World Cambodia Krâchéh Kratie

Chad's Quest for World Domination!

Kratie/Phnom Penh 8 Oct 2006

We head for the even smaller provincial town of Kratie, up the Mekong. There's nothing really here, other than a group of rare freshwater Irawaddy dolphins (one of only 4 places in the world where freshwater dolphins exist). So we head in bikes to the port, then ride up the Mekong in fading light to dolphin watch. They're shy, but we eventulaly find a spot, cut the engines, and witness the animals circling our boats and regularly surfacing for air. Cool, and a nice sunset on the Mekong.

Next day we head to Phnom Penh at the crack of dawn (again) - not good with a chitty cough and a hangover. At the hotel, the room has some rather wacky notices/instructions - on the wall in my room, a sign reads:

1. Our hotel doesn't have the sex services

2. Drugs, arm gun, or weapon and all illegal things aren't allowed to bring in our hotel

...

5. For your health concern, our management will visit you daily at 4pm

Haven't a clue what 5 is, but I make sure I'm not around at 4pm. We have some free time, so a few of us wander around, find a place that's showing the Scotland v. France game, and chill out. Its an interesting town - part colonial French , part shanty town. The riverside is lovely - part restored, part fading grandeur. That evening we have a fantastic tapas-style meal at a restaurant set up and run to educate and support local street children ("Friends"). Its fantastic food, a lovely ambience, and excellent service from the students there - highly unusual in this part of the world. Highly recommended if you happen to find yourself in Phnom Penh.

Then an early night - I'm feeling pretty crap with the cold.