Cambodian winter, Temperature

It's hot here, by my standards anyway.  I don't have a thermometer, but I don't think it's ever been below 30C, and if it was, not by much.  When we sit in the shade, resting and having drinks, our arms and faces bead sweat.  I can barely tolerate just standing in the direct sun if I'm not biking for air movement.

For cycling clothes, I'm wearing cycling trim cut baggies over lycra and usually a shirt with a collar.  Tori is lycra with a "cycling dress" over top, dresses and/or longer shirts she's bought.

Sum (short for Sumivarimartavan or something along those lines), one of our temple guide guys who grew up trying not to let his dads cows walk over land mines then became a monk for over a decade, does cycling clothes different.  He wore a green sweater with white horizontal stripes and a collar, it could pass for a decently preppy item out of J Crew.  It's a thick sweater, something I'd wear in November on a weekend if I actually had a casual wardrobe.  For pants he had dark navy blue "dockers" equivalent.  The whole outfit said "weekend from Boston College" more than 35C in the direct sunlight cycling if you ask me (other than the standard issue flip flops).  But maybe heat is all in our heads anyway, even though it's mind boggling.

Phea was cold after leaving our restaurant one night.  He asked me thoughtfully if I was cold, so he could find some way to help.  I only have been cold under a haywire air conditioner one night, other than that I don't see how it's possible to get cold here (he had earlier recalled a time when he was younger and it got down to 20C for a few days.  Other than that, winter is 28C on the cooler days he says.  Then he asked me about home.  We started with the temperature of a fridge and a block of restaurant ice as reference points.  It's been a long time since I've talked to anyone who's world doesn't have freezing in it.  He thought that even if he lived in his refridgerator's temperature he'd die for sure.  I said we don't wear flip flops at home when it's cold out. It can be explained, but it's a topic that doesn't sink in without experience I think.

There's a few Chevrolet (with the t pronounced) Avalanche trucks here.  We talked about what an avalanche was, which previously was totally beyond their vocabulary, probably still is in some ways. 

I've now switched back to wearing pants when we go out at night and a shirt with an undershirt.  And I can't bring myself to turning the AC at night to under 23C as we end up shivering and not sleeping well.  I can hardly believe it.