Laos/Cambodia: Stuck at the Border.

Getting from Laos to Cambodia was yet another three day trip. Since Lao kip cannot be exchanged outside of Laos, Lauren and I each took out just enough money to get dinner and pay the rest of the bus fee before leaving. Starting in Vientiane, Laos we took a sleeper bus to Pakse in southern Laos. From Pakse, we hopped on another bus that took us to the Cambodia-Laos border. Entering Laos from Thailand, we were given many opportunities to exchange money or use an ATM to get money for the visa. I assumed this would be the case for Cambodia.

It was not.

So there I am at the Cambodia border. Nothing for miles in any direction. And about 4000 Lao kip ($0.50) in my wallet. The Cambodia visa is $20 USD.

Lauren has just enough money in Thai baht to pay her visa fee. She gives me everything she has left - a combination of Thai baht and Lao kip, but I am still about $15 away from getting into Cambodia. Though I have close to $50 in Chinese RMB, they are not accepted at the border, or rather, they are accepted...with the exchange rate of $3 USD per 100 RMB (100 RMB is worth close to $15). No way.

At this point I am getting nervous. Everyone else has recieved their visas and are getting on the bus. I am still sitting, trying to get the Cambodian officials to let me through, when Ashley (my site-mate and friend, who also happened to be at the border) runs over and in an act of extreme generosity and kindness hands over the last of her money. The officials count it up, decide that it totals $20 and I am given my visa and passport, and allowed to cross over into Cambodia.

THANK YOU ASHLEY.

If it had not been for her, I may still be sitting at the border crossing between Laos and Cambodia.