2016, Cambodia introduced a new law on road traffic (http://www.infinity.com.kh/claims/RoadTrafficLaw2015EN.pdf). When you read the new laws, they seem to make a lot of sense and are things that we would probably take for granted. For example, Article 7 states that vehicles "shall always keep to the right side of the road" and Article 8 includes restrictions on drink driving and using mobile phones, requirements to wear seat belts and helmets and limits to the number of people using a motorbike (three - two adults and one child).
However, in reality there are challenges in implementing these laws. For a start, at any one time the majority of the people on the road are breaking at least one (if not more) of the new road rules. In particular the ones I mentioned above are routinely not followed. It is not unusual to see a motorbike with more than three people, not wearing helmets, riding the wrong way up the street, whilst the driver is talking on a mobile phone.
Part of the problem is that it is really easy to get a drivers license here and there are no tests. So there is very little education about how to drive and the road rules - what they are and why they are important. For motorcycles under 125cc (which is most of the vehicles on the road), you don't even need a license at all.
There are also financial constraints. For many people the motorbike is the one and only family vehicle, so it is used to transport the whole family (and often an assortment of other goods). They simply can't afford to just use a motorbike to transport two adults and one child.
There are also challenges with corruption. I read that there would no longer be on the spot fines but I think that in most cases you can just pay the police rather than the fine. So there isn't much incentive for following the rules.
Despite these rules having been in place for six months, I haven't really seen much improvement and most people either seem to not know or not care about the rules. Although, I think that there are more people wearing helmets - so that might be having some impact.
So, the rules really appear more like suggestions and even those suggestions are rarely followed. For me it shows that laws are not enough to change behaviour, you really need to have good education and effective incentives (positive and negative) to get people to act differently.
Having said all this, the traffic in Siem Reap is much calmer than in Phnom Penh. Mainly due to the fact that it is so much smaller and there are way less vehicles on the road. So now when I am cycling around I feel much less like I am risking my life. Or maybe I have just got used to the chaos.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Dogs in Cambodia - Part 2 (plus some cats)
I have decided to expand the dogs series to include cats as I don't want to be exclusive (and there are quite a few cute cats around too!)
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| Beach dogs |
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| Salt fields dog |
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| Temple Dog |
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| Temple cats |
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
New job, new city - six month update
So, I have now been in Cambodia for 6 months and overall it has been a great but sometimes challenging experience. I feel like I have learnt a lot about myself in this time, including that I am not a very reliable or consistent blogger (also that I like hot weather and variety in my job!). I started out with such good intentions with the blogging but life got in the way and I got distracted! But I have good intentions for the future!
My role with VSO finished up in mid April and I then returned to Australia for a few weeks. I hadn't originally intended to return to Melbourne at this time, but I had to return for training. Whilst at VSO, I successfully applied for a role through the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program and I had to return for pre-departure training. It was great to be back in Melbourne as it feels like I left a bit suddenly in November, so it was good to catch up with people. Plus of course getting to eat all the foods I missed!
I arrive back in Cambodia a couple of weeks ago and had two weeks induction and orientation for the new job. I am pretty excited about the new role, it is with a really great NGO called Friends International and I think it will be an interesting and varied positions. The only thing is, that it is in Siem Reap!
After 6 months of getting settled in Phnom Penh, I did think hard about whether I wanted to move again but it was too good an opportunity to turn down. So, on Sunday I made the 6 hour bus journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and I need to start building my life here.
I was supposed to start work on Monday but due to an office move they have given me a few days off to find somewhere to live and get settled. I have spent the last couple of days finding a place to live and move in to my new place tomorrow. Next up, I need to find a bike, a gym and make some new friends!
There is lots that I want to say about my time in Cambodia and with this new start (in a new city with a new job) I hope to become a better blogger. We shall see!
My role with VSO finished up in mid April and I then returned to Australia for a few weeks. I hadn't originally intended to return to Melbourne at this time, but I had to return for training. Whilst at VSO, I successfully applied for a role through the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program and I had to return for pre-departure training. It was great to be back in Melbourne as it feels like I left a bit suddenly in November, so it was good to catch up with people. Plus of course getting to eat all the foods I missed!
