5/22/13 -- Cambodia!

New Bike for Cambodia - the Exceptional
Honda Degree 250

After being quite disappointed with two of the last three motorcycles I've ridden, I decided to try a new strategy. This time I checked all the available bikes extensively, examining tires, breaks, spokes, oil…. everything, before picking the cleanest most well maintained bike on the lot. I then rented it for one day, letting the shop know that if I like it, i'll be back to take it for the next ten days. This gives me fantastic leverage to get whatever is wrong fixed before I head off into the country. When I brought the bike back on day two, I got brand new off road tires, wheel balance, front breaks and a clutch adjustment - all free! With these few tweaks, this bike is by far the best i've ridden in SE Asia. It's a Honda Degree 250cc - essentially a big dirt bike with a decent seat, big gas tank, and an upright riding position for long distance cruising. It's AWESOME, I find myself grinning ear-to-ear every time I hop on. 

Fantastic Road System in Cambodia
Bokor National Park

Immediately upon arrival in Cambodia, the road system has improved dramatically. The national highway network is smooth, wide, and well maintained with little traffic. Best of all, all vehicle types have the same speed limit, and its fast: 90 km/h! In Vietnam, bikes were often limited to 60, while all other vehicles were allowed to go 80. This created a terrifying scenario of constantly being passed by massive vehicles. While the main highways are excellent, almost all the side and local roads are rough-cut gravel and dirt, making for some very fun off road riding. The soil is a rich terra-cotta red that splatters all over the bike and me - it looks rad. Suffice it to say, driving in Cambodia is much easier, more fun, and I can cover a lot more ground in much less time here - quite a relief! 

Big Time Foreign Investment in
Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Remote Fuel Fill Up
2L Bottles and a Metal Funnel 

There's little pockets of foreigners and American expats here and there. They seem to be in concentrations in coastal communities like Kampot, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong. While in Vietnam, foreigners seemed to be mostly tourists, but in Cambodia folks seem to be actually living here and doing business. Many expats own and operate guest houses, bars, and restaurants. It's been surprising to see westerners raising families, driving, shopping - just going about their lives here in these small towns on the southern coast of Cambodia. I helped one English woman look over a 1940's Willy's Jeep that she wanted to buy from a local. She was one of the few foreigners that actually wanted to chat. It's funny how westerners tend to avoid eye contact with one another - as though we're disturbing one another's authentic experience. 

Questionable Bridge Construction

I met a pretty funny Englighman this morning. He was nursing a wicked hangover, and had carved himself out a little corner in 'Bob's Ice Cream and Diner." "This is all you fault!" He chided the waitress jokingly. "You shouldn't have given me all those beers last night!" He's a funny dude - probably about 50 or so, his face red from sun and alcohol. We got to chatting about our motorcycles which were parked out on the street. He's living here, and had purchased a Suzuki Rebel 250 a couple weeks ago - our two bikes are quite similar actually. I laughed as he explained all the fixes he's had to go through - apparently the local mechanic had torn apart the front suspension, and had it in about 1,000 pieces last night. He had not requested suspension service, and could not explain what he wanted - so he decided to go into town and get royally drunk to solve the problem. The best part is that it worked! He picked up the bike intact this morning. I had hoped we could ride together for a while, but he's heading south to Sihanoukville, and i'm off to the north. Best of luck sir!

Massive Infrastructure Development -
Hydro Electric Plant Construction
Bokor National Park

The more time in I spend in Cambodia, the more amazed I am by this brilliant, beautiful, and most immensely resilient country. The people of this land have been through hell and back, and are still pushing forward with a determination that defies imagination. From French occupation, to horrific spillover from the Vietnam war and American bombs, to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge genocide, its been decades of struggle for Cambodians. The last 20 years have been good for the country. A constitutional monarchy has been put back in place since the mid 1990's, and according to Wikipedia the country has shown 6 percent GDP growth for the last 10 years. Quite impressive! You see this economic development throughout the country. New construction is taking place everywhere, particularly in cities and resort towns. Unfortunately there's still a dramatic wealth gap. The discrepancy between rich and poor is far more pronounced here than in Vietnam, or even the United States for that matter. The streets of Phnom Penh are clotted with outlandishly expensive Lexus, Toyota, and Range Rover SUV's - not just the middle range, but the most expensive models you can buy. As these behemoth luxury land yachts tear by on the highway, women and children pick through piles of trash looking for food, holding infants to their chests. In Vietnam most people are not wealthy, but nearly everyone seems to be making it. Thats not the case in Cambodia, as there's some serious struggling going on here. My only hope is that the rapid growth of the economy benefits those that on the streets as well as those at the top. 

Fast, Big Construction Projects Resulting
In Major Erosion and Water Pollution

Environmental protection can often be a struggle in developing countries, and Cambodia is no exception. The country has a rich history of dense rainforest, and an incredibly bio diverse ecosystem. As little as 15 years ago much of the country was covered by unspoiled forest filled with tigers and elephants. Unfortunately in recent years much of that has been lost in the name of development. Slash and burn agriculture has taken down much of the forest to produce sugarcane. Huge hydroelectric projects are being installed as we speak with little regard for environmental impact. Many rivers run red due to poor erosion control on large earthworks projects. The government appears to be promoting some public service announcements in the form of billboards. These signs use pictographs to help educate the public on productive, and environmentally conscious farming and fishing methods. While it's a step in the right direction, I fear it may be too little too late.