Ride with Me!

Take a ride with me on a tuk tuk. I wanted to try something new so I made a video as we drove down the street the other day. Watch the bumpy film and feel what it’s like to stop and go and swerve as we meander through traffic of Phnom Penh. Experience the good and bad as we get cut off and honked at and curiously smiled at for a couple minutes. If only we could capture the smells...



Now, take the quiz to see how many of the following sights you caught on our journey:

Level 1: the normal stuff
Tuk tuks
Honking horns
Motos driving on the wrong side of the road
Cars and motos pulling out in front of us
Bicycles
Cyclo (a bike with a chair type seat up front for a passenger)

Level 2: Motos carrying things (which is also normal!)
Beds
Furniture
Sugar cane
Boxes
Passengers riding side saddle
Passengers not holding on (and not holding on riding side saddle)

Level 3: the extras
Truck filled with grass
Bike with kid on back doing a dance or something with her hands
4 people on a moto (did anyone see a moto with 5 people?)
Motos driving on the sidewalk
Shoe stores
Car dealership
Goodyear tire store
Bridgestone tire van
Mobile phone store (recognizable with “hello” signs with phone pictures)
Pharmacy

And for bonus anyone want to count how many people were wearing helmets vs how many were not? The law here officially says drivers must wear helmets. As you can see, some oblige while many still do not. Have I ever mentioned that my first job in scientific research was in a head injury research lab? Oh, how I wish I could educate them on helmet safety.

Anyone else want to count up how many cars were on the road versus how many motos? I would love to know that statistic! There is no way I’m going to do that counting. Homeschool lesson maybe?

Well, I just thought you might like to experience some sights and sounds from the city with me. Was there anything that interested you that I missed? It’s all so “normal” to me now that I wish I could see your face as you watch it all with fresh new eyes. I still remember how tightly I used to hold on to the sides of the tuk tuk in traffic. I remember how I stared with wide eyes at all the sights and took in all the sounds... and jumped every time a horn honked! Now when I think of riding in a car where people stop at lights and don’t drive straight toward me on my side of the road and honk at me all the time, I wonder if I’ll be bored? I mean, I’m living on the adrenaline rush! Yes, I would love to see your reaction to our little road trip here. But since I can’t, I’ll just have to imagine it.

Hope you enjoyed the ride!