I arrive back in Cambodia a couple of weeks ago and had two weeks induction and orientation for the new job. I am pretty excited about the new role, it is with a really great NGO called Friends International and I think it will be an interesting and varied positions. The only thing is, that it is in Siem Reap!
After 6 months of getting settled in Phnom Penh, I did think hard about whether I wanted to move again but it was too good an opportunity to turn down. So, on Sunday I made the 6 hour bus journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and I need to start building my life here.
I was supposed to start work on Monday but due to an office move they have given me a few days off to find somewhere to live and get settled. I have spent the last couple of days finding a place to live and move in to my new place tomorrow. Next up, I need to find a bike, a gym and make some new friends!
There is lots that I want to say about my time in Cambodia and with this new start (in a new city with a new job) I hope to become a better blogger. We shall see!
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Finding my fit
Before I came to Cambodia, I knew that I needed to try to get into a regular exercise routine as soon as possible. After 5 weeks in Europe in September (where a large proportion of the time was spent eating and drinking) followed by a busy 5 weeks in Australia packing up my life meant that I had let my exercise regime slip a bit. I thought that the longer I left it in Cambodia, the more likely I was to avoid it!
How hard could it be? I was used to being pretty active, I should be able to get into a good routine pretty easily. But....there were a few barriers! As a volunteer I am on a very limited budget which could restrict my options. In addition most of the cheap/free options, like running or cycling, are a bit harder as the traffic is terrible, there are very few parks or open spaces and it is very hot and humid!
I decided pretty early on that I would have to get over the limited budget thing and just splash out the cash - it would be my luxury item, a treat to myself. Having made this decision, it should have been pretty easy. But it still took me a while to figure it out.
There are a number of western style gyms here - the most popular being The Place (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Place/160594707332623). I seriously considered this as an option, but for short term it was just a bit too expensive and also not that close to either my home or work. A number of the fancier hotels also have gyms and pools but I decided against these too for the same reasons.
There are also so cheaper local gyms, but they seem a bit old, dirty and sweaty. So I was almost giving up hope when I discovered a CrossFit gym just around the corner from my house - CrossFit Amatak (http://www.crossfitamatak.com/). I have always been a bit intrigued by CrossFit and know a few people who are really into it. But I was also a bit nervous , partly because I know heaps of people who have been injured from CrossFit but also because it can seem a bit cult like and I really don't want to do the whole paleo diet thing!
Amatak also offer a Bootcamp class - so I thought I would give that a try and see how it goes. The Bootcamp is a bit like CrossFit but with less equipment and heavy weights. I have really enjoyed the classes - the people are really nice and I think that the small group format really works for me. After a couple of months I have definitely noticed an improvement in my fitness so I decided to be brave and take the step up to CrossFit.
So this week, I started the 'On Ramp' induction where we learn about all the different moves and vast number of acronyms in the CrossFit world. I am still a bit nervous about it as I am really not that strong. But I guess there is only one way to get stronger!
In addition to the gym, I have also been trying to keep up running but it is difficult mainly because it is quite hot and can difficult running around the streets - but if you get up early enough it is not too bad. I also want to get back into swimming, so my next challenge is to find a good, clean and cheap pool!
How hard could it be? I was used to being pretty active, I should be able to get into a good routine pretty easily. But....there were a few barriers! As a volunteer I am on a very limited budget which could restrict my options. In addition most of the cheap/free options, like running or cycling, are a bit harder as the traffic is terrible, there are very few parks or open spaces and it is very hot and humid!
I decided pretty early on that I would have to get over the limited budget thing and just splash out the cash - it would be my luxury item, a treat to myself. Having made this decision, it should have been pretty easy. But it still took me a while to figure it out.
There are a number of western style gyms here - the most popular being The Place (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Place/160594707332623). I seriously considered this as an option, but for short term it was just a bit too expensive and also not that close to either my home or work. A number of the fancier hotels also have gyms and pools but I decided against these too for the same reasons.
