Vietnam Adventures

– by Maya Bharadwaj

The brisk breeze of the airport pumps into my lungs,

leaving the right amount of space for my heart to beat twice as hard,

I try to shake off the nerves and deny my sacredness

Why would I be?

It’s not my first time on a machine that’s three hundred times my size and weight, penetrating itself into an abyss of blue,

the earth staring back at me as I stare at it,

The seatbelt sign flickers on, and the wheels begin to rattle and now my rattling nerves seem to also be preparing for takeoff,

No two countries smell the same.

Normally I am greeted with a familiar aroma of spices and future mosquito bites,

but this country smelt of coriander and calmness,

We entered the land of resilience and independence,

Its flag swaying proudly in the wind,

I breathed in its humidity and exhaled anticipation,

Our arrival at the hotel was swift yet exhilarating,

plastered with posters, vibrancy and greenery,

The city welcomed us with wide arms, accompanied by an iced tea and a warm smile

greeting us and our array of luggage,

The nightlife left a lasting impression,

food and drinks greeting us at every crevice,

no matter how many drinks i pour into my mouth,

The coconuts from above seem to always be my tongue’s favourite,

We slept good that night,

knowing in our hearts that this place was different to the rest,

boats seemed to be a recurring motif in this story,

big boats,

small boats,

many boats,

Each boat we stepped into told a different story,

The big ones showed us the power of stability,

The small ones urged us to not overlook the small detail,

All the boats shared different stories,

Yet the one I always listened to was the one of their steadiness amidst the chaotic undertones of their bedding,

numerous markets, hikes, and domestic flights later,

We concluded our trip with a visit to the final place,

a place that forced our gratitude,

a place that acted as a tunnel to the past,

a place that showed us how ugly the world truly was,

a place that mapped out the unjust truths of this placid country,

lined with images of death, disease, guns and injustice,

This display showed us how even the quietest of places share the darkest of stories,

The fruit tasted sweeter in the morning,

the bread fluffier,

the coffee stronger,

The brisk breeze of the airport pumps into my lungs,

leaving the right amount of space for my heart to beat twice as hard,

this time,

The nerves had graduated to fulfilment,

The seatbelt sign flickered on, and the wheels began to rattle,

I looked out the window and muttered,

“Thank you, Vietnam, You’ve been kind”

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