The Pramaoy Hillbillies 👨🌾 We Are The Clampetts Of Cambodia 🛺
That is my wife's foot dangling out of the tuk-tuk in the above photo, so don't accuse of not making efficient use of limited space when it comes to transporting our household items.
👨🌾 Who Are The Clampetts? 🛢️
Because most of my readers are Southeast Asians, I'm not so some of you would be familiar with the reference in my title, so I have shared the opening scene from this old American TV show, depicting the hillbillies striking it rich with oil and moving to Beverly Hills.
I unfortunately come from a place in the USA of which this show pokes fun at, so in a sense we have struck it "rich" with HIVE, but have chosen to escape from life in $50 rental rooms in the city and head for the hills. Our tale is a bit different, but when we move pack our things in the tuk-tuk, the local Cambodians look at us like we are the Pramaoy Hillbillies.
Selfie With Srey-Yuu 🤳
Dad-daughter selfies are the worst, at least that's what Srey-Yuu thinks, but despite her efforts to sabotage every photo op, sometimes I get a cute pic when I just copy whatever she's doing to avoid the photo. These are the kind of pre-road-trip shenanigans I orchestrate in order to build up morale for the journey ahead.
The Shoes Of Shame Are Actually Incredible 🐊
Back in the USA, the extremely popular "CROCS" slip-on shoes are either loathed or loved, and I had never considering purchasing a pair because I hated from the first moment I saw them. Well, I hate even more to share some top-secret info with you all, but Srey-Yuu recently got a pair for herself, and I borrowed her Crocs to take a midnight pee-run, and now I understand what all the rage is about.
🚐 On-Line Shopping 📡
In recent years Cambodia has invented its own form of online shopping, with almost all of it being Facebook pages with photos and prices. A certain level of trust must be involved, because the payment is done via a bank transfer after a price is determined. Once the money is sent, there is no way to get it back if the receiver doesn't want to return the funds.
Eventually online payments will be integrated so that things are more traceable and secure, but this old-school approach works quite well actually. A little bit of messenger chatting, then an app to app transfer, and a few days we go to a bus station and claim our goods by proving ownership of the phone number assigned to the packages.
🗄️ On The Road Again 🛺
Here is example of the efficiency of a tuk-tuk for family transport. We are able to move our entire life around with only three 10-inch wheels and 435cc of diesel fury. With a refrigerator hanging out the back and the family precariously seated within, we sat off on another transport trip.
That is Srey-Yuu seated in her little nook of butt space. We've removed the passenger seats for now to give us more cargo space, so the ladies just sit wherever they can claim a space, with Pov always in the most pretzel-like of positions.
On this trip we kind of overdid it, so Monkey-B had to ride up front with me. I have to sit off-center with her next to me, but I can handle it for a couple of hours without any back problems. And this is how we move of our things, you only need look at the thumbnail/first pic again to see the only signs of Sreypov being onboard were a foot and part of a shin.
As usual, sorry for not being an engaged Hiver lately. We are still sleeping rough and making constant back-and-forth transport trips. By this weekend we hope to have all of our things moved and be focused on life here by the river's edge.
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Hehe. Reminds me of the early days when I lived in Thailand. recently married and all we had was a Honda Wave. I moved everything we owned on multiple trips on that scooter. Everything from the TV to the washing machine and the plastic chairs we dined on. Good times and great memories. That tuktuk looks very cool! Please tell me you own it!
I've moved my whole life around on plenty of Cubs, Waves, and Dreams. The Piaggio Ape is mine, always wanted one. When Bajaj began exporting the smaller tuk-tuks here several years ago, we were among the first buyers. But I've always dreamed of a Piaggo Ape, and unfortunately they began exporting not long after we got our Bajaj. This re-entry to Cambodia gave me a chance to get the ride of my dreams, 435cc of diesel fury, and seats 7+ quite comfortably, sideways jumpseats in the back.
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this remind me of my old post of a motorbike being transport from siem reap to phnom penh at the back of the bus. now i know why you that Cambodia is an expert when come to transporting item using public vehicle .. haha
Haha, I have seen plenty of motorbikes precariously strapped to the back of minivans, very Cambodian.
haha they are legend !!!
I can't watch your video. Your tuk-tuk is always interesting and great to me.
I rarely shop online being Facebook because I feel insecure. If the shop being Facebook is not famous or well known I definitely don't risk it. Even today, online shopping being Facebook is popular and accepted. in online shoppers in Thailand. But I mostly shop online with reputable e-commerce companies, for example Lazada. I am confident that shopping can get me cheap, safe and good products.
Good day Thank you for sharing your story and good experience.
There's no video in this post. I understand your insecurity about shopping online. We still don't have anything like Lazada or Shoppee here yet, but I'm sure websites like these will come to Cambodia once ATM/Debit cards and banking apps become more common.
Did you get land in the place you were posting about??? Congratulations on your new home 🙌
We did, a dream realized. Thank you my friend, we love this new life in the clouds.
I'm so excited for you 🙌🙌🙌 And I loved that series, too
I'm excited to read your blogs in you and your family's new home.
It is truly magical here, we feel so fortunate to be able to live here.
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Oh yes, I have the TV comedy series way back in the 1970s. Great that you have strike it rich and moving to your own place. Moving house is tough work, it is even tougher when you have to do it yourself. But it's worth it for the paradise that you have by the stream.
