Laos

It has been a long day. I spend the night in Chiang Seam 9 km from Sok Raup (the official Golden Triangle town). I got up in the morning to catch the bus to Chiang Kwong, the border town from Thailand to Laos. The cites are only 50 km apart, between the 2 cities there are only small buses running and they don't have a schedule; they go when they get full. I got at the bust stop at 8 am and left at 10 am. I was the only foreigner, no one around spoke English, I was very frustrated to wait for 2 hours without having any idea when the bus will leave. Finally by 10 the bus was packed full and we left; about 20 km and an hour later the bus stopped for me to connect with an other bus! I had to wait for the bus for an other hour.

I made to the border around 2pm. Border crossing was only 10 min boat ride. Border formalities were fast, I paid my us$43 dollars and here I was in Laos.

As I walked up the street thinking what I am going to next, Katrin showed up. I met atrin back in Chiang Mai when we travelled a bit together and now we want to continue to travel through Laos. I was so happy! She already got a room and tickets for tomorrow slow boat.

Welcome to Laos to me :)