Live stories to touch your lives
Email : mustafasiemreap@yahoo.com
** booking of hotels at Siem Reap
** transfer from Airport or bus stations via tuk tuk waived if you book hotel through tuk tuk driver
** tuk tuk tours -- a novel way to see the Angkor Wat, the Floating Village, the National Museum, the
Cultural Village, the Markets and other attractions in and around the town of Siem Reap
Within seconds, the two rows of drivers holding name boards had disappeared from their seats with their charges and my bag pack was under the arms of a rugged man who asked if I needed a tuk tuk.
Firmly, I said a friend was coming and kept my hand on my bag pack. I took a seat and took out my PDA hand phone from my waist pouch. Before I could key in any number, a tall slim man dashed through the gate and waved. "Madam, I take you to any hotel you want for only $1. Please madam, any hotel."
I repeated my story about a friend and the guards quickly moved him to the waiting area. Unfortunately, my auto-roam died on me after the long journey. I decided to take the tuk tuk. With my son and our bag packs in tow, I moved towards the gate. I had to pass the driver and showed him the Khmer words which was printed on the hotel voucher.
He told me he knew the hotel and guided me towards the gate. Before I got on the tuk tuk, the driver introduced himself as Mustafa and gave me a name card. I read the name as Lim Safa and asked if he was a Chinese Muslim. He nodded.
We took what I felt was the longest tuk tuk ride I had by far. As we were going along straight roads, I reckoned I was not being taken for a ride. As we turned into narrower streets, Mustafa started telling me the road names as well as the hot spots of the area we were driving through. He seemed a natural guide - more than any tuk tuk driver I had met.
When we turned into the hotel carpark, I was overwhelmed by the welcoming party who swiped my bag pack from the floor of the tuk tuk barely a minute after Mustafa started introducing the various Angkor Wat temple tours he operated.
When I asked how much to pay him, I could see surprise on Mustafa's face. He said, "Anything, madam." I pulled out the only dollar bill I had from my pouch pocket and handed it to him. I was amused when he thanked me profusely and reminded me to call him.
After three restful nights and swims in the hotel pool, I managed to cajole my son into a temple tour with the lure of a tuk tuk ride. We had traveled mainly in a van when my four friends were with us in Phnom Penh.
I texted Mustafa who promptly replied in text. We arranged for a half-day tour on the next day. It was never in me to take advantage of an offer unfairly and after two rides on other tuk tuk in the three days, I felt what a smart driver Mustafa was to have ensnared me with the $1 offer, not that I had many choices that evening at the bus station! I felt obliged to call on his services again.
Mustafa got someone equally responsible to take me to the Angkor Wat temple ground as he had prior commitments. My son and I were very well-taken care of at the temple grounds and veered away from the vendors. Because of the short time we had taken there, I went to the recently opened National Angkor Museum on the tuk tuk as well.
The next morning, Mustafa fetched us to the Mekong Express Bus Station for the return trip to Phnom Penh. I expressed my concern that I should make up for the meager payment on the first day. Mustafa refused to accept any payment as he said he had never met any customer (a stupid one, I guess) that would not want a more advantageous offer.
I pushed a fiver into his hand and reminded him he had another customer he was already running late since I was delayed at the hotel checking out. He thanked me and offered me another name card. I reminded him that he had already given me one, to which he smiled and asked me to write to his website, which I assumed was his email as he was pointing to it.
If you need a down to earth and friendly driver who believes that honesty and trust is the staple in any interaction, call on Mustafa. He certainly showed me that we can remain unspoiled while the rest of the world continues to be ensnared by greed and self.
Lokemun Magar