Our man in Australia, Will Pashley, just returned from a trip to Thailand and Cambodia and from speaking to him it sounds like he had an amazing time and rightfully so! From my travels in Southeast Asia, these are two spectacular countries and I feel in love with them just as my counterpart Will did. Read about Will’s time in Cambodia and his passion for scoters!

Phnom Penh is a fascinating and challenging place, the city of the scooter and hugely photogenic. I spent my short stay wishing I was just a half decent photographer as the crazy sights on every corner flashed by.

It is a desperately poor country but one that is changing; I reckon the irony is that the more it changes the less interesting it will become. But on the other hand, the more it changes, the more likely it is that some of the awful poverty might be a thing of the past. I’m glad I visited when I did, this place has a soul.

During my trip I was humbled by the smiles on the faces of handicapped children, horrified by the truth of the Khmer Rouge genocide, blown away by the commitment of the volunteers and disappointed that I saw so little of the country.

But most of all I got hooked on riding around the city on the back of a scooter, the best adrenalin rush you can imagine.

Pretty much everyone rides around on a scooter and the roads are a total free for all. There are no lanes on the roads, the mass of scooters resemble a swarm of bees where four people on a moped is nothing to comment on and very few people wear a helmet (Ed. Although we recommend all volunteers wear one, safety first!).

I know it’s reckless but it was a real treat to have the wind in my hair and to grin like an idiot at every rider we so nearly crashed into. They always grin back. There is no road rage, commuting is just a daredevil game in which everyone is welcome. The more the merrier.

But it’s a game that I cannot fathom the rules to. Take the example of the crossroads. Four, or more swarms of scooters accelerate from different directions at the intersection where a red light is merely an opening for negotiation

I think that from a helicopter, the crossroads of Phnom Penh would look like a carefully choreographed ballet. At ground level it is pandemonium but good natured and a shared white knuckle experience.

Cambodia is a bit like that, despite a terrifying recent history, third world poverty and social issues which desperately need addressing, it is an optimistic and very friendly place which deserves a lot of luck and a big leg up.

Projects Abroad volunteers do some remarkable work in what is a remarkable city. I am so glad I visited the place when I did and saw what I saw. Personally I would love to go back and reckon that as a volunteer destination, it is hard to beat.