The Mekong

The Mekong

It is still dark, when he steers the boat into midstream. Gigantic in size, the Mekong lies ahead of us, some 800 km north, our destination.

Slowly, the boat picks up speed, shivering under the mighty force of the two Engines.
Once again, like so many times before, I begin to drift away, imagining this world beside the river, people living in simple straw-covered huts, just like in Africa. How I ended up in this corner of the world?

Fate, destiny, Karma, don't know what brought me here. My Airasia flight was to take me to Macau, but the Bangkok demonstrations made the change to my itinerary.
We were held up in Bangkok for one week by ongoing demonstrations, and with no end in sight, I decided to leave Thailand through the water route.
Many other stranded foreigners were still stuck in their Hotels, some left via Malaysia.

I find no answer to my presence here. I traveled through dark age Africa, many times over have I seen strange places on my journeys.  Mekong and the ship-diesels drown all thoughts.
This is new, unknown territory. Unfamiliar with lengthy boat trips. as I have a natural aversion towards waters, in particular the sea, or lakes, or rivers for that matter.

We are one hour into cruising when daylight finally breaks. The misty hills along both shores seem to hang deep down towards the water; jungles filled with heavy fog.
Chilled air rises from the river to the deck; water temperature is cold here; the rushing stream of the murky Mekong glides beside us. The Diesels below deck in a round, trembling run; nothing can stop the powerful 500 HP 8 cylinders.

First daylight brings us on deck, a stern chill awaits us, swimming vests wrapped around us we climb to the outer deck.

Now only we become aware of the Mekong's treacherous rapids; steering left and right the skipper avoids shallow waters to avoid running the vessel aground.
On frequent occasions the captain throttles the engines; when rocks appear from the waters, which are dangerously close.

He knows the river, one can be sure.It is still dark, when he steers the boat into midstream. Gigantic in size, the Mekong lies ahead of us, some 800 km north, our destination.
Slowly, the boat picks up speed, shivering under the mighty force of the two Engines.

I drift away, imagining this world beside the river, people living in simple straw-covered huts, just as Africa. How I ended up in this corner of the world?
Fate, Karma, don't know. My Airasia flight was to take me to Macau, but the Bangkok demonstrations made the change to my itinerary.

We were held up in Bangkok for one week by ongoing demonstrations, and with no end in sight, I decided to leave Thailand through the water route.
Many other stranded foreigners were still stuck in their Hotels, some left via Malaysia.

I traveled through dark age Africa, many times over have I seen strange places on my journeys.  

The Mekong and the ship-diesels, finally drown all thoughts.




This is new, unknown territory. Unfamiliar with lengthy boat trips. as I have a natural aversion towards waters, in particular the sea, or lakes, or rivers for that matter.
We are one hour into cruising when daylight finally breaks. The misty hills along both shores seem to hang deep down towards the water; jungles filled with heavy fog.

Chilled air rises from the river to the deck; water temperature is cold here; the rushing stream of the murky Mekong glides beside us. The Diesels below deck in a round, trembling run; nothing can stop the powerful 500 HP 8 cylinders.

First daylight brings us on deck, a stern chill awaits us, swimming vests wrapped around us we climb to the outer deck.
Now only we become aware of the Mekong's treacherous rapids; steering left and right the skipper avoids shallow waters to avoid running the vessel aground.

On frequent occasions the captain throttles the engines; when rocks appear from the waters, which are dangerously close.

He knows the river, one can be sure A least we are confident he does.