Walking as a way of life...

Walking everywhere

We (Peace Corps Volunteers) walk a lot here in Cambodia, when we aren't riding our bicycles.  For safety reasons, we aren't allowed to drive, nor be passengers on motorcycles, so we either ride bikes or walk.  

That said, walking isn't always all that safe as there are virtually no sidewalks and the motorized vehicles often pay little heed to the traffic laws.  This means, in short, that while walking may be a way of life, it's often a flirtation with death.

Motorcycles abound

Most of the local Cambodians don't walk or ride bikes as much as we do, rather they ride on small motorcycles or scooters, known here as  'motos'.  They are everywhere here and you will see almost anything you can imagine on them or being pulled by them. 

One favorite use of the moto is the tuk-tuk, a style of taxi which has a moto on the front pulling a small wagon behind.  Most of the time, they carry just a few people, but since the tuk-tuk is paid for by the trip, not the person, sometimes they carry a lot of people at once or a lot of cargo!

Another thing about motos is that they do not need to be licensed (nor do the drivers) for units up to and including 125cc (at least that's what we were told here in our house).  This leads to a lot of small motos on the road and even smaller drivers - some of them look like they are only 10!