There are also so cheaper local gyms, but they seem a bit old, dirty and sweaty. So I was almost giving up hope when I discovered a CrossFit gym just around the corner from my house - CrossFit Amatak (http://www.crossfitamatak.com/). I have always been a bit intrigued by CrossFit and know a few people who are really into it. But I was also a bit nervous , partly because I know heaps of people who have been injured from CrossFit but also because it can seem a bit cult like and I really don't want to do the whole paleo diet thing!
Amatak also offer a Bootcamp class - so I thought I would give that a try and see how it goes. The Bootcamp is a bit like CrossFit but with less equipment and heavy weights. I have really enjoyed the classes - the people are really nice and I think that the small group format really works for me. After a couple of months I have definitely noticed an improvement in my fitness so I decided to be brave and take the step up to CrossFit.
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| One of my least favourite exercises - wall balls! |
In addition to the gym, I have also been trying to keep up running but it is difficult mainly because it is quite hot and can difficult running around the streets - but if you get up early enough it is not too bad. I also want to get back into swimming, so my next challenge is to find a good, clean and cheap pool!
Friday, February 5, 2016
Dogs of Cambodia
Back in 2010 on a trip to the Philippines, I took a series of photos called 'Dogs of the Philippines'. I can't really remember why I did this. It might have been because there were lots of dogs (many of which were very cute) and I really like dogs! Needless to say, I didn't do anything with all these photos of dogs and they are just sitting on my computer.
But seeing as I am now in Cambodia and I have a blog, I thought I would revive my 'Dogs in' series and post random pictures of dogs in Cambodia. I only have a few at the moment.....but there will be more. I might even go back to my Philippines photos and post them too.....who knows.
But seeing as I am now in Cambodia and I have a blog, I thought I would revive my 'Dogs in' series and post random pictures of dogs in Cambodia. I only have a few at the moment.....but there will be more. I might even go back to my Philippines photos and post them too.....who knows.
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| Puppy in Kampot |
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| Relaxing by the Kampot River |
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| Phnom Penh pup |
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Getting around Phnom Penh
I imagine this will probably be the first of a few posts about transport in Cambodia....as it is just such an interesting topic. I was chatting to someone the other day about how you can tell a lot about a country by its traffic....strange but true.
There isn't really any public transport in Phnom Penh.....I have seen a few bus stops around but not that many buses! There is however, a variety of other transport options for getting around PP. But one thing that is noticeable is that people do not walk....not anywhere.....ever!
The closest things to public transport are probably the motos and remork-motos (or tuk tuks). The motos are basically motorbike drivers who just pick people up. I have no idea if there are actually official motos or if it is just random people who pick people up and take them where they want to go in exchange for a few dollars. VSO requires us to wear helmets on motorbikes, so I don't use the motos very often. But I think that the ones I have taken are just random people who have picked me up! But I have always ended up where I need to be (sometimes not via the most direct route).
Tuk tuks are modified motorbikes with a carriage on the back. They are a bit more expensive than the motos but a really great way to get around. Trips are usually about a couple of dollars, which isn't that much but does add up if you use them a lot. The drivers seem to have patches where they hang out and it is beneficial to have at least one (if not more) tuk tuk driver who you can use regularly.
You also don't see many car taxis.....they have them at the airport but other than that you really don't see them around.
The most popular form of transport is undoubtedly the motorbike.....they are everywhere and as seen in other parts of Asia they can be used to transport pretty much anything!
There
is also an increasing number of cars and in particular new, big, fancy
cars which might not be the most suitable form of transport for PP
roads...but there are a surprising number. You don't see that many old
or small cars but an abundance of Lexus (Lexi?!), Range Rovers and I
even saw a Rolls Royce the other day and a Rolls Royce showroom has opened near my work!
