Makes me both happy and sad

Walking through the streets of Hoi An

Koby Poulton writes:

Going through the photos from our Spirit of the Anzac experience, I can’t believe how much I miss Vietnam. It’s unreal how I have met friends that will hopefully last a lifetime. We have seen some of the most extraordinary places, eaten some of the most exotic food and learnt so much about both sides of war and it’s heroes in only the two weeks we were there.

This photo that I have chosen to share was taken towards the end of the trip on a walk much like the morning walks that we took with Malcolm each day. He really wanted us to explore each area we were staying in and see the people of each city start their day. This photo shows everyone coming together, talking, having a laugh and recollecting on the last two weeks. I specifically love this moment because if a random stranger were to look at this they would probably think that the teenagers in this snap have known each other for a long time, as we all look so close. We look so caught up in our own conversations and it may seem as though we haven’t realised how beautiful the serenity is. But looks can be deceiving and it’s funny to think that before those two weeks most of us were pretty much strangers to each other but the experiences and stories we shared in those two weeks were not only fun times but some of the most serious times I’ve had in my life.

Originally I told the story of Horace Alfred Cadd (Caddy) and once in Vietnam I got to share the story of John Frances Gillespie and pay my respects to his heroic story in the place where he died. Together we all shared a story of a hero, it was sad and we were all affected. This photo for me shows the intense part of the trip was over and we were able to relax and enjoy Vietnam for things other than war.

Looking at this photo with the clean streets of Vietnam, with gorgeous trees hanging over our heads it really is an absolutely amazing place. Thinking back on the trip and the photos that were taken makes me both happy and sad because I feel as though it all went too quick and I worry that I didn’t get to capture every single memory. But each photo from the trip brings me joy knowing that I will remember this for the rest of my life, I mean how could I possibly forget it?