Cruising into Kratie

We jumped on the bus after a short stay in Kampong Cham and headed north - following the Mekhong River into central-eastern Cambodia. After a 3 1/2 hour trip, inclusive of a 30 minute lunch break in what can only be described as a rubbish tip (and we're being (a) very serious anf (b) quite generous in the description) we arrived into Kratie. Possibly the best thing about the ride north was that we expected it to take 6 hours and it only lasted 3 1/2.

After the necessary and turbulent battle of wills between the throng of tuk-tuk and motodup drivers vying for the attention and money of the newly arrived gwailo (round eye's) we jumped onto the back of 2 small scooters (vespa's) - 40 kg packs and all!! Within seconds we were at the Oudom Sambath Hotel - looking across at the Mekhong River and Koh Throng Island (sitting pretty in the middle of the river). How do we describe our new palace?? Hmmm.... tackishly Cambodian.... tiled from floor to ceiling.... with 2 foam beds and towels/ terry cloth blankets BUT...... a long awaited HOT SHOWER!!! It might seem funny to you - but after over a week of cold showers we were ready for some water that generated a little steam and heat.

Having dropped our packs in a cloud of fine brown dust (the consistency of talcom powder) we headed out and into town. Naturally we had to navigate our way through the motodup drivers that had followed us to the hotel and explain that "NO! We don't want a driver, or a bike, or a tour, or the see the dolphins just yet! We just want to be left alone and want to walk into town!"

Some 300 meters along the river, past the Buddhist Monestary, defunct pharmacies, tailor shops, little restaraunts and the Kratie Ministry for Information Radio Station we hit the local market. As we sit here at the internet terminal we are looking straight at it again. It really is a sight to behold (and to hold your breath). The Kratie Market comprises of a mix match of hardware stalls, fruit & vege stalls, fried meats sellers, beauty product sales, outdoor equipment and yesterays gold. After a quick spin around we settled into something resembling a western cafe and endulged in banana cafe latte shakes, fish soup (no oil, no carrot, no noodle) and a chicken currey. To accompany our meals we enjoyed the sights of cows wandering aimlessly (and unattended) through the streets in search of some greener pastures.

After crashing the night we rented our own scooter (much to the distress of the budding young tour guides who were overly concerned that we might get lost) and headed off on our own way. Into the hills we headed! Upon crossing the bridge on the edge of town it was like we were in another world. In the blink of an eye we were in "real village" Cambodia. This is what we had longed for! Traditional village housing along the river banks and every-day Cambodians going about their every-day lives. The scenery was breat-taking and it seemed tha tevery young village boy and girl was yelling out "Hello!!" to us while the parents peered out of their wooden and palm fromed houses at these "silly barang" on mnotorbikes. Even the school kids on their bicycles would stop or turn around and call out a greeting at the tops of their voices.

Along the ride we stopped of at Kampi (a small vilage some 15 kms from Kratie) and booked ourselves into the Dolphin Watching Tour. Not that this was any ordinary dolphin scene. In the Mekhong River at Kampi live the critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin of which some 80 - 100 survive today. As they live in localised habitats in the freshwaters, we thought it would be somewhat unlikely (OK... we thought we had absolutely no chance in the world at all) of spotting such a rare creature. Well.... to our surprise we had a time of our lives! We were the only 2 people on the boat (row/ paddle boat as engines are not permitted in the conservation zone), the only 2 people on the river and we saw lots of the dolphins. Now... we're not sure if we saw the same 3 dolphins many times, or if we saw many dolphins - but it doesn't matter - it was amazing!!! Feeling truely fortunate for such an experience we headed the trusty scooter for town.

Just on the outskirts we stopped at a unique Buddhist Temple. Not tha tBuddhism itself is unique in Cambodia - or anywhere in S. E. Asia - but the architecture of this one was totally different. It more resembled a 2 storey French mansion than a place of worship - with large balconies and European columns all matched with a Cambodian tile and flourished roof. We were greeted by a lovely monk who had been studying since he was 9 years old (now 16) and was relatively proficinat in English. The following morning we returned and he invited us int othe upper levels of th Monestary (actually their sleping quarters amongst a large golden Buddha and murals of the life of Buddha) to meet the other monks who wanted to pracrice their English skills on us. Yet another fortunate experience for the 2 of us!

We had hoped to jump on a local boat and cross the river to visit Koh Throng but after waiting some 45 minutes for a boat (or even the faintest sign of a boat) we decided to can that idea and have a picnic on the banks of the Mekhong instead as we planned our next steps int othe deeper and darker areas of eastern Cambodia.