The top bunk on the train feels like a secret wooden cabin built high above the rest of the world. As soon as the train pulled out of Da Nang station, I unpacked my sketchbook and my favorite colored pencils onto the small vinyl pillow. The window frame held a moving picture of emerald green rice paddies and glowing orange living rooms as evening set in across the countryside.
Making Friends Without Any Words
In the compartment next to ours, a Vietnamese girl my age was looking out into the hallway with a box of dried fruit. We did not know each other's languages, but we spent an hour trading stickers and drawing pictures of cats on the back of a train schedule. You do not need big speeches when you both think the train swaying back and forth is the funniest thing happening.
Falling Asleep to the Iron Tracks
By nine o'clock, the lights in the train corridor dimmed to a faint blue glow while the wheels clicked rhythmically beneath my mattress. Curling up under the thick cotton blanket with my parents nearby made the long journey feel safe and endlessly exciting. Traveling this way takes patience, but looking out at the night sky from a moving bed is something I will remember forever.