Siem Reap, Cambodia, via a carriage and meeting poverty upclose

Part 4: Siem Reap, Cambodia, via a carriage and meeting poverty
upclose

Brandon McAllister

March 21, 2007

Brandon McAllister traveled to Southeast Asia with his wife, Janie, at
the end

of 2006. Brandon kept his family up to date on their travels via e-
mails. Here

is the fourth in a series of these correspondences.

Leaving the airport, we went into the parking lot and had a tuk tuk
waiting for
us with a guy holding a sign saying, "Janie Stone & Party." It was
pretty
exciting. A tuk tuk is, in a sense, a small open-air carriage with a
roof that
is towed by a motorcycle. For $10, you can hire one for the whole day.
It was something I never quite felt comfortable with as these guys
would sit
outside and wait while we ate dinner, or if we hung out at our hotel
for a
while, they would be there waiting outside the whole time.
Cambodia is beautiful. The people all are so warm and friendly.
However, the
poverty is so noticeable it's right in front of your face everywhere.
A defining moment was when we were walking through the old market in
Siem Reap and a 3-year-old girl ran up to us and tried to sell us some
postcards. We declined, saying no thank you or "te aw koon." She then
wanted some of Janie's bubble tea and then through a temper tantrum
like any 3-year-old would because she couldn't have it. The experience
made me feel pangs of guilt as many kids came up to us, and many land
mine victims approached us.
Never have I felt the haves and the have nots of this world so defined
and right
in front of me.

Coming Thursday: Vietnamese floating village

brandonpdx@xxxxxxxxxxx

.