Quan Hoa-Na Meo

Total Distance:55.69km
Total Time:4h33m39s
Average Speed:12.2km/h
Maximum Speed:41.0km/h
Total Distance So Far:6489.48km

Why, oh why, do I always make things harder for myself than they have to be? Before I left Hanoi I was told by various other travellers that a Laos Visa could be obtained at the boarder. In light of this information, I didn't worry about getting one ahead of time. I should have double checked, just to be safe. As it turns out Laos Visas are only available at some borders, Na Meo not being one of them. At this point I am on the last day of my Vietnam Visa, which is another problem all together. I talked to the border guards who, surprisingly, were actually pretty nice. They told me I would have to go back to Hanoi, apply for a Visa to Laos, and come back. As far as the Vietnamese Visa is concerned... I have five days to get back to the border, at which time I will have to pay a penalty of $10US.
I took a bus back to Hanoi after spending the night in Na Meo. It was a 10 hour ride. Luckily, I've spent enough time here to know my way around, so finding a place to stay was painless. Now I have 5 days to get back. Obviously I'll be taking the bus. Can it be done? Let's hope so.