Why I Still Go to the Mountains Vol. 20The Headlights at 7:31 p.m.

7:25 p.m.
Following the woman’s advice,
I moved across the road
to the front of the police station.

If I was going to continue hitchhiking,
my safety had to come first.

Twilight had already faded,
and the evening was quietly giving way to night.

I looked over at the hotel on the corner.
There was a bar on the ground floor.

A sign by the entrance read:
Happy Hour
Thursday 5:00–6:00 p.m.

Unfortunately,
this was Sunday.

If it had been Thursday,
perhaps I would have been sitting inside,
drinking a cold beer with a green label,
thinking about where to go next.

But I wasn’t in a position
to enjoy that kind of luxury.

My destination was still far away.
And the sky was growing darker.

7:31 p.m.
A car approached.

At first,
I assumed it would simply drive past.

Then,
just before the police station,
it slowed down.

Its hazard lights began flashing.
The car came to a stop.
Could it be… ?

I quickly grabbed my suitcase.
Hope
and uncertainty
filled my mind in equal measure.

That’s how travel can be.
Sometimes,
you wait for hours,
and nothing happens.

Then suddenly,
one small moment
changes everything that follows.

Holding my suitcase,
I began running
toward the flashing hazard lights.

Wear the atmosphere of Northern Thailand.  
Discover GENIE, an all-handmade wear collection born from the handcraft traditions of the North.  

Explore here↓
https://genienature.official.ec/