TRAVERSE 29
current. Some boats carry baskets of vegetables from riverside gardens. Others hold bundles of firewood or plastic containers filled with fuel. Children sit at the bow with their feet dangling over the edge, occasionally splashing the water as the boat moves. A mother adjusts a scarf around her face to keep the evening insects away. The entire scene feels ordinary and beautiful at the same time.
One small boat glides close to the shore, carrying a father and his two sons. The boys help pull in a fishing net that glitters with droplets of water. They laugh when a small fish wriggles loose and slips back into the Mekong. The father smiles but says nothing, letting them enjoy the moment.
It’ s easy to lose track of time while watching the river.
The sun dips lower until it rests just above the distant horizon. The fishermen have spread out across the water now, their boats appearing as scattered silhouettes against the glowing sky. Some begin to cast their nets, the wide circles of mesh expanding briefly before sinking beneath the surface.
The soundscape of the evening becomes wonderfully simple. The distant buzz of boat engines. The gentle slap of water against wooden hulls. The clinking of ice in a cocktail glass.
Behind the riverfront a small street market begins to wake up for the night. Food stalls light their grills and the air fills with the smell of garlic, chilli, and grilled meat. Someone chops herbs on a wooden board while another vendor fans charcoal embers beneath skewers of fish.
The day’ s heat finally fades as darkness approaches.
After hours spent inside a helmet, riding beneath a relentless tropical sun, the cooling air feels almost luxurious. The breeze off the Mekong carries away the last traces of sweat and dust. Muscles that have been tensed for miles of uneven roads finally begin to relax.
The motorcycle waits quietly nearby, leaning on its kickstand as if resting after the journey. Tomorrow, it will carry you somewhere else along the river, perhaps toward the Laos border or down along quieter backroads that follow the Mekong’ s winding course. But tonight, the ride is finished. And that is its own kind of reward. Another cocktail arrives, lighter this time, perhaps mixed with lime and fresh herbs. The glass catches the fading light, glowing briefly before the sun disappears completely.
For a moment, the entire horizon burns orange.
TRAVERSE 29