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A Travel Guide for Parents
Family vacations can be one of the best ways to make memories
that will last you and your kids a lifetime. But no matter how
long you are staying at your chosen destination, when traveling
with children the longest part of the trip can be your...
Halstatt, Austria – Scoffing At The Sound Of Music
Set in Austria, the Sound of Music is an epic film spurring dreams of a heavenly land in every child that sees the movie. In truth, they should have filmed the movie in Halstatt, Austria. Halstatt I had been in Salzburg for four days and was...
Hello from Cuba (10) - A Country Excursion
Hotel Havana Libre, Sunday, April 10, 2005, 12:45 pm
After my walk through the Vedado neighbourhood, my friend Pedro came to pick me up since I had suggested a little excursion with a rental car to get to know the countryside. His wife and...
Margaret Island - Paradise in Budapest
The Danube River runs through the center of Budapest in Hungary. In the middle of the city chaos lays an oasis of tranquility, Margaret Island.
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is one of the unique elements of Budapest. The island is located in...
Mountain and Frontier West, By Elana Andersen
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Arts programs have been an important component of community
downtown revitalization programs across the country, but Idaho
Falls has taken its commitment to new heights. It started seven
years ago with the opening of the city new...
Tips On Finding Coupons For Rental Cars
When it comes to renting a car, there are a lot of things to think about. For instance, do you want to rent a cheap or luxury car, do you need a one-way rental, a rental car for traveling in Europe or even a large passenger van for up to 15 people?...
Top Tourist Attractions in Barcelona, Spain
Planning a trip to Barcelona? Don't forget these popular
attractions. Barcelona, located in Spain is one of the most
beautiful places to visit. Make sure you see all it has to offer
when you are there. From museums to popular beaches, and...
Tourist Guide For London
Tourist Guide For London By Lisa Mills
London is an exciting, vibrant city, offering a whole host of
things to do and see. It is also one of the safest cities in the
world.
In order to make your experience as...
Unforgettable White Mountains Vacations – The Most Scenic 100 Miles in New England
This amazing drive through the White Mountains of New Hampshire has a gorgeous vista at every turn, oodles and oodles of family vacation fun, and a visit to the home of the world wind speed record. Just keep reading to discover a remarkable trip on...
What You Need To Know About – Barcelona Travel
Welcome to the home of 1888 World’s Fair and 1992 Olympics, the capital of Catalan region-a culture branded for its unique amalgam of Spanish and French mode of cooking. Known for its affluent culture and heritage, the city of Barcelona nestled on...
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Dirt Biking in Cambodia - Take a Spin on the Wild Side!
Dirt Biking in Cambodia - Take a Spin on the Wild Side! If
you're thinking of hiring a dirt bike and heading out into the
Cambodian sticks, here are a few tips for the most serious - and
not so serious - off-road adventurers. Before you go * If you're
taking your own bike, get it fully serviced before long trips.
Check your tyres, brake pads, oil, cables and suspension,
especially if you're heading deep into remote areas. The last
thing you need is a breakdown in the middle of nowhere! * Make
sure you know basic bike maintenance and repair. It's pointless
to have a perfect toolkit if you don't know how to use it!
What to take * Wear a helmet. There, I've said it. Wear a
helmet! If you do wipe out it's going to be the only thing
between your skull and the ground. Bike shops provide these with
rentals, so try on a few until you get a good fit. * If you have
one, a medium size Camelback is perfect. You don't want a
massive back-pack weighing down your back tyre, so try to pack
as minimally as possible. Russian market sells a wide range of
day-packs perfect for riding, and most guesthouses and
hotels can take care of other baggage for you. A bum-bag
(fanny-pack) is perfect for carrying spare parts, tools and
other small items. * Jeans or combat pants and a long-sleeved
T-shirt are the best clothes for riding, and a sturdy pair of
footwear is a good idea for protection. As biking boots are hard
to come by in Cambodia, most people use tough shoes or
comfortable army boots. You can pick up a pair of army boots for
about $7 at the army surplus market on Pochentong Road. * Don't
bring too many clothes with you- just a set of clothes for
riding and a few changes for evenings or around town. Laundry is
cheap and quick so you can get your things cleaned along the
way. Save a little space for a hammock & mosquito net if you'll
be camping out or staying in a village. * Dry season can get
very dusty, so wear some eye protection. If you don't have
riding goggles you can pick up clear plastic safety glasses at
Central Market for a few dollars. You'll need them at dusk as
well when all the bugs come out. * Main routes usually have
small bike repair shops that can deal with flat tyres and minor
problems, but if you're heading far off the beaten track, a
decent first aid kit and toolkit is advisable. A good toolkit
would include a puncture repair kit, pump, a set of Allen keys,
tyre levers and electrician's tape. * Dirt-bike parts might be
hard to find in the provinces, so as a bare minimum take a spare
inner tube, spare cables and levers for your clutch and brake, a
few chain link and brake pads. You'll need a few extra sets of
brake pads in the rainy season as they will wear out quickly. A
good oil-spray will keep your chain slick. * When heading into
the countryside, it's best to carry a combination of local
currency (riel) and low/medium denomination dollar bills. Faded
or torn higher denomination bills are useless so don't accept
them from anyone. On the Road * Try to get an early start on
rides, the earlier the better. The weather will be cooler and
the roads leaving Phnom Penh less hectic. If heading into remote
areas, this will also give you more time for rough stretches,
rest stops and possible breakdowns. * Cover up and use sunscreen
when riding; don't be deceived by the wind in your ears, it's
HOT out there! A krama (Cambodian scarf) is cheap and will
protect the back of your neck. * Drink plenty of water (that's
where the Camelback comes in!). Buy some 'Royal D' rehydration
salts and add them to your drinking water at rest stops; most
pharmacies in Phnom Penh carry them for a few hundred riel. Heat
exhaustion won't hit you until the evening, and the last thing
you want is to feel groggy when you should be relaxing. * We all
hate them but mosquitoes are here to stay. Use a good repellent
to keep them off you, and try to cover up around sunset when
they're at their hungriest. Guesthouses will
nearly always provide mosquito nets if necessary; make sure you
tuck them under your mattress before sleeping. Natural
deterrents include citronella spray, and Vitamin B12 or garlic
supplements. * Repellent may also deter leeches in jungle areas,
but check your ankles and arms if you've been riding in the wet
or through slow-moving water. * Don't tempt fate by leaving an
open invitation for people to steal things. When parking up and
exploring, make sure you lock up your bike and remove the keys.
