The road to the Trapaingkriel border post is getting worse and worse. Large parts are red gravel but passable. Is this where the gravel of tennis courts comes from?
There is only one border post between Cambodia and Laos, but when I arrived at the border post I am surprised that it is so quiet there. Within 10 minutes I have the stamps that let me travel from Cambodia. No crowds on the Laos side either, but it does take a bit longer. While I fill in my Visa on arrival, a young lady approaches me to exchange money and buy a SIM card. Three birds with one stone. Ideal.
I have to pay for everything on the Laos side: $40 for the visa, $5 to stamp my Carnet, $2 to stamp my passport and $5 for compulsory motorcycle insurance. Not huge amounts, but still.
I was at the border at 10:00 am and at 12:30 am I enter Laos. Not bad! The very sparsely populated area behind the border is cut through by a straight, boring road. My destination is 140 km away in a somewhat touristy village on the other side of the Mekong. I can get there by ferry or by driving 90 km. So that will be the ferry.
The ferry (many wooden beams on 2 floating pontoons) is already waiting and asks no less than 200,000 Lak for the crossing. That's about €10 for a 10 minute ride. There is a cheaper alternative: a canoe-shaped fishing boat, on which the locals ride their mopeds, but I don't trust that. Fortunately, a car is just arriving, which also wants to come along, so that we can share the costs. Fifteen minutes later I drive over a wooden beam back onto the mainland.
My guesthouse is located in Champassak, on the banks of the Mekong with a beautiful view over the water. I long for a shower and a cold beer. The motorcycle is safely in the garden and since I'm the only guest I cheers to myself.
