about their body language, the lowered urgent tone of voice, that seemed conspiratorial. Had this other man been on board since they left Halong? Softly Anna moved down the port side of the boat towards the stern, leaving the men amidships.
It was then she noticed a wet rope fastened to the railing and saw a wooden boat tied to the side. A large cane basket secured with rope was in the bow of the small boat and she wondered if it contained supplies to be hauled aboard the junk. But why so late at night?
The short muscular man talking to Hung flicked his cigarette over the side. Anna quickly hunched over so as not to be seen and tiptoed back the way she had come.
Lying on top of her bed sheet as it was so warm, Anna strained to hear noises up on deck, but the creaking of the wooden hull, occasional thuds from the rigging, soughing wind through the open porthole, Sandyâs gentle breathing and other unidentifiable noises made her imagination race. Finally, when she heard Captain Chinh making his tea in the galley before relieving Hung at sunrise, she dozed off.
Sandy, dressed and fresh, called Anna for breakfast, and when sheâd showered and joined everyone on deck, Anna couldnât help but glance over the side to where sheâd seen the little boat tied up. There was no sign of it. Nor the large basket. A late-night visit from one of Hungâs relations, perhaps? But she didnât mention it to anyone as she accepted one of Tomâs tea bags and tossed up whether to try Captain Chinhâs pho or the assorted breads, fruit and sweet rice, or just a mini packet of muesli. Sandy had become addicted to the strong chicory roasted coffee dripped into a cup with a liberal dollop of condensed milk.
âWere you in the army, Tom?â asked Sandy as Hung began stacking life jackets and water bottles on the deck ready for the dayâs outing.
âFelt I was on the occasions I travelled with them. No, I was a foreign correspondent for Australian radio. Wrote articles every now and then as well.â
âReally?â Sandy was surprised and immediately interested. âSo youâre back as a tourist or a journalist?â
With chopsticks Tom deftly fished out a small piece of beef and bok choy from the hot broth in his bowl. âI retired a couple of years back. But once a journo, always a journo. Thought Iâd update myself. Iâve been asked to do a couple of stories. Thereâs a lot happening here.â
âFrom a political, economic or tourist point of view?â asked Anna.
âTheyâre pretty well all entwined,â said Tom. âInitially I agreed to come to be part of a reunion and my curiosity got the better of me, so Iâve come early to see the changes since the war. The stunning scenery, its diversity, its people, make Vietnam pretty attractive. To businesses as well as tourists.â
âYou like what you see, Mr Ahearn?â asked Hung.
âI like, Hung, I like,â said Tom, smiling. âIâm looking forward to this kayak expedition.â
After breakfast two kayaks and an open canoe were towed to the Harvest Moon from the village. They were surrounded by a flotilla of wooden boats filled with women and children, some with babies tied to their backs or across their chests in a cotton cloth sling. All were exuberantly selling food, shells, hats, postcards, necklaces or silk scarves as souvenirs. Standing on the deck, Tom flipped coins into the water and young boys were over the sides of their boats before the money had hit the surface. Several enterprising kids had paddled out in old rubber inner tubes and the water fight for coins became noisy and competitive.
There was a lot of good-natured banter as the locals watched Anna and Sandy climb down a ladder to a small wire platform just wide enough for two people to stand on. Hung held the craft steady and helped Sandy and Anna settle in the middle of each small yellow kayak, handed them
It was then she noticed a wet rope fastened to the railing and saw a wooden boat tied to the side. A large cane basket secured with rope was in the bow of the small boat and she wondered if it contained supplies to be hauled aboard the junk. But why so late at night?
The short muscular man talking to Hung flicked his cigarette over the side. Anna quickly hunched over so as not to be seen and tiptoed back the way she had come.
Lying on top of her bed sheet as it was so warm, Anna strained to hear noises up on deck, but the creaking of the wooden hull, occasional thuds from the rigging, soughing wind through the open porthole, Sandyâs gentle breathing and other unidentifiable noises made her imagination race. Finally, when she heard Captain Chinh making his tea in the galley before relieving Hung at sunrise, she dozed off.
Sandy, dressed and fresh, called Anna for breakfast, and when sheâd showered and joined everyone on deck, Anna couldnât help but glance over the side to where sheâd seen the little boat tied up. There was no sign of it. Nor the large basket. A late-night visit from one of Hungâs relations, perhaps? But she didnât mention it to anyone as she accepted one of Tomâs tea bags and tossed up whether to try Captain Chinhâs pho or the assorted breads, fruit and sweet rice, or just a mini packet of muesli. Sandy had become addicted to the strong chicory roasted coffee dripped into a cup with a liberal dollop of condensed milk.
âWere you in the army, Tom?â asked Sandy as Hung began stacking life jackets and water bottles on the deck ready for the dayâs outing.
âFelt I was on the occasions I travelled with them. No, I was a foreign correspondent for Australian radio. Wrote articles every now and then as well.â
âReally?â Sandy was surprised and immediately interested. âSo youâre back as a tourist or a journalist?â
With chopsticks Tom deftly fished out a small piece of beef and bok choy from the hot broth in his bowl. âI retired a couple of years back. But once a journo, always a journo. Thought Iâd update myself. Iâve been asked to do a couple of stories. Thereâs a lot happening here.â
âFrom a political, economic or tourist point of view?â asked Anna.
âTheyâre pretty well all entwined,â said Tom. âInitially I agreed to come to be part of a reunion and my curiosity got the better of me, so Iâve come early to see the changes since the war. The stunning scenery, its diversity, its people, make Vietnam pretty attractive. To businesses as well as tourists.â
âYou like what you see, Mr Ahearn?â asked Hung.
âI like, Hung, I like,â said Tom, smiling. âIâm looking forward to this kayak expedition.â
After breakfast two kayaks and an open canoe were towed to the Harvest Moon from the village. They were surrounded by a flotilla of wooden boats filled with women and children, some with babies tied to their backs or across their chests in a cotton cloth sling. All were exuberantly selling food, shells, hats, postcards, necklaces or silk scarves as souvenirs. Standing on the deck, Tom flipped coins into the water and young boys were over the sides of their boats before the money had hit the surface. Several enterprising kids had paddled out in old rubber inner tubes and the water fight for coins became noisy and competitive.
There was a lot of good-natured banter as the locals watched Anna and Sandy climb down a ladder to a small wire platform just wide enough for two people to stand on. Hung held the craft steady and helped Sandy and Anna settle in the middle of each small yellow kayak, handed them
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