Garment Factory Workers in the Rain | Phnom Penh

Taking the cows home through the rice paddies, before the rain sets in

After two great days visiting the sights in and around Sihanoukville, shrines at Pich Nil Pass, the lush green pine forest of Kirirom National Park, then dabbling our feet in a clear running stream at the waterfalls, our tour bus headed back to Phnom Penh city.

Heavy monsoon rain, river rising rapidly under the bridges

Rain and more rain

It was the shortest distance to travel back to Phnom Penh for the night and start afresh the next  day for Battambang. The clouds had hung low all afternoon as we headed back, darkening and becoming more oppressive the closer we got to Phnom Penh. By the time we reached the outskirts of Phnom Penh heavy rain had already fallen and flooded low-lying areas.

Outskirts of Phnom Penh traffic chaos, local flooding from heavy rain

Industrial estate outskirts of Phnom Penh Garment factories

Workers from the Garment Factories waiting to go home

  Garment Factory Workers in the rain

On the outskirts of Phnom Penh we passed the garment  factories, where  young girls from the outlying villages travel in a small truck  to work everyday. There are many factories in this area for garment making, the garments exported to the US. Transport like this small truck  bring the young women in of a morning, and then takes them home of an evening. Outside the factory young women wait in the rain for their transport home.

Young women from the Garment Factories 

Truck Transport

I felt so sorry for the young women as they stood, packed into the back of this small truck  like sardines, after putting in such long hours (usually a 12 hour day)in the factory, no such thing as a seat to sit on, and we complain about our public transport. A few safety issues here would be an understatement.

 Garment Factory workers being trucked home  

The rain came down in torrents

The rain was coming down in torrents. Traffic became a nightmare  The normal 30 minutes drive to get back to our hotel ended up taking us two hours. We pulled up with a sense of relief outside our hotel. Hotel staff came out to greet us with umbrellas as the rain pelted down. We thanked our driver gratefully for bringing us back safely through the blinding rain and streets swirling with two foot of water at varying places. The slow pace through the city was as much for the safety of others as for us. We sat in the bus in relevant comfort and safety, but people in cars,small trucks, tuk tuks etc., were at particular disadvantage from the wash of  larger vehicles such as our tourist bus. I must say our driver was particularly mindful of this fact.

Lucky us, we had an hour to shower and freshen up before the bus picked up us again to take us to a former French restaurant for dinner.

Tomorrow an early start for Battambang….

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