Travel Blogging Runs in My Family

My sister suggested that I start a travel orientated, photo rich blog of my travels. So here it is. Seeing as how she will be the only one reading it, I'm going to break convention and not do the I went here, I did this format, but rather present it by subject, or group of images that I can loosely loop into a subject based purely on whimsy.

Today’s subject is local transport oddities...those motorized conveyors of people and goods (but most importantly people) that are completely (or relatively) unique to a country or region.

The top image is from Thailand (Bangkok's Ko San Road to be precise). This flashy hybrid motorcycle taxi is called a "tuk-tuk". That’s onomatopoeia...it makes a tuk...tuking noise. They are also used in Lao, but have less power and a different pitch to the motor. The name is the same, but pronounced differently to reflect the difference in motor noise. I love literal languages. The strange looking machine in the middle is the rural equivalent of a tuk-tuk, and is essentially a rota-tiller tractor attached to a cart. Top speed: 5mph (downhill with a strong tailwind). Name: Dok-dok. Reason for name: see above.

This last beauty is from the Battambang rail line of North-western Cambodia. It is a bamboo train powered by a small motor, and is easily assembled by three Cambodians in less than two minutes. The come apart even easier, which is good, because they have to be taken of the track if other rail traffic is coming. The rules of the road are that the heavier vehicle has the right of way. The go faster than the actual Khmer trains, which if you seen the condition of the tracks, is not surprising, as it is time consuming to re-rail a de-railed train.