Southern Cambodia and entering into Laos.

A bus from Phnom Phen took me to the southern town of Stung Treng. The landscape changed as we entered the southern region of Cambodia. Less populated and a lot more forest area. But There is not much to do in Stung Treng, it's just a sleppy border town and so after an afternoon there, the next day I would take the bus into Laos. It is not as yet so easy to go by River and therefore very expensive but thebus journey was just as fascinating. First I had to cross the Mekong at Stung Treng by river and there on the other side a bus awaited me taking me through jungle trek through to the immigration post for exiting Cambodia. Here to get my exit stamp, they wanted a dollar but I stood firm and the pockets of the officials in this case remained unlined. But the office itself was a little wooden hut on the edge of the forest. Amazing. And then a change of bus and another twenty minutes in and another shack surrounded by forest. I was at the Laos immigration point. Here unfortunately he would not stamp my passport till I gave him the dollar and so I caved in. Both sides are corrupt but I guess on the Laos side they are more sassy and make you pay up first.
After that it was a long bumpy ride through more forest dirt treks and then I was in the southern most town of Laos, Pakse. And here Laos has come alive for me. It is almost an untouched place, mostly french tourists....i guess they have that sense of adventure....but also quite expensive. The Laos government, in order to get ways from the Thai model of cheap backpackers has kept their advertising to only certain coutries and with the prices high, attracts only a certain kind of tourist..in other words, no stingy backpackers I guess. But my first full day here in Laos has been a reminder of why I love Asia.....monks and motorbikes.