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Tuk Tuk Driver of Siem Reap

Where do I even begin?

Definitely not in Siem Reap, because this story started back in October last year.

I was feeling particularly flat but decided to go along to a local women’s business catch up. I always feel out of place and clumsy there, but still went.

I briefly spoke with Natalie who owns RUMI restaurant since I had my upcoming book launch there later that month. She introduced me to the woman she was sitting with, Tathra.

I immediately noticed her bag which was traditional Cambodian weaving…and in that moment I knew that this meant something. So I took a sneaky photo of it before leaving..as a little confirmation that this was a “sign”….I just didn’t know what that sign was 🙂

That morning I had a feeling that I needed to focus on the colour yellow. That was my path out of feeling so flat. The feeling was so strong, that directly after the meeting..I went and had my nails painted yellow.

(And they’ve been yellow ever since)

Fast forward a month…and Tathra came over to visit the Monkey Temple after the women’s business thingy that was being held next door at East Brunswick Village.

We decided we would have coffee again in January. After the nutso Christmas season.

Well, I then unexpectedly decided to fly to Cambodia to launch this crowdfunding campaign..and my flight was booked for the same day that I was having coffee with Tathra.

So we changed our coffee to the day before I flew.

And when Tathra found out that I was flying to Cambodia she said: YOU MUST MEET WITH NOUNG, MY TUK TUK DRIVER!!!! She is incredible!!

Now, I love nothing more than a connection like that, so of course I asked Tathra to introduce us on WhatsApp.

And I can’t even explain it. But the moment I met Noung, I just knew that she would be more than a tuk tuk driver to me.

Is there such a thing as platonic love at first sight?? 🙂

Anyways – it was such a delight to get to know Noung during my short visit in Siem Reap. And it was obvious that this was a very switched on woman who gives local marginalised women an opportunity to become a tuk tuk driver. She has a fleet of about 17 women drivers. Mostly single mothers and other challenges.

I got to watch how Noung would be the connection point for all these drivers, often being their translator with the visitors from around the globe. We shared all our meals together and I was able to get more of a picture of how she does life.

Trained as an eco guide (bird watching to be precise…which if you have read my book, is another special connection), Noung uses her role as tuk tuk driver to pretty much be a social worker on wheels. Her earnings are distributed as there are endless needs.

Like me, Noung is single. And we were both born in 1974. Her birthday is actually Valentine’s Day 🙂

I’ve set up an ongoing link where we can support Noung and the work she does. My hope is that we can find as many people as possible to commit to $5 a month. Cheaper than a Melbourne coffee.

(Of course you can give more if you have the means, but I really want to highlight that very very very little can go a long way, especially if enough of us do it and on a regular basis)

https://chuffed.org/donate/121750-the-tuk-tuk-driver-of-siem-reap

I really feel this is going to be an ongoing relationship and will have so many threads that weave into the Happily Made village tapestry.

Much love,

Veronica