Farewell Laos, Farewell Arno

We didn't bother having breakfast before leaving Vientiane. We were sure we would find something on the way, latest in Thailand, we'd have cheap but good food again. Most of the guys we had partied with last night were coming along to the border to visit the Buddha Park located very close to the friendship bridge. They all rode in the back of the truck as I was up front with Kim, a Dutch girl, trying to find the right way.


We passed by the friendship bridge and there was still no sign of the park. We asked several people and they kept pointing further down the road, so we followed it for some more kilometers and finally did end up at the park. It had quite exceptional statues and a sort of round temple and was well worth seeing. It was also the time and the place to say goodbye to everyone. I tried to make it short, but last pictures had to be taken and many hugs were shared before Arno and I left towards the bridge crossing the Mekong.


The border post was at the beginning of the bridge and we parked the car first to have a look around and find our way through the labyrinth of booths. Finally, I grabbed all my papers and our two passports and went to some officers. They pointed at the two booths I had to go through and checked my papers. They were surprised I didn't possess the International Transport Permit for my vehicle, but after asking for it a couple of times they didn't seem to be bothered too much. I experienced the same surprise, questioning and final carelessness at the immigration booth, the customs booth went through smoothly. Ten minuts later all the Lao paperwork was done and we crossed the bridge. On the Lao side, there was a traffic changeover and I was finally back on the left side of the road.

Thai customs and immigration were quick and without any problems. I had hoped, though, that I'd be able to extend my visa right away, but everyone told me I had to go to Bangkok to do so. Then we went straigth on to Udon Thani. The road felt exceptionally good, straight, two lanes, even. Not even fourty minutes and the fifty kilometers lay behind us and we were looking for the right way to the airport. We'd still not eaten when we arrived at the small Udon Thani International Airport, but there were no restaurants there. We had a quick snack at Dairy Queen and went towards town, were we quickly found a restaurant we could have our late lunch.


Arno took a last picture of us at the restaurant before I took him to the airport and accompanied him to the check-in counter. We made it a short goodbye and I returned to the truck. Now I was alone, for the first time in a good while, and I was completely free. I knew Udon Thani a little bit from the trip with my brothers and knew where to look for a place to stay. I tightened the screw at the wheel suspension again and drove off into town.