Travel by Boat; Battambang to Siem Reap

Regardless of many bad internet comments and in spite of the hotel clerk doing his best to dissuade us, we've decided to take the boat trip from Battambang to get to Siem Reap as it's supposed to be very scenic, although in the dry season it can take up to 12 hours and the bus only takes 3 (and costs less). At 7am we're informed it's a particularly crappy plastic boat that's operating today and indeed it is but it'll do the job. The onboard toilet however is well below our pompous standards, consisting of 4 walls 3 ½ feet tall surrounding a hole in the floor, yes, no roof, so the men sitting behind will see you doing your business! Err won't be using that then! It is a very beautiful trip up the river, passing rural villages where life revolves around the river and the land. Some people have floating houses on the water or live in boats and others live on it's banks. We pass by an entire floating village on the lake near Siem Reap which is quite a sight. Arriving in Siem Reap at 3pm were pleasantly surprised we're already there! Not a bad 8 hour journey at all, quite pleasant.