Up reasonable early this morning and a taxi to the border. I know, I know, the bus is the real traveller option, but what a luxury. A two hour air-conditioned ride, instead of an eight hour bus ride. And how wonderful compared to our last trip to the airport in India.
We booked our taxi and there was a mixup, I’d booked the airport instead of the border. I said I’d pay extra - instead of 1100, I’d pay 1500. When we got there the driver refused to take any more than 100 extra. Not only would that not happen in India, I cannot think of anywhere else I’ve been where that would happen.
The border was pretty straightforward, apart from some minor peculiarities. There are two windows right next to each other - 1 and 2. It is $40 US for the Visa, but when you approach the first window they refuse your $40 and ask for $1, but if it has the slightest mark or tear they won’t take it. Luckily I have carried three $1 bills around with me for the past twenty years or more (don’t ask!!) and luckier still two of them were unmarked.
It’s at this first desk they keep your passport and apply the rather swish visa, then direct you to the next window. Here at window 2 they ask for the $40 and give you your passport back. Three of the 20’s I pulled out had tiny marks, almost imperceptible to a normal observer, but no, they won’t do here. Anyway, just minor peculiarities.
We met a Korean guy at the border and he helped us get a fair ride into town where we first parked ourselves in the nearest cafe and had two of the biggest bowls of Khao Soi, a wonderful broth of vermicelli noodles, vegetables and meat. Then I went two doors down and found us a pretty basic guesthouse with a wonderful veranda overlooking the Mekong river.
Now it’s off to try and book us a place on the ‘slow boat’. There are two options: a tourist boat and the public boat which has an overnight stop. We’ve decided on the public boat. let’s see how that goes!
