Early morning bus
We had an early rise this morning, around 6am. The bus we’d booked was for 7am, so pretty bright and early! After a bit of a wait, we got boarded onto the bus and away we went. To be fair, it was quite a short bus trip this time, only 2 hours long to Kratié, just to the south. It was pretty unremarkable, there was a Cambodian action film playing. Can’t say it’d win any Oscars though.
We got off the bus slightly early due to some confusion. The 3 of us got off the bus in Kratié, but just sooner than we should have. It was no biggy, but it just meant we had a longer walk than we should have. At this point, we were tired (from the early wake up), hungry, and hot. This isn’t a good combination when you’re looking for somewhere to eat that doesn’t exist. We walked to the road that ran alongside the river, hoping for something good. As we’d find out later, the good stuff is quite far down the road. The only place we managed to find was actually Chinese food. I had chicken with noodles, which was okay, Mat had pork, which wasn’t.
Napping
Once we’d consumed our first meal, it was time to walk around Kratié a bit more to find a decent hostel. We managed to find one on the same road, but further down. It was called Silver Dolphin Guesthouse, and was right on the river. There was rooftop access, so you could view the town and river for a long distance. Once we’d checked in, Mat and Julie had a nap. I tried but failed, so I watched some anime instead, good times!
Once the others had rested, we decided to go out for food. We went around the corner to a buzzing marketplace and restaurant area. When we went in a convenience store, Julie spoke to the Chinese owners who recommended a place on the river front. The 3 of us traipsed up and down the river front, looking for this non-existent Chinese place. Instead, we just settled for a restaurant overlooking the Mekong river, a very nice view. It wasn’t the cheapest, but I must say the food was delicious. Julie wasn’t keen on her red ant salad! I had a wicked chocolate fondue with fruit, definitely worth it! It’s called the Jasmine Boat Restaurant. By the side of it is a small harbour which is great for watching the sunset.
Saving the world
After out gorgeous meal at the restaurant, we decided to go to the harbour. There were steps next to the restaurant, and as we descended, we saw a chicken with a plastic bag on its head. Well I’ll be damned if I’m just gonna watch a sunset whilst a poor chicken is running around with a plastic bag on it. Mat and I went on a wild chicken chase, trying to catch the chicken to get rid of plastic bag. There were quite a few touch-and-go moments, but after 20 minutes or so, we managed to catch it, free it, and release it. There were a few people watching over the wall on the main street, we got a nod of approval.
To relax, we took our place on the harbour, to watch the sun go down. Sunsets are the one thing that never get old. Once the day was plunged into darkness, we walked around Kratié some more, exploring the streets and markets. You never know what you’ll find in an Asian market. We eventually stumbled upon a modern looking bakery. Most of the things had been sold, but we managed to get a small dessert each. Cakes make everything better. After the bakery, we headed back to the hostel and turned in for the night.