My preferred mode of transport is by bicycle, largely because VSO provide volunteers with a free bike! You don't see that many bicycles around, they are mainly ridden by barang (foreigners), old people and school kids (although quite a few seem to ride motorbikes). Cycling in PP is certainly an experience and a little bit different from cycling in Melbourne. But I think I have adapted well to my new environment and have got quite into cycling around the streets of PP.
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| Phnom Penh traffic |
The closest things to public transport are probably the motos and remork-motos (or tuk tuks). The motos are basically motorbike drivers who just pick people up. I have no idea if there are actually official motos or if it is just random people who pick people up and take them where they want to go in exchange for a few dollars. VSO requires us to wear helmets on motorbikes, so I don't use the motos very often. But I think that the ones I have taken are just random people who have picked me up! But I have always ended up where I need to be (sometimes not via the most direct route).
Tuk tuks are modified motorbikes with a carriage on the back. They are a bit more expensive than the motos but a really great way to get around. Trips are usually about a couple of dollars, which isn't that much but does add up if you use them a lot. The drivers seem to have patches where they hang out and it is beneficial to have at least one (if not more) tuk tuk driver who you can use regularly.
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| Phnom Penh Tuk Tuk |
 |
| View from a Tuk Tuk |
You also don't see many car taxis.....they have them at the airport but other than that you really don't see them around.
The most popular form of transport is undoubtedly the motorbike.....they are everywhere and as seen in other parts of Asia they can be used to transport pretty much anything!
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| Motorbikes everywhere |
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| Motorcycle truck |
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| Can be used to transport anything |
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| One of the increasing number of large cars |
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| My bicycle |
Sunday, January 17, 2016
New Year in Kampot
So whilst Christmas Day was not a public holiday in Cambodia, New Year's Day was....so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get out of the city for a few days. Phnom Penh is a great city, but it is pretty hectic and full on - so I was excited for a chance to escape!
One of the other volunteers (Jelena) and I decided to go to Kampot (Adriana is still in the States, so couldn't join us). Kampot is a small town on a river (famous for pepper), a couple of hours by bus from Phnom Penh.
The office closed early on New Year's Eve, so we took the 1.00pm Kampot Express bus which conveniently leaves from just round the corner from my office. After a few hours on the road, with the obligatory snack stop, we arrived at our destination.
We had left it a bit last minute to book accommodation, so were a little bit limited for choice, but managed to find a cheap place on the river. We stayed at the Kampot River Bungalows (or Bungalow Kampot River depending on which website you look at). The room was pretty basic, but what can you expect for US$6 a night. It had two beds, a fan and mosquito nets, so pretty much everything that you need (or could ask for at that price). But the location more than made up for the basic facilities, as it was situated right on the river. The restaurant overlooked the river and you could just jump out of the restaurant into the river for a swim.
On New Year's Eve we met up with another volunteer (Wiske) who is based in Kampot who took us to a nice restaurant for dinner and a few bars for further celebrations. We saw in the New Year in a rooftop bar, watching the fireworks and drinking free shots!
The next day we just took it easy hanging out on the river, swimming, reading and relaxing. In the evening we went on a sunset river cruise, which was lovely - very peaceful and included seeing fireflies once it got dark.
We ended up back in the town and had a very interesting dining experience! We randomly selected a restaurant which seemed nice but turned out not to be a great choice. The food was OK, but the service was terrible....it took over an hour to get our food. I think that they were just cooking one meal at a time. Once one was done they would move on to the next one! No one seemed very happy with the service and a few people got tired of waiting and left. But we stuck it out. Strangely there seemed to be quite a few people working there but obviously not in the kitchen.
After we had finally got and finished our dinner, the owner came out to apologise and then proceeded to talk to us in the strangest mix of Khmer, French and English.....we had no idea what she was talking about. It was quite an experience.
On the Saturday we had organised a countryside tour in a tuk tuk.....or so we thought. It was a bit of a surprise when a van arrived to take us on the tour. After some strenuous negotiations...we managed to get our tuk tuk. The tour included a visit to the salt fields, a fishing village, some caves and a pepper plantation. The trip ended in Kep where we got to sample the famous crab with green pepper and hang out on the beach for a few hours. Due to some seriously poor planning, I had forgotten to take my swimsuit/bathers with me...not sure how that happened! Luckily I had matching underwear on....that did the job!
