5.12.2005
Another border town.
After two days rain in a roll from the beautiful beach town in southern Cambodia,
we decided to move on. Yesterday we crossed the "illegal" border between Cambodia and Vietnam.
Crossing the border to Vietnam wasn't difficult, yet it wasn't fun either. The police at the border had to check us thoroughly in and out. They checked my passport many times as well as my visa, and not just the guys in uniform, but the guy who were hanging out there drinking tea/beer... They put all of our bags in the Xray, and after that, they fiddled around Ryan's and my cameras. And before I could finally walk out from the office, they asked me: "Where are you from?" again.
That was enough. And just when I thought so....There came the motor taxies, which apparently is the only way to this nearby border town, Chau Doc. Ryan and i played a little game to kinda bargain down the price to get to here, and there we hop on the back seats of the motorcycles. i decided to take the ride with an old driver, thinking he'll be safer in driving and he wouldn't be like big drivers i had who grabbed my hands to hold on tight their waists. I knew i was wrong the second the old man started to drive. He was not only racing the whole way, using his horns but he also kinda showing off, somehow, to his friends, chatting and laughing while passing three motorcycles had to pray and keep my eyes closed sometimes to stop me from yelling to him.
Anyways... i guess we were lucky and safe to arrive this town. We found ourselves a fantastic hotel room with just seven dollars which has a cute "firends-like" purple door, a balcony, flowery bedding, sorry ryan, and hot shower.
I still can't say if i live Vietnam so far, my judgment of a country from a border town has always been wrong. But one thing to be sure is that there's some strong culture shock in me already, the tombs here and there, the mess of the town, the smells... Hopefully all those shocks will be gone soon before i start to fit in and enjoy, just like the other four countries, my last stop of our journey.
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