Vietnam: Wishing Away the War
[first appeared in Grand Tour]
A man on a motorbike pulls up
beside me and offers a ride. After
a moment’s consideration--of the
sun and the path's steep grade--I
hop on his bike and hold on tight.
We speed past angry dogs and a
deserted checkpoint.
The path grows steeper and rugged
as if forged by rain. It soon
becomes too narrow to continue by
bike. We dismount and I follow him
up a footpath. Skinks in shades of
phosphorescent green scatter as he
hacks back the branches.
The footpath ends at the bottom of
a stony ravine, where a trickle of
black water seeps down through
massive boulders. Judging by the
surrounding refuse, this has been a
popular destination with Vietnamese
tourists. They've left behind
sardine tins, 333 beer cans, 555
cigarette packs,lighters, plastic
bags and a black leather business
shoe. I wonder who could possibly
walk this far in a pair of business
shoes, and then back in only one.
...
[first appeared in Grand Tour]
A man on a motorbike pulls up
beside me and offers a ride. After
a moment’s consideration--of the
sun and the path's steep grade--I
hop on his bike and hold on tight.
We speed past angry dogs and a
deserted checkpoint.
The path grows steeper and rugged
as if forged by rain. It soon
becomes too narrow to continue by
bike. We dismount and I follow him
up a footpath. Skinks in shades of
phosphorescent green scatter as he
hacks back the branches.
The footpath ends at the bottom of
a stony ravine, where a trickle of
black water seeps down through
massive boulders. Judging by the
surrounding refuse, this has been a
popular destination with Vietnamese
tourists. They've left behind
sardine tins, 333 beer cans, 555
cigarette packs,lighters, plastic
bags and a black leather business
shoe. I wonder who could possibly
walk this far in a pair of business
shoes, and then back in only one.
...
Restless Tribes
Travel Stories by Stephen Ausherman
Central Ave Press | 2004
