There are millions of buggies hooked onto motorbikes in the streets of any city in SE Asia. The pilot of these are everyday, hard working men who navigate the streets and bring tourists to the exact destinations...sometimes to places in between to get an extra dollar...but in the end they do their job.
They are more than the job, than a driver, than another face and we got to meet two men who gave endless hours to being a Tuk Tuk driver.
The first was a sweet man who was willing to be our driver for the whole time we were in city of Phnom Penh. He became our morning driver and was so eager to take us to many sites. He was compassionate and honest. He took us to an orphange and drove us around to a candy store and rice post to get us the desired gifts to the children. He had lived through the terrible reign of the KR and in his eyes you saw the pain of the past as well as the tenacity to make the best of the future. He was a father and a husband and I am sure that his wife was very much proud of his work to bring in a few American dollars.
The second driver (the man in the white shirt) was much like out guardian and protector. Being our afternoon driver, he took us to markets, watch shops and the best Indian restaurant! He would make sure we were safe and held onto our bags as bikers sped by to not be victims of theft. He was my favorite because his story was so compelling. He has a hard working father of three children and worked endless hours to put his oldest son into a private school to give him as much opportunity as possible to be something. He told us "I don't want my son to be like me, so I will give him what I didn't have". He paid $30 dollars (American) to put his son in school and we spend $30 on supper. The inner strength and drive that these men had to make a better life for their families and the pride they had for their beat-up Tuk Tuks touched each of us. In these two men we say the beautiful spirit of Cambodia.
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