Get your Motor Runnin', Head Out on the Highway...

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Made it to Siem Reap just fine.  Someone told me that there would be a lot of paperwork to get a Cambodian visa.  They were right.  A very odd system they have, of passing the passport down the line, about ten people look at it and you pick it up at the other end.  I suppose its a make-work project, but everyone's got to eat.

OK, so I made my way out of the pleasant airport, where my driver/guide was supposed to meet me.  "Has anyone seen Mr. Sophrarhat"? I asked in my best Khmer accent (yeah right).

"Te," the answer, the Khmer word for no.

I did not expect this adventure to start so soon.

I tried calling Mr. Sophrarhat, but was unable to get the phone to work.  So, I waited.  And waited.

Finally, I decided to arrange my own transportation -- what the heck, its only US $2 to my resort.

Nit, the driver, walked up and grabbed one of my bags.  "Follow me, suh," and we went past the cabs...

and past the tuk tuks...

and past the motos..

wait a minute, there only motorcycles out here!  Two-wheeled motorcycles!  What does this mean?!

"Here we arhh, suhh, please to get on?"

Gulp.

Well, heck, I came to Cambodia for adventure, so here's the cosmic surprise.  I strapped on my backpack, Nit stored my Bishop O'Dowd bag, and off we went into Siem Reap on a motorcycle.  Interesting that they make the drivers wear helmets, but nothing for the passengers...



Well, I'm still here to write about it, and it was a great adventure indeed.  I took video of the entire trip, and will post when I condense it down a bit.

Ironically, when I finally got back on my own two feet, I promptly took a header, tripping over the raised threshold of the resort's lobby.
Born to be Wild...

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