We decided that only one town of northern Cambodia would find a spot on our itinerary - and did we choose well. Kratchet is one of those lazy, friendly towns, with all movement of life occurring before and after midday only. It is situated on the Mekong River, which glistens in the midday sun and turns red at sunset (having sundowners is one of the most rated things to do in Kratchet, and for a good reason). A short ferry ride across the expansive river ends at the Koh Trong - a really serene and scenic island.

When we arrived in the little town, the hot sun was beating down and the locals were having their siesta. We quickly settled into a hotel, and waited for the day to become a little cooler. Kratchet really does not have much to do within the town itself, and so after a little exploration, one is inclined to enjoy the small but pleasant bar and restaurant scene. That was how our evening was spent: we had sundowners at a lovely restaurant with a balcony overhanging the river, and supper at a charming restaurant. Our sunset experience was actually fantastic - just over the island Trong a grand lighting show was in motion, with white flashes peeking through dark blue clouds.

The next morning we went for a run, before checking out of our current hotel and into a new one just outside of town. It is one of the best places we have stayed at during our travels. Kratchet is an unbearably hot town during the afternoon, and so any place that offers a great swimming pool and good drinks specials will win our favour. We spent every afternoon at the poolside, reading or books and deciding on our activities for the night. Our days can basically be summarised as such: wake up early and do some form of exercise, then go for a dip in the pool. Spend the rest of the morning exploring and sight-seeing; and then return home for a siesta and another swim. The evenings were dedicated to having beers at our favourite places and enjoying some good meals too.

Friday morning we rented two bicycles and made the short ferry trip across to Koh Trong. It is such a leisurely and pretty excursion - cycling all along the islands perimeter, watching the locals living in their wooden houses mounted on poles and enjoying the gorgeous farmland scenery. That night, a most terrific thunder storm kept us at the hotel for supper. It was the closest we had come to experiencing a monsoon.

Saturday morning was the special one: we were going to see the rare Irrawaddy river dolphins! Having rented a scooter for the day, we made the drive to the little town of Krampi, where the dolphins seem to enjoy that section of the river most. We were not disappointed, for we saw a group of dolphins frolicking in the water and peeping their heads up high every now and then. Such an impressive sight! We went to see two more temples; and at the second one we had the strangest encounter. A monkey took a great disliking to us and chased us down the steps that we had just patiently climbed up! Being in a country where rabies is a threat, we decided that a snarling, angry monkey was not to be underestimated and returned to our scooter.

Sunday morning we said good-bye to the little charming town and climbed on the bus heading for Phnom Penh.