The Little Things

Mind the Remorks!

And the edge!!

As Vincent tells Jules, "Its the little things that make the difference.." Or I may be paraphrasing.

Randomly, here are some unassociated thoughts about Cambodia:

Watch out for remorks, the long, gangly tractor contraptions that pull all sorts of huge loads. They lumber down the highway at slow speeds. Pass with care. And as a safety note, old CD's attached to the rear of any vehicle are considered adequate reflectors.

Speaking of Public Safety in Cambodia, it can be summed up very simply: If there is a drop off, don't drive over it. As we rolled down National Highway 6, a heavily traveled main route, there was a long section of road work. On both sides of the highway, right up to what would be the fog line if such things existed here, there was a vertical cut of two to three feet. All the while traffic rolled, lumbered and putted along without a thought of warning cones, blinking lights or even a warning sign. Its simple: see the edge? Don't go there.

Cambodians love hats. I have seen beat up fedoras, natty panamas, crazy Gilligan hats, and the ubiquitous workers sun hat complete with wrap-around face mask. So I fit right in with my Gilligan hat (so there!). If the temperature drops down to say, oh, 70 degrees F, the Cambodian folks look like people lined up for a ski lift. Stocking hats of all types suddenly appear, many complete with animal ears. The teddy bear hat is a big winner with the market women.

In Siem Reap's tourist ghetto, you will see many, many things. What you will not see is Cambodia. If the constant calls of "Tuk-tuk, Sir?" or calls of "Mass-age?" start to get on your nerves, remember to smile and say "Ot teh, Aw kun" (No, Thank You) and everyone will grin and things will be fine. Its the last thing they expect to hear. Works everytime.

If you ever wondered what happens to all of those clothes that Value Village and Goodwill can't sell, I can tell you. They end up in market stalls here in Cambodia, big piles of them. Those crummy t-shirts that were printed for that corporate team-building thing that you went to? People are harvesting rice in them.

One other thought. If you have a choice in your cycle of re-birth, and that choice comes down to being reborn as a Cambodian Dog or a Cambodian Cat, chose Dog. Cambodian dogs warrant a honk and swerve from the Tuk-tuk drivers. Cats, well, Cambodian cats don't warrant jack.