You'll probably want to take your bags with you as well for
peace of mind. * If you're not
sure of the best path around an
obstacle, a flooded pothole or through a very rough patch, look
for tell-tale tracks from past bikes or carts. * It is very
common for bridges in Cambodia to be missing a few planks, or
even complete sides. Half-built bridges are rarely closed off
and usually have a small, unmarked diversion. Be very cautious
when approaching all bridges in rural area; you don't want a
10-foot drop at 60 km per hour! * Riding in rural areas brings
with it rural hazards, so always keep your eyes open for
chickens, dogs, pigs, cows (and young children!) that might, and
usually do, run into the road. Be particularly careful around
sunset, as rural roads will be full of cows being herded home
and students leaving school on bicycles. Farm animals are one of
the largest cause of biking injuries, and getting to a hospital
may be a matter of hours, if not days. * Use your horn. Sounding
a horn is not considered rude or aggressive in Cambodia, and is
used by everyone simply to say "I'm here". Use it as much as you
like; going around corners, through towns and passing
cyclists/cars etc. * Don't expect other people on the road to
let you know their intentions. Swinging across to the opposite
side of the road without signalling is VERY common, so give
other vehicles a wide berth and watch them carefully for any
sudden moves. Again, use your horn to tell them you're there, as
they won't be used to fast-moving vehicles coming up behind
them. * In the rainy season harmless looking puddles can turn
out to be deeper than you might expect, sinking your bike,
flooding your engine and sending you flying. If in doubt, follow
old tyre tracks or go around it. * Look out for tree branches
sticking up from the middle of the road; these have been placed
here to warn passing vehicles of hazards such as ditches, holes
and deep puddles. * Jungle roads and bridges are often
maintained by locals working of their own accord. Please show
your appreciation by dropping them a few hundred riel as a
contribution for their work; if it wasn't for them many remote
areas would be impassable. * No matter which country you're
riding in, some advice is universal. Use your common sense, keep
your wits about you, and don't hare it around corners or through
villages. Wherever you go people will be accommodating and
friendly, so don't ruin it for everyone else by being
thoughtless. Considerate riding and respect will ensure
villagers' hospitality is long-lived. Cultural Tips * Many areas
you pass through have seen few foreigners, so don't be surprised
if the residents of a whole village appear out of nowhere when
you stop for a rest. Be prepared for plenty of stares and
perhaps some nose-pulling by the children, and smile! * In any
Buddhist culture, the head is considered sacred, so don't touch
anyone on the head, even playfully. Young children are ok
though. Another cultural no-no is pointing your feet at someone,
especially the sole. * As with most countries in the region,
outward shows of anger are considered taboo, and will rarely get
the reaction you expect. In fact a common Khmer reaction to such
confrontations is to smile or even laugh, which can be
infuriating to outsiders. Keep your cool and don't take it
personally, it's simply the Cambodian way of trying to placate
you. * Be sure to take your shoes off when entering someone's
home and pagodas. A row of shoes outside is a tell-tale sign. If
in doubt, have a look around to see what other people are doing.
If you're concerned about theft of expensive footwear, carry it
with you. * When visiting pagodas or sacred areas, please remove
your helmet or any other headwear before entering the grounds.
Again check to see if people are removing their shoes and follow
their lead. If visiting hill tribe cemeteries, please respect
their beliefs by not entering 'ghost-houses' or burial areas
without being invited. Hill tribes believe this would bring bad
luck and disease to their community. The part you don't want to
hear * In the event of an accident, it's amazing how quickly
locals and police appear out of nowhere. If you've hit someone
else, expect to have compensation demanded from you, whether the
accident was your fault or not. The longer you hang around, the
more ridiculous the demands are going to get ($300 for a broken
bike foot-peg is one expat's experience!). Try to settle the
problem as quickly as possible, because if the police get
involved you'll have to deal with their costs and possible bike
impounding as well. The best solution? Safe and considerate
riding. Prevention is better than cure!
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