It was a morning that was just like any other morning when we stay at a hotel. We went up early, packed our stuff and loaded our bikes. But there was something different – it was the last morning on foreign soil. Although we have spent the last days in an environment that is very similar to Thailand, spoken Thai most of the time and seen Thailand on the other side of the river, we were very happy but also nervous when loading our bikes to ride the last 20 km to the border crossing.

Outside our guesthouse in Vientiene and ready to go the border

Crossing into Thailand would be our 14th border crossing and we stuck to the same routines as usual. Try to get rid of all remaining currency before leaving and we did this by having a wonderful breakfast of grilled baguettes and traditional laotian coffee.

The ride to the border checkpoint was smooth and took less than an hour. We were wearing our brand new cycling jerseys and we felt like a small professional cycling team in our uniforms….

The border procedures were dealt with quickly. In this photo I have entered no mans land while Wej is still technically in Laos.

Wej talking to someone at the border. Our Polish friend Bartek is seen in the background

All the countries we have cycled through have been countries where you drive on the right hand side. In Thailand the traffic is on the left hand side and right after the border check point on the Laotian side, there is a strange intersection where the lanes cross each other and the traffic continue on the left hand side.

Intersection for changing from right hand side traffic to dito left.

We passed the border on Saturday at 10 AM and there was not many cars at all. We didn’t bother to wait for green light and carefully crossed the intersection against the red light.

We had been warned by local cyclist about the train tracks on the bridge. They had told us they are very dangerous, but we are used to tram tracks in the midst of the streets in Göteborg and didn’t think a single train track was much to worry about.

Wej smiling as she crosses the actual border in the middle of the Mekhong river.

At the end of the bridge on the thai side.

Saluting the flag of the motherland

Our cyclist friend P’Ben had taken a night train from Bangkok and met us after the border checkpoint on the thai side. He had ordered a grilled baguette and the delivery lady came with it all the way from Sweden.

We will cycle together most of the way to Bangkok and try to re-live some old cycling memories together.