Ride For Cambodia?

[George]

I saw a scooter today pulling a load of bamboo (as used to build the scaffold above.) There was a dolly under the center of the loooooooooooong load, and the longest was tied to the seat of the scoot. No frame or trailer, just like a logging truck in the US.

We gotta get some more pics of such, but there's tons of such pics on the webs. Wide and/or heavy loads don't seem to bother them tho I did see one load getting a push start the other day. In addition, they use "tractors" which are like large garden tillers. Remove the plow or whatever and hook up a trailer loaded with what looks like tons of produce or people and haul it down the highway.

My Cambodia Picasa album is up but not yet commented. Working on it and adding pics as I go...
https://picasaweb.google.com/114084117152339488121/Cambodia

 

[Throttlejockey]

Bamboo scaffolding across from our hotel balcony. Where's OSHA when you need em?????

Wow! Now that looks really scary.... I can see a big pile of toothpicks when that collapses. I envy you guys seeing so many different sights over there. Looks like a great time!

 

[Raven]

So here's some more...

While Danny headed up to Preah Vihear for an over night, George, Joe and I did a loop. We made it to Along Veang (Pol Pot's town) but turned West rather than East for a loop through 'flatistan' back to Siem Reap.

We ate food we didn't recognize in Along Veang.


Stop at a Circle K for gas.


Watched a woman cook a stringy green vegetable.


Met some nice folks at another Circle K...


And saw a family of five out for an evening drive in their minivan!


Today we made our way to Battambang.

The Silk Farm was cool.


I'm having trouble posting pictures tonight so will try those tomorow.

 

[Scooter]

Bamboo scaffolding across from our hotel balcony. Where's OSHA when you need em?????

Actually you might be surprised at the strength of bamboo. I'd have no problem at all being on that scaffold. Google strength of bamboo for some insight...

 

[George]

Agree with Scooter on his bamboo scaffolding comments, I've seen pics of 20 story construction, all behind bamboo scaffolding. It is amazing stuff, and certain parts of the bamboo plant are edible. (Memories of Euell Gibbons )

(Most of my Picasa pics are now commented, but I need to add another album for Thailand and beginning of the trip. Also, many of mine are out of chronological order. Ugh! Wish I was more 'puter literate.)

(side note: Richard Winters, the Aussie in the pics from Seam Reap with the VSTROM is an old friend of Don Feyma of st-riders fame and also a member here. Don received pics of us from Richard before youse folks saw them from us. Small world. I'll post his web site soon's I find his card in my stack o' stuff.)

 

[olegeezer]

Actually you might be surprised at the strength of bamboo. I'd have no problem at all being on that scaffold. Google strength of bamboo for some insight...

+1 That's what George told me and I believe ya. It's all just so foreign to us "foreigners". I love seeing the way they make things work and get it all done. Like Ravens pic above with the woman and 4 kids all on the same scooter, we cringe at the thought and they just make it work. I'll probably be over the "cringing" by the time I leave here.

 

[Digiamo]

I'm settin' to ride on outa the Home Sweet Home to meet with the boys at the other hotel to discuss departure and routing to Bantam Bang.
Here's a few pics from the last two days:
Here is the Temple on the Thai border after a steeep ride up.
VIETNAMESE built these bunkers during the American War. Cambodian army uses them when fighting the Thailand Army.
Droid S 3 & TT2

 

[TipSTer]

Danny, looks fun/cool picts one of the picture I see twisties road in background, did you rode up that hill? did they just have a war Thai/Khmer last summer over this temple?

 

[Digiamo]

That is the access road to the temple so yes we rode that road. I have a Gopro video of that waiting for me to get the time to get it posted.
Last war with Thailand was two years ago and did affect the Rideforcambodia back then. They had to stay away from that area and missed the temple tour.


Droid S 3 & TT2

 

[George]

Should have sent the boyz with Danny to see Pol Pot's grave. We got a couple good ones here tho.

 

[Indian Express]

I'm enjoying the ride! Keep the pictures coming. The third world construction techniques are pretty amamzing aren't they?

 

[Raven]

Today we met Bunnarath Som. He drives a tuk-tuk but his passion is running an English school in his village. Check out his website (www.brick-for-cambodia.net) to find out more. I'll also take just a momment to say that a major reason for this trip is to help groups like the Slarkram English School and Sustainable Cambodia make a better future.*

Now some more on Bunnarath. When he was three months old, both of his parents were shot in the head by the Khmer Rouge bc they were teachers. His parents sheilded him with their bodies. Miraculously, all three survived the attempted execution although his father now suffers from traumatic epilepsy due to his brain injury. They continue on as teachers and Bunnarath has followed in their footsteps by opening the Slarkram English School.

Here's the pitch. If you've enjoyed seeing all the photos and making this trip vicariously, share this post and give a few dollars via paypal to either Bunnarath (bunnarath2003@yahoo.co.uk) or Sustainable Cambodia (www.sustainablecambodia.org).

It's that easy and you can't even imagine what a huge impact even a small amount makes here.

 

[Digiamo]

Thanks, Raven for the reminder of the main purpose of this ride...The children.
We appreciate any help folks can manage.

Here is a taste of a Cambodian mechanic shop. They were great and even offered me a dinner plate and a bag of tiny clams spiced to my upper limit of tolerance. They showed me how to open them with my teeth and they were quite good.

The new fork seals were $5 parts and labor and took about a half hour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHlf9rv-wYI&feature=youtu.be

 

[Don-STOC237]

Today we met Bunnarath Som. He drives a tuk-tuk but his passion is running an English school in his village. Check out his website (www.brick-for-cambodia.net) to find out more. I'll also take just a momment to say that a major reason for this trip is to help groups like the Slarkram English School and Sustainable Cambodia make a better future.*

Now some more on Bunnarath. When he was three months old, both of his parents were shot in the head by the Khmer Rouge bc they were teachers. His parents sheilded him with their bodies. Miraculously, all three survived the attempted execution although his father now suffers from traumatic epilepsy due to his brain injury. They continue on as teachers and Bunnarath has followed in their footsteps by opening the Slarkram English School.

Here's the pitch. If you've enjoyed seeing all the photos and making this trip vicariously, share this post and give a few dollars via paypal to either Bunnarath (bunnarath2003@yahoo.co.uk) or Sustainable Cambodia (www.sustainablecambodia.org).

It's that easy and you can't even imagine what a huge impact even a small amount makes here.

You can't send paypal to a website address, and the donation procedure on the www.sustainablecambodia.org website is convoluted and not very easy to use.

I ended up sending my donation by paypal directly to Bunnarath's email address. I hope he checks his email - paypal says he's not registered.

 

[George]

Just a reminder: I'm accepting contributions for Sustainable Cambodia into my PayPal account,,, money will be handed over directly.

cattmando@gmail.com

Banarath seems an exceptional young man and we each gave him some money.

Thanks, Don, doing what you can.

 

[Raven]

I ended up sending my donation by paypal directly to Bunnarath's email address. I hope he checks his email - paypal says he's not registered.

Thanks Don.

I have his phone number and will let him know (his phone number is also listed on his website).

 

[Mellow]

It was so much easier to just send to George... thanks George!

 

[Bigmak96]

It was so much easier to just send to George... thanks George!

+1 you da man Geo.!

 

[Digiamo]

On our way up the hill to Praeh Vihear temple on the Thai border: No foul if you FF to the uphill twisties.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ7UXqeKa3Y

 

[Digiamo]

George may be going through some sort of incantation, being as he is a bit ill looking and his behavior strange;


Droid S 3 & TT2