The roads in Cambodia are vicious circle, angry slabs of asphalt full of potholes, as the valleys, in some countries. Fortunately I had a travel Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh. Or if I thought.
Cambodia Taxis
After two weeks of recovery in the coastal town of Sihanoukville, I was bored, and therefore the three chapters journey with me. It’s time to the top of the alleged chaos in Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat, where appropriate. Despite the legendary reputation of Cambodian roads of the owners of our homes, we have the street in Phnom Penh was good that the jar. For twenty dollars, a taxi would be the four of us in the city without incident.
Around noon, two Australians, an Englishman and myself in a Toyota Camry our backpacks and other side effects. Our driver was a good boy, always a good mood. We had a communication problem since he has two words of English and we spoke only English. The path was the right one, as promised, and we are proud of our happiness.
Approximately one hour, we sailed through the campaigns in the Cambodian placid. It is hard to imagine the chaos that took place when the Khmer Rouge were in power. It was really not much to see on the occasional village. About half of the trip through the lack of any size of cities is a cause for concern.
In the proverbial middle of nowhere, our driver came on the side of the road and the verdict of the car. Since we can not verbally communicate, most of the finger was recorded. Have we lost? Is it want more money? Was it to strike? What the hell happened?
Finally, we have idiots have to decipher that the car was overheating. Remember that you think, fill out the idiots, I must mention that the thermometer does not work. Nevertheless, our driver is the hood is smooth and ended our trip was cracked. Steam for one half-inch in the vicinity of the crack radiator crap.
Road site assistance seemed iffy prospect in the middle of Cambodia. I would say that you can not really your car insurance.
Me: “Hello. My car is broken.”
Operator: “Okay, we are somebody. Where art thou?”
Me: “Uh, somewhere in the middle of Cambodia.”
Operator: “… [laughs hysterically ...] Click”.
The driver awaits us. We have him. At the same time, we all have to laugh. What can you do? We were in the middle of nowhere, the radiator was shot, and it is 60 miles or so in Phnom Penh.
In retrospect, I can say that the taxi driver in Cambodia are a group of committed and creative. We sat on the edge of the road, to the fact that we are in the process, a very authentic experience of a Cambodian then we had expected. Mysterious, our driver was familiar with the brush on the side of the road. After a few minutes he came back with a sheet of dark green and a wide grin.
The MacGyver of shame, but after patch rupture in the radiator, which only the sheet and a tube of superglue. We are all back in the superglue, he called for the burning heaters, but nothing goes up in flames. After a dry season / pray that we all need water.
Although not a car expert, I know to pour cold water into the radiator of an engine overheating is a bad idea. MacGyver, uh … Driver, the eye does not bat, despite our great shaking of the arms. With a broad grin, water in the radiator, as we saw with horror. The only question is what would happen in the first place, a patch or the burst of the input of the engine?
Now you can guess how it turns out. Not only here in Phnom Penh, we learned later, the radiator has two additional leaves stains on the floor. The road was easy, but my nerves are still killed. One way or another, and the roads in Cambodia you.
At least I have enough ammunition, and MacGyver fans.
Tags: asia, cambodia, phnom penh, sihanoukville, southeast asia, taxi