Krati and the dolphins

So after seeing all these wonderful temples I decided it was time for some country side action. My destination was Krati which is in the middle of Cambodia on the eastern side. The town itself is known for having a small population of river dolphins. Apparently there used to be lots of them around but after lazy fishermen decided to fish with dynamite the population of Irrawaddy dolphins has been reduced to less than 100.
Took the buss at 7.00 in the morning from Siem Reap and got to Kompong Thom in the afternoon after stopping several times at different restaurants. Funny thing is that at some of the stops the only thing they served was roast crickets and cockroaches. Spoke to one of the people at the stops and she said that they collected up to 6oo kg of crickets every night which they then roasted.
After finally getting to Kompong Thom I had to haggle with a minibus driver for a while before agreeing on 5 dollars for him to take me to Krati. The buss started but went nowhere fast, the driver pretty much stalked town trying to get the bus full of people and it took another hour before the buss was full enough to head towards my destination.
Two hours later on really bad roads the real fun began. Rain started pouring down and made the road so slippery that we were surfing more than driving on the mud. Swirling back and forth of the road we dodged people, cycles and animals along the wayside.
An hour later the bus stopped in front of a hotel in the centre of Krati. The rooms were 3 dollars a night and were in good nick so I didn't hesitate for a second. The town itself was a direct opposite to Siem Reap with worn down houses and a big buzzing market in the middle. For me it was how I imagined how Cambodia would be like. Old and torn buildings but the town has a good vibe and pulse to it.
Sat on the hotel balcony for a while to soak it all in before heading for dinner and then arranging with a motorbike driver to take me out to the Mekong river and the dolphins the following morning.
Woke up and jumped on the back of the bike with the camera charged ready for some wildlife action. The dolphins resided three miles further up the Mekong and the forty minute ride up there was just amazing. We passed beautiful scenery and typical Cambodian houses on stilts along the way.
Eventually I got to the Mekong and paid the entrance fee and for a boat to take me out on the river. Once out on the middle of the river my driver threw anchor and then decided to go for a nap, pure class. I didn't mind since the scenery around me was stunning and the fact the dolphins came up around me from time to time didn't spoil it either.
To sum it up I was really happy that I took the time to get out of the way and check this place out.