Category: Daily Life in Cambodia

Progress in Cambodia is demarcated in different ways, some of them expected, some of them not. What would not be even noticed in many cultures becomes a major indicator of thinking and planning in Cambodia. Above is a photo of some construction taking place on the corners of a major intersection. It’s going to be a pedestrian overpass, maybe only the second or third one in the country. It’s a sign of planning but also a sign of the inability of the municipal government to control and regulate traffic.

This is the rainy season in Cambodia and we’re getting lots of rain this year! Basically everyone carries a rain poncho along and when the drizzles start, the drivers stop and put on their rain PPE.

This is the driver of the three-wheeled tuk-tuk ahead of the one I am in. He has added a dashboard in his tuk-tuk and then established a collection of items there. No plastic Jesus statue but he’s still got lots of room on the right side.

In cold-climate countries, you would never see the type of white vent blocks in the picture above. They indicate the presence of a toilet and are open to allow air to circulate. In countries with a real winter, a building is always “tight,” to prevent heat from escaping. That isn’t a problem here as is further indicated by the pipes on the outside of the wall–instead of inside the wall–because there is no danger of their freezing.