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Overnight motorbike trips to the highlands to celebrate Tet

VAN TUAN January 27, 2025 07:45

As the last days of the old year gradually come to a close, from Hai Duong, motorbikes full of people and luggage follow each other through the night towards the highlands, bringing with them the Tet atmosphere.

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Many low-income workers choose motorbikes as a means of transportation to return home for Tet.

Savings Choice

As Tet is approaching, on Highway 5 from Hai Duong to the highland provinces of Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, etc., there are bustling groups of motorbikes following each other through the night to return to their hometowns. On the motorbikes, they not only carry luggage and Tet gifts but also contain the desire to reunite.

Tying up each bag of luggage securely, Mr. Quàng Văn Cơi took the opportunity to show me the Tet gifts he had prepared for his family. At 11pm, the small motorbike carrying luggage including personal belongings and Tet gifts, most notably the specialties of green bean cakes and gai cakes from Hai Duong, was ready for the journey of more than 450 km to Thuan Chau district (Son La).

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This Tet, Mr. Coi has more joy when his new family welcomes a new member.

“I have been working as a worker in Hai Duong for more than 6 months. This is the first time I know the feeling of excitement when I am about to go home to see my relatives in the Tet atmosphere. We Thai people usually only hang around the corn fields and the kitchen, the gifts I bought for my parents and my newborn child will surely make everyone curious and happy,” Mr. Coi boasted.

Also the first time riding a motorbike back to her hometown in Bac Yen district (Son La) to celebrate Tet, Ms. Lo Thi Nga said: “The motorbike is a big asset for my whole family to travel during Tet. If we send it back by bus, the cost will be up to 500,000 VND. Passenger and bus tickets are a big pressure for workers like me. If we try a little harder, the children in the countryside will have new clothes.”

As she spoke, the Thai ethnic worker born in 2006 showed me the toys and new clothes for her three younger siblings at home. Looking at the desire to reunite shining in the eyes of her children far from home in the middle of a winter night, I felt like I shared the simple yet warm joy.

The arduous journey

For workers from the highlands working in Hai Duong, choosing a motorbike to go home for Tet is not only an economical option. Traveling by motorbike requires health and experience, but with this option, they only need to pay for gasoline, a small amount compared to bus tickets, and can be flexible with time and travel route.

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Because she has a small child and is afraid of new fines for traffic violations, this year Ms. Lo Thi Trang chose a passenger bus as her means of transportation to Quan Ba ​​(Ha Giang) to celebrate Tet.

The journey home by motorbike usually lasts hundreds of kilometers. To avoid the hot sun during the day and the heavy traffic, many people choose to depart in the late afternoon or evening to travel through the night. This journey is not easy when facing the bitter cold of late winter, thick fog in the highland provinces and winding, dangerous mountain passes.

In addition, the unstable weather at the end of the year is also a barrier. Sudden rains bring bone-chilling cold in the North, making the journey even more difficult. With many years of experience driving a motorbike to Tua Chua district (Dien Bien) to celebrate Tet, Nguyen Quang Tuyen recalled: “In previous years, without experience, I often went alone. Once, my tire was punctured in the middle of the road and I had to walk nearly 5 km to find a place to fix it. That night was very cold, I was both cold and tired but did not dare to stop and rest in a deserted place for fear…”

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Mr. Tuyen on a car full of luggage, ready to go to Dien Bien with his wife to celebrate Tet.

Traveling often becomes a habit, so this year Mr. Tuyen gathered people from his hometown to travel in groups to support each other. Group members shared gas, snacks, or took turns driving. Roadside rest stops became places to chat, share about family, and encourage each other to continue the journey.

Lights in the night

Along Highway 5 in the direction of Hanoi to the highland provinces, the sparkling headlights of motorbikes, the laughter mixed with the sound of engines create a bustling atmosphere, both simple and lively.

No matter how difficult the journey home for Tet by motorbike is for low-income workers, they are still willing to overcome it, because to them, nothing is more precious than Tet holidays with their loved ones.

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At 1 a.m., along Highway 5, cars with highland license plates are still tirelessly traveling towards Hanoi.

Tet is approaching, workers far from home are taking advantage of every moment to return home to reunite with their families. The headlights of motorbikes pierce the night, lighting up hope and joy on long roads. Motorbikes loaded with luggage and gifts, following each other, create a hurried but warm flow.

For many, this journey is not only about returning home but also a meaningful part of the joy of Tet. Despite being tired or cold, the convoys are still full of excitement, because at the end of the journey is a beloved home, where family is waiting.

VAN TUAN
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Overnight motorbike trips to the highlands to celebrate Tet