Dolphins and inadvertent world record attempt involving minivan.

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Few hours on a bus north out of Phnom Penh takes us to Kratie, a small town on the banks of the Mekong.

Arrive late afternoon. Hot hot hot. After we check in, a guy takes us on his scooter a few kilometres up the river to see the famous Irriwady dolphins.

3 on a scooter isn't as uncomfortable as it sounds, but it does bottom out the suspension a little, so you feel every bump in your teeth. Not quite sure what would happen with an emergency stop either, but we've seen 5 adults on one before, so 3 is nothing.

We jump in a boat with our driver (who is about twelve years old) and then push off. The river is pretty wide, with lots of small grassy islands dotted around. Somehow the sky seems bigger here, and there's a huge storm gliding along in the distance, firing out yellow forks as it goes.

We start to see the dolphins straight away; just a quick glimpse of a sleek grey body and a small fin slipping out of the water, and hear a puff of air.

We're out there for an hour and seem to see loads, although it could easily have been the same one coming up for air about 60 times. Either way it was great.

Next day we hire a couple of bikes and take a boat across to a small island in the river. It's just a sleepy place where fishermen and farmers live, and its baking hot - my temp gauge (yes I am a geek) says 50 degrees in the direct sun.

Not much else except for farmyard animals and haystacks, and tiny kids on huge adult bikes.

Later that day Paula holes up in the shade and I follow the road south out of town for a couple of hours. I get at least 80 hellos and waves from the houses that line the road, and then the same coming back again. A combination I think of just general friendliness and alarm at seeing such white legs peddling that fast.

Move off again the next day, along with 13 other people in a 11-seater minivan.

To be fair, we at least get our own seat - there are 4 people squeezed in the front alone. Just as it looks like we're full, we stop to pick up 3 concrete shrines (with plinths) and some pot plants.

The driver looks around inside for things that could be strapped to the roof to make room. I'm pretty sure he considered the child in front of us for a moment. A bit of reshuffling and somehow things fit into the boot.

Apparently the main difference between tourist transport and public transport is that the latter is never full - there is always room for more.

True to form, as we reach the edge of town someone decides to strap a scooter to the rear bumper.

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Photos

Paula looking for rare Irriwaddy dolphins
Harpoon gun just out of shot.

Big sky.
And dolphins, if you look closely.

Giant haystacks
And Paula.

50 degrees celcius
This was in the direct sun, but that's still hot.

The minivan was already full.
Then they squeezed in 3 concrete shrines and attached a scooter to the rear bumper.