Real enough

I sit on the deck, somewhere between these fairy-tale limestone islands, imagining I am alone. I am not, of course – around me, about fifty other boats are cruising, and I am part of a small group. It’s nice. It’s nice to talk, to share, to marvel, and to laugh together – not least at the clearly ambiguous rock formations in this cave.

Halong Bay is impressive. Truly enchanting. To a certain extent. Because above all, it is: touristy. In a way that sometimes quietly shakes me from within. I see hundreds of boats, push through crowds of people, and am herded around by the tour guide in broken English. Everything is prepared, timed, and calculated – a scene that feels more like a backdrop, and I’m brooding over the thought: Was that the idea?
There it is again – the search for the special in a world full of exactly the same travel photos. I notice how I instinctively distance myself, almost resisting the urge to find this place beautiful because it isn’t “authentic” enough. Just as we often devalue things in life simply because they don’t seem secret enough, not rare enough, not special enough.

And then: the sunset. Sky in pink and gold, water completely calm, the outlines of the islands as if painted. A moment in which I breathe and watch as the fog in my mind lifts a little. I pretend that everything else is not here at the moment, just me with myself. And then it truly is – for a silent moment – and that is very special. Not every place needs to be “undiscovered” or “extraordinary” to move us. As long as we make ourselves open to connection, even amidst the impersonal sameness, there is exactly that: special encounters, unique moments. I can stand still on a boat amid cameras and tour schedules, or frolic around at sunset, finding what I actually want amid Instagram backdrops: a real moment.