Creating Room to Read by John Wood

Author:John Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2013-01-12T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Nine Books Last Night

A jet zips along at seven hundred miles per hour, covering an entire time zone and three states in an hour. A bullet train exceeds two hundred miles per hour, and a taxi to the airport might hit seventy if traffic is light. A ferry plying the waters of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, however, is a tortoise compared with the modern world’s hares. It offers a rare chance to slow down and watch the sights slip by in slow motion. The ferry moves at a speed that says: Enjoy the journey, as you may be here for a while. I believe that any day that starts on a ferry is bound to be a good day.

Along with a group of our investors, I visited Vietnam during the summer of 2007. This was my fourth trip to the country, and from the moment the Cathay Pacific jet touched down in Ho Chi Minh City (named Saigon in prewar days), it was utter bliss to be back. The chaos and cacophony of the city’s streets imbue a simple walk with drama. Sidewalk vendors ply everything from spicy pho noodle soup to ice-cold 333 beer, while entire families zip by on single 100 cc motorbikes: Was that really a mother, father, son, and two daughters all on one bike? Yes, it was; and exactly one of them, the father, is wearing the only helmet.

The next morning the scene at the rural ferry dock is similar. Our group competes with chickens, local farmers, bicycles, and motorbikes to board the flat-bottomed ferry. Our water chariot is rusted, hulking, and ancient. It does not inspire confidence, but the water is shallow, and there are local people in longboats everywhere who would probably be willing to fish us out.

With its yellow star and red background, the Vietnamese flag snaps sharply in the wind as the last passengers board. Mostly local people, they’re caught in a battle between the captain, dedicated to a punctual departure, and the deckhand, even more dedicated to revenue maximization. The latter wins and makes his best last-ditch effort to shove and cram on board every last paying client, whether human or animal.

I scramble up a ladder to the upper deck to better enjoy the view and the breeze that provides a bit of relief from the intense sun. Our group talks about the day ahead, with two big activities planned: a visit to a school to see one of our libraries in action and a home visit with some of the young scholars in our Girls’ Education program to meet their families and gain insight into what their lives are like outside school.

The ferry engine rumbles and belches diesel smoke into the sky. We’re soon puttering up the delta. All seems right with the world. The entire day stretches out in front of us, as only a day of travel can, offering long hours and little pressure. My eyes drink in the busy river traffic, with aqua farmers hauling up catches of catfish and shrimp in their nets and kids rowing makeshift boats to school.

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