Kratie - Cambodia

So we got ripped off lol! The first time either of us have been asked to pay to leave a country! 2 USD straight into the Laos guards pocket! Then when we get to the Cambodian side its 1 USD to have your temperature taken (first time ive seen tempanic thermometer being used on the cheek for a reading lol) and they give you a yellow piece of paper to say you had no disease in transit! Then you pay 22 USD for the visa (should be 20 USD but apparantly the 2USD is a processing fee!) then another 1 USD for your immigration card! Really we should have argued the point but their not that friendly to be fair! Next time we know all the tricks....ask for the manager, a piece of paper outlining the changes and when they happened...or ask for a receipt!

Anyway we have arrived in Cambodia and wait an hour for our bus...it's broken down! When we arrive in Kratie we get dropped off at a hotel..(.tuk-tuk drivers get money for getting customers for hotels) we decide to take a stroll when Mr Lucky approaches us and tells us about a reasonably priced room so we take a look. It's a nice room so we take it and then arrange a dolphin watching tour with him (Irrawaddy dolphins are only in Cambodia and their are few places you can see them wild)...the management know him well so it seems ok! That evening we meet two retired guys from England who are cycling SE Asia. They started in Bangkok and have cycled through Laos and now have made it to Cambodia (averaging 150km a day) very impressive! We go out for some dinner with them to a lovely little place called Star Restuarant and Guesthouse....(if your ever in Kratie the owner Mao is lovely and the food is great!)

The next morning we get up early to go see the dolphins and meet two Latvian guys who are also coming with us! Mr Lucky was true to his word and we see the dolphins!!! It was great fun! When we are back in the town we go to book out bus out with the two Latvian guys and meet Aimee and Kad from Hull.....a really nice couple and spend the day with them cycling around a little Island off of Kratie! We meet lots of locals who find it hillarious seeing four white people on bikes...they run out and shout hello! I nearly ran one of their chickens over which they also found funny!

That evening me and Mooonface,the two latvians,the cyclists and the couple from Hull all get invited to join Mao for a drink and some food in Star Restuarant. He is a really generous guy and feeds us with free vodka shots getting very drunk himself and randomly saying things like
1) my name is michael caine and not a lot of people know that
2) you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off
3) alright mate
4) going up the apple and pears with my dog and bone......funny guy!
Its a great night...lots of fun and we say our goodbyes!