Not having suitable swimming attire does not stop the Cambodians either, as it seems that you don't need any particular swim wear at the beach. You just walk into the water in whatever you are wearing at the time......shorts, skirts, jeans whatever....no fancy beach wear required.
The final day was spent hanging out on the river at our guest house with Jelena and Wiske - swimming, reading, relaxing (there is a theme here) before taking the bus back to Phnom Penh. It was a really great trip. Even though it was just a few days, it felt like a lot longer and I definitely felt a lot more relaxed. I think that I will make a few more trips to Kampot whilst in Cambodia!
One of the other volunteers (Jelena) and I decided to go to Kampot (Adriana is still in the States, so couldn't join us). Kampot is a small town on a river (famous for pepper), a couple of hours by bus from Phnom Penh.
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| Kampot Pepper |
The office closed early on New Year's Eve, so we took the 1.00pm Kampot Express bus which conveniently leaves from just round the corner from my office. After a few hours on the road, with the obligatory snack stop, we arrived at our destination.
We had left it a bit last minute to book accommodation, so were a little bit limited for choice, but managed to find a cheap place on the river. We stayed at the Kampot River Bungalows (or Bungalow Kampot River depending on which website you look at). The room was pretty basic, but what can you expect for US$6 a night. It had two beds, a fan and mosquito nets, so pretty much everything that you need (or could ask for at that price). But the location more than made up for the basic facilities, as it was situated right on the river. The restaurant overlooked the river and you could just jump out of the restaurant into the river for a swim.
 |
| The view from the Kampot River Bungalows |
 |
| Watching the fishing boats go out to sea |
On New Year's Eve we met up with another volunteer (Wiske) who is based in Kampot who took us to a nice restaurant for dinner and a few bars for further celebrations. We saw in the New Year in a rooftop bar, watching the fireworks and drinking free shots!
 |
| Happy New Year |
The next day we just took it easy hanging out on the river, swimming, reading and relaxing. In the evening we went on a sunset river cruise, which was lovely - very peaceful and included seeing fireflies once it got dark.
 |
| Sunset river cruise |
We ended up back in the town and had a very interesting dining experience! We randomly selected a restaurant which seemed nice but turned out not to be a great choice. The food was OK, but the service was terrible....it took over an hour to get our food. I think that they were just cooking one meal at a time. Once one was done they would move on to the next one! No one seemed very happy with the service and a few people got tired of waiting and left. But we stuck it out. Strangely there seemed to be quite a few people working there but obviously not in the kitchen.
After we had finally got and finished our dinner, the owner came out to apologise and then proceeded to talk to us in the strangest mix of Khmer, French and English.....we had no idea what she was talking about. It was quite an experience.
On the Saturday we had organised a countryside tour in a tuk tuk.....or so we thought. It was a bit of a surprise when a van arrived to take us on the tour. After some strenuous negotiations...we managed to get our tuk tuk. The tour included a visit to the salt fields, a fishing village, some caves and a pepper plantation. The trip ended in Kep where we got to sample the famous crab with green pepper and hang out on the beach for a few hours. Due to some seriously poor planning, I had forgotten to take my swimsuit/bathers with me...not sure how that happened! Luckily I had matching underwear on....that did the job!
 |
| Caves |
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| Fishing village |
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| Kep beach |
Not having suitable swimming attire does not stop the Cambodians either, as it seems that you don't need any particular swim wear at the beach. You just walk into the water in whatever you are wearing at the time......shorts, skirts, jeans whatever....no fancy beach wear required.
The final day was spent hanging out on the river at our guest house with Jelena and Wiske - swimming, reading, relaxing (there is a theme here) before taking the bus back to Phnom Penh. It was a really great trip. Even though it was just a few days, it felt like a lot longer and I definitely felt a lot more relaxed. I think that I will make a few more trips to Kampot whilst in Cambodia!
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