In Don Det, I relaxed and didn't do much for the next two days. One day, I borrowed a bicycle again and went to a beach. However, the water there was so shallow that you couldn't really go swimming, and the cooling off was therefore lacking. Even in the shade, it was too hot, so I quickly returned to the hostel.
On my last evening, I naturally went to my favorite local restaurant to eat and said goodbye ;)
On the morning of February 23rd, my alarm clock rang at 6:00AM. Still in my pajamas - at that time, I wouldn't have encountered anyone anyway - I ran to the water and watched the sunrise there. Afterward, I got ready and took the ferry back to the mainland at 8:00AM. From there, I drove to the border with a minivan.
I had a lot of respect before crossing the border, as I had read / heard many horror stories. In the end, everything went well, and it wasn't as bad as I expected. First, I had to pay $2 for my exit stamp from Laos, then I had to undergo a 'health check,' which ultimately only consisted of taking my temperature and also cost $2, and then the Cambodians naturally wanted another $2 for the entry stamp. Everything was corruption and extortion, but as a tourist, you are at a disadvantage and have to simply comply with and do what is demanded of you. A French couple thought they could argue with the officials and refused to pay. The consequence was that they did not receive the exit stamp and could not enter Cambodia - I didn't follow what happened next.
Once on the Cambodian side, I had to wait for about 2 hours for my next bus. After another transfer in the middle of Cambodia, I arrived in the capital city of Phnom Penh around 7:30PM. After checking into my hostel, I went to bed relatively quickly.
