Stung Treng

Another outpost town, the northernmost point in Cambodia on the way to Laos. I had to spend one night here, as it is not possible to travel in one day from Kratie to Laos. There is no regular traffic, it's mostly a handful of minibuses with tourists running that tour.
Departure in Kratie 1.30 pm, I have to wait, and again it's hot, hot, hot... finally we sit in the small bus which runs to Stung Treng, I'm the only foreigner among a few locals. About three hours on almost empty roads... northern Cambodia is only sparsely populated.
Stung Treng is like Kratie, only smaller. Again, I like the atmosphere... The guesthouse is on a square across from the Mekong, it has a rooftop terrace overlooking the river. Wandering through the dusty streets some people stare at you (it's a common route between Laos and Cambodia, the only crossing actually, but there simply isn't much traffic, and foreigners don't abound here, although they are a common sight).
For a while I linger around at the ferry landing, there's just always something to see. Rivers mean life, motion, activity. Small boats depart to I don't know where, a bigger ferry for a handful of cars crosses every half hour to the other side... I could stay the whole day here... yet dark clouds are approaching, thunder telling of the imminent afternoon rain. Slowly I make my way back to the guesthouse... in vain, as the clouds are passing, raining off somewhere else. Stung Trengs streets remain dusty for at least another day...