Day 44: Expect the Unexpected

There's nothing better than gazing out upon the water of a lazy river, after a long day. Especially when the night before is spent crammed in a minivan, crossing the border from Thailand into Laos :)

Border crossings are an interesting ordeal with so much logistics, just to cross over an imaginary line. Take bus to border. Present passport. Purchase visa. Show passport again. Walk across border. Show visa. Board another bus to rendezvous point.

A couple of my most memorable border entries were crossing into Shenzhen, China where we were numbered like cattle and ordered to walk over the bridge in single file, and almost getting stuck in Canada when my cousin's GPS tried to lead us thru Canada en route from Chicago to Niagara Falls.

So, why did the traveler cross the border? To see what's on the other side! With every new crossing lies a wondrous unknown. Do not be afraid to expect the unexpected.