Very funny that you know of this show. My area of the United States is famous for hillbillies, so when I visit a place like New York or California, everyone laughs at my English accent. We are really loving the life here, especially the sound of the rapids at night.
Hehehe.
Pictures of your wife's feet are common in our place.
Because here we will also do the same thing when our place doesn't fit anymore, the important thing is that we can sit, and the things we carry can get to the destination, that's cool mate, don't think about weird things either, Hehehe.
For me, living in a village or in the mountains is more comfortable than living in an urban area which is always noisy with vehicles and the air is not fresh.
If I was given a choice by my parents, whether I want to live in a city or a village, then for me it will be in the village or in a place like the one you live now, my friend.
The selfie photo of the father and son is also funny, I see, hehehe.
Haha, hopefully only one more trip with my wife's leg poking out of the tuk-tuk. I grew up in the countryside in the USA, so it is nice to return to this lifestyle here in Cambodia, although I didn't have beautiful mountains like this when I was young.
Yeah, I hope you can always enjoy a place like this, my friend.
The only thing missing is a grandmother or grandpa in a rocking chair, on top of your Ape ;<)
Now you invoke the Griswalds, and I think we are definitely part Griswald. My nickname in school was Clark, and I believe that is the father's name in all of those movies.
Haha!
'Griswald' sounds like a creature to me - somewhere inbetween a Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, and a Grizzly but then not dangerous. Probably also because Wald is german for forest/ wood haha!
Please keep them updates coming as it reminds me on how SE Asia was again. Loving the snaps dude !
But uh crocks.....hehehhe
Yeah, CROCS, they are sinfully comfortable, although I don't technically own a pair yet, it's only a matter of time before Srey-Yuu cuts me off, then I won't have any night-time shoes for a muddy run to the toilet.
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I know the Beverly Hillbillies! I got the reference! 😂
That is certainly a well used tuk-tuk. These are the things that great stories and memories are made from!
Easy Hive content when the Ape is loaded up, sort of a modern Bev Hillbillies / Griswalds on three wheels. Thanks for stopping by.
It's great to see that things are working in your favour. I'm really enjoying seeing the family's progress.
Wow.. crocs are pretty strange isn't it.. those oversized slipper . Hahaha.. that first pic is epic.. hahaha..
You APE is simply awesome.. so many things can be placed in even a fridge. This is an advert for APEs.. wow.. these are very agile yet tough.. even a fridge fits inside. That is amazing.. with only 435cc... And those wheels. Amazing..
Monkey B always have that cute expression.. she learns from the best.. hahaha I guess also her cheeks.. are pinchable.
We should definitely contact Piaggio for some advertising ops, although not all of what we do on the road is technically legal by European standards. Funn that the rear wheels don't even straighten out until there's about 600kg or so onboard. I will soon become an owner of CROCS, and all the shame that goes along with it.
Hehehe... I guess in Asia many of those illegal stuff in Europe are done here... Ahhaha.. in Malaysia, construction workers go about doing their work without harness.. imagine getting an advertising op from Piaggo.. that would be super cool. Sadly, APE isn't available in Malaysia. Only cars.. and motorcycles.
Oh no, I think when a country gets too modern, the first they do is ban three-wheelers. No Apes in the USA or Canada either, but I did enquire on what it would take to get one from Mexico to the USA, far too expensive to be practical.
Ooo . Wow.. that is quite sad.. such a great ride.. saves petrol and is safer than a motorcycle and is family friendly. 😀😀😀 Have a great day..
Ok. My brain goes haywire trying to come up with a blueprint of how you stuff the fridge in the middle of the ape. If Srey-yuu is on the port side as a cushion of the fridge, which means your waifu is on the starboard side, also as a cushion 🤣🤣🤣
Jokes aside, I'm just glad all these is coming to an end. Please continue to stay safe guys!
A lot of trial and error, definitely make mistakes and have to reload, but we eventually cram as much as possible and hit the road. We are officially done moving, but still have some paperwork and school stuff to finish up in the old town.
Wow, I'm amazed how that tuk tuk even moves, with all that stuff inside! Can it go up an inclined street? 😁
Only 10 HP, but a nearly one ton cargo capacity, it's mind boggling. It does have a lot of torque, and I have yet find something I can't climb in 2nd gear, of course provided I have traction. The poor Ape gets stuck on flat ground at our new place because it's all clay backfill dirt with no grass growing yet.
Amazing idea of the posting reblog your all posting dear
🙏🙏🙏
🤲🤲🤲🤲
Looks like it was a successful trip. It reminded me of a time in college when I moved cities and the truck, which was quite large, was so full that my dog had to sit on the floor of the passenger seat, which she was not pleased about having to do.
The wife is definitely impressed with how efficiently I load a car, and it's still hard for me to explain the vast distances we casually cover for work or relocating, etc. I've surely driven through the equivalent of 5 or 6 Cambodias without even stopping for a pee break before, but that was way back in my 20s.
It's a real art, that is for sure. It's like a real-life game of luggage Tetris.
amazing article in always happy life
👊🙏
Love it! The Clampetts reborn! You are certainly very good at making use of every little space, even if it's a wife or child 😉
I need to mash up the Griswalds and the Clampetts, perhaps the Grispetts or the Clamwalds? We're a little bit of both, but 100% Griswalds on the road thanks to me.
You could name your rental cabins those names. You'd get a chuckle every time your rented them out.