Cooking in the forest absolutely required concealing the smoke, especially since the Chi Lang makeshift airfield was right next to Tram Duong. In those dire circumstances, we were extremely meticulous when cooking: we used tin cans, put rice and water in them, hung them from the roots of dead melaleuca trees, gathered dry twigs to make a fire, and in no time we had enough rice for three people.
After waiting two days for the courier to arrive, we left Tram Duong. Ahead lay the My Lam canal, the Nam Thai Son forest, the Tam Ngan canal, and the Vinh Te canal, as we crossed the Cambodia-Vietnam border. The road to the Tuc Mia military outpost in Cambodia was paved, a relief at the end of the muddy, thorny terrain, but after only a few kilometers, our calves were aching.
The Tuc Mia military outpost was located right at the foot of the bridge; the water in the canal was very clear, convenient for us to bathe and wash. The outpost had just received a number of soldiers from the North, all of them very young. Through conversation, I was even more moved by the saying "born in the North, die in the South," a very touching saying of the people when the 10th Regiment arrived in Ca Mau . Soon they will be heading down to the Mekong Delta, along the same road we traveled.
Painting: MINH TẤN
While waiting for our trip, we took the opportunity to visit Luc Son market, a few kilometers from Tuc Mia, to stock up on some necessary food items such as MSG, dried fish, and instant noodles. The political situation in Cambodia was showing signs of instability at this time, with reactionary elements attempting to cause trouble for us, so the stations in Cambodia were also reminding us to be vigilant and prepared for any unforeseen events.
Around 5 p.m., we, along with a few others—about twenty in total—jumped onto a military truck parked in front of the outpost. The truck bed became cramped, as it contained not only people but also backpacks, animal sacks, and weapons. The outpost across the Hau River gave us a leisurely afternoon, allowing us to travel along the riverside villages and learn about the unique stilt houses of the Khmer people, with the upper part for living and the lower part for cattle. Many trees lined both sides of the road with lush foliage. Perhaps the locals were accustomed to seeing groups of strangers passing through their villages, and they were very friendly.
We traveled quite a distance on the Tien River by motorboat that night. Our stop to wait for the next morning's journey was in a patch of forest along the riverbank. Having been accustomed to the sounds of frogs in our hometown rice paddies, we were overwhelmed by this "symphony" tonight. Lying in my hammock, gazing at the stars through the leaves, I felt joy and tranquility, and suddenly realized that hardship was just a minor challenge.
Continuing our journey, we cooked rice for breakfast and then set off, eating leftover rice whenever we got hungry along the way. Most of the journey took us through sparsely populated areas, with temples nestled among lush trees in the distance. At one point, we even traded a packet of MSG for a young chicken to cook and nourish ourselves. It was summer, with more sun than rain, so everyone's skin was tanned dark.
As long as we hadn't reached the eastern region, we kept going, sometimes having to wait a day or two for connections at certain stations. The day we reached the final station on Cambodian soil, ready to return to our homeland, we were filled with excitement, not only because the journey back to school was so close, but also because we were setting foot on the land of hardship and heroism – the capital of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, where the clear blue Lo Go stream flows, where centuries-old oil palm and crape myrtle forests stand, where fields of reeds stretch out and wild roosters crow at night. After traversing the long journey through Cambodia, our destination was near; it had been a total of 28 days and nights since we set off. When the guide told me this was the Vietnam-Cambodia border, my emotions overwhelmed me with the feeling of returning to my homeland.
Ahead lay the Thien Ngon makeshift airfield, where the defeated invading army had retreated back to their country. All that remained were the long stretches of iron grates that had once served as the runway. Our beloved homeland bore the deep scars of war, yet we exchanged radiant smiles: Eastern Vietnam, we have arrived!
Nguyen Thai Thuan
Source: https://baocamau.vn/nho-chuyen-di-mien-dong-a129688.html
