Two days of cycling more than 240 km back home to celebrate Tet

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Wanting to “live slowly” in the last days of the year, Viet Duong decided to cycle for two days from Dong Nai to Can Tho.

If riding a motorbike, it only takes one morning to go home, but Tran Viet Duong, born in 1996, decided to cycle more than 240 km from Dong Nai to Can Tho to celebrate Tet, also to experience life on the road. Go.

“Riding a bicycle helps me connect with many people on each journey, have the opportunity to learn more about the places I go through, exercise. Most importantly, I want to close the old year with a special journey. special to usher in a more meaningful new year,” shared Tran Viet Duong.

Viet Duong has cherished this plan since nearly a month ago. The work is quite busy, until close to the departure date, it has not been arranged. However, Duong still put everything aside to make the trip. The journey received support from his family, Duong said his parents were very comfortable with him cycling around.

At 7 a.m. on the 27th of Tet, the young man departed from Bien Hoa city. “When I took the car out of the house, I suddenly felt an indescribable emotion, excitement, and a little bit of anxiety because I was about to enter a special journey,” Duong said.

Duong tied the back of the car, brought essential items including clothes, a raincoat, a pair of sandals, medicine, candy and dry food to replenish energy when needed, and a New Year gift bag for relatives.

Duong and his companion on the journey back home.
Duong and his “companion” on the journey back to his hometown.

Down the National Highway 1A, Duong pedaled through Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, and Tien Giang provinces. Joining the stream of people returning home on the road, Duong felt very happy. Passing through District 12 of Ho Chi Minh City, he encountered volunteers distributing water to passersby. “It was a good memory, when I was tired of cycling, I was given free spring water. When I arrived in Binh Chanh, I was given spring water by the Youth Union for the second time,” Duong laughed.

Lunch break for about 2 hours in Long An, until 14h Duong continue to move towards My Tho (Tien Giang). Passing the industrial zones on time, combined with the flow of people to the West, the streets are very crowded. Stuck between the lines of people and cars, Duong did not feel tired or frustrated, on the contrary, he was even more excited because he was able to share the atmosphere of returning home to celebrate Tet with everyone.

“It’s very crowded, but when I look around, I only see myself riding a bicycle. There are many people running over and looking, sometimes they think they have no conditions, so they ride a bicycle and bring their belongings home.” , Duong said. Following the traffic until 5pm, Duong stopped at My Tho city (Tien Giang), ending the journey of the first day with a total distance of nearly 100 km, an “achievement” that made him satisfied. The only minus point is that the guy is quite afraid to ride on the highway because of the horns from the big cars.

Duong stayed at an inn and started the new journey of the second day at 4 o’clock, “treating” his hungry stomach with My Tho noodle soup at a small shop on the street. “My Tho noodle soup is completely different from the noodle dishes I’ve eaten before. The broth is not clear but thick like braised beef,” Duong said about the dish he first tasted.

From My Tho to Cai Lay, Cai Be (Tien Giang), the guy who loves bicycles chooses to go along the canal road instead of the national highway. He said he likes to tinker with new roads on Google Maps, although many phases “go underground”, but thanks to that, he discovered many very good roads. That canal route took Duong through idyllic towns and markets, through the ruins of Rach Gam – Xoai Mut in Chau Thanh district, which he had never seen before while on the highway.

Crossing the My Thuan bridge, Duong and the restaurant girl started a conversation while taking a lunch break at a hammock cafe. Knowing that Duong returned home by bicycle, she was surprised. Duong expressed his affection for the people of the West, their hospitality and friendliness as a source of positive energy for him every step of the way.

“Every hour is a new experience, sometimes bringing a good story about life, sometimes a kind person helping along the way. Everything goes slowly but my 12 hours is 12 sentences. meaningful story”.

At 14:00, the 27-year-old continued through Vinh Long and Dong Thap provinces and stopped at Long Xuyen (An Giang) at exactly 19:00. Initially, Duong intended to sleep in Long Xuyen and then returned home in the morning to Vinh Thanh (Can Tho). But after hesitating, he decided to conquer the last 20 km, surpassing his limit by cycling 160 km in one day. “I’m very tired, but I also want to go home soon,” Duong said of his determination to cycle home in the night, eating only a few sponge cakes.

Duong’s house is located right at the junction of three provinces of Can Tho, An Giang and Kien Giang, to get there, you have to cross a field 5 km from the house. It was midnight, the road was dark, the four sides were covered with darkness, the trees on both sides formed ghostly shapes, looking creepy. Without street lights, Duong Niang pedaled in the moonlight. “I’m scared to ride a motorbike every day. People also advise me to stay out of town and return the next day, but I want to go home quickly to finish the journey completely,” said the Can Tho man.

So getting rid of the invisible fears, Duong “gave up all the courage of 27 years of life” cycling hard across the field. When he got home, he was overjoyed. The aunt was the first to come out to greet her. For Duong, there is nothing more precious and wonderful than returning home on New Year’s Day. Although exhausted, but being welcomed in the arms of loved ones, everything is worth it. The next day, Duong’s parents also rode motorbikes from Bien Hoa to Can Tho to reunite.

“This is really the journey back home that left me with the most emotions. Everywhere is the atmosphere of excitement to welcome the new year, and also supported by the weather, without getting caught in the rain at all,” he said. . After Tet, he will continue cycling throughout the West, towards Cape Ca Mau – the southernmost. This is also the second time he returned to Ca Mau by bicycle after 8 years.

“I accept the investment of time, health and money to serve my passion for bicycle travel, because I want to live a brilliant and meaningful youth, feel life more deeply in each journey. Hope each of us will always live positively, dare to think and do, turn dreams and goals in the new year into reality,” Duong said.

Photo: Internet

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