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Scattered, smashed, at loss for words

919 views. 2011-7-21 23:15 |Individual Classification:travelogue|

It’s been a few months since I left my so-called fairly decent job on a whim when I woke up that morning and simply packed my bag and decided to travel around southern China, since I’ve dreamed to be on the road and see the world like forever.  Originally, I told myself that I should keep updating my blog and writing new entries. However, like so many times in my life, I broke the promise and ignored the plan once again.

 

It’s not that I'm too lazy, too numb or merely have nothing to say.  But just the opposite, the problem is, I have too much in mind and so many things and people and places to get to see, watch, hear, touch, feel and think about.  I am constantly bombarded with all the stuff and just too overwhelmed to process it and make it into words, ideas or even systems.

 

This whole time, I got to see the vast sea, the picturesque beach, the misty mountains, the elegant rivers, the ethnic minorities and their own distinctive customs and unique cultures, the local people, friendly or indifferent, the children, the elderly, the common working class, the farmers, the starved musicians, the store owners…I heard all kinds of life experiences, love stories, travelling adventures, colorful dreams, and their diverse modes of life.

 

I am a complete spontaneous traveler, which means I don’t like making plans or tightening schedules. I’m more of the “follow-the-heart” type of tourist. I tend to stay in a place for at least a week to get to the core of the landscape, the local people and their life as contrasted to the “hit-and-run” tourists who always come and go in a rush and in a huff, preoccupied with taking pictures as the evidence shouting to the world that “I’ve been there, done that” and then, bang, moving on to the next place in only one or two days just like their quick fix way to deal with the modern world.

 

I believe the essence of traveling is to be open-minded and make the best of your senses, to see the world as it really is instead of sitting comfortably at one tiny place and imagining what the world is like.  That’s why you’ll find that I can stay in the youth hostel for a whole day and chat with people from all corners of the world and all walks of life, when the weather is not so pleasant.  Or maybe you’ll find me lying down on the couch by the seaside and taking a nap for an entire afternoon. Simply doing nothing but still enjoying it, let the nature and the ambience sink all in, as depicted by liz in Eat pray love.  There's even an Italian word for that.  It’s not work, it’s travel, so it’s not about how many places you go to and how fast you can move, but the journey itself and whether you are truly into the place and the people and dig it wholeheartedly.

 

Besides, not only the scenic spots are worth watching, in fact, many of them are not that worthy of the expensive entrance tickets. But a grandpa sleeping on a swinging chair or a cute dog who’s trying to learn swimming in the sea can be beautiful sceneries as well.  It all depends on what you are looking for and how you are doing it. Anything can be a tourist site only for you.

 

However, regarding long-term and long-distance travel, it’s always a bittersweet trip. Shimmery exists, but shit also happens. Laugh bursts, cry also occurs. Sometimes, you get totally worked up, other times, you get all fucked up too. You become amazed, or you get dismayed as well. But whatever comes along the way, it makes the journey more complete, sincere and enriched.

 

Another thing worth noting is that, on the road, you also get to meet all kinds of people.  More often than not, romance clicks, flips, sparks and takes you by surprise. But you’ll have to be clear-minded and sharp-analytical about this sensitive and mystical thing, for some people are bound to come and go, but some are probably destined to walk down the path of life with you till the end. Some are just vacation flings, but some are perhaps your Mr.right.  Some passes, some stays. Some are day trippers, some are real keepers.  Day tripper is one of my favorite songs from the Beatles, though.

 

Bottom line, I’m so grateful for everything along the way, just beyond description. And I’m so happy that I did make it happen and made my own life choice.  The minute you set out, the most difficult part has done. Then you’ll find what a fantastic option you have embarked on and then it’s all about enjoying every second as we still can.

 

I’d say travelling is a life-altering process that modifies, changes and reshapes your views on almost everything, your priorities, your values, your dreams, your relationships, etc. As the song laments, we are born to be wild, so just polish your gun, get your motor running, set out on the road, and simply be immersed in all the fun and adventure you can have. It is really as good as it gets.

 

 

PS:

 

It's been exactly a year since I started the first day of my work life fresh out of college.   With job and career, something is always the same.  cuz you'll win some, lose some,learn some and then at some point decide to leave it all behind.  At the end of the day, you'll figure out what truely matters in the universe and find your own place.

 

 

 

Post comment Comment (8 replies)

Reply rich 2011-7-22 09:23
happy to see you here again. sort of miss you.
your new entry, somehow, reminds me of the famous poet Li Bai. to tell the truth, for various reasons, i'm one of the "hit-and-run" type of tourists. however, i admire people like you who can really follow their heart, and be able to do the real sense of travelling. i just hope one day in the not-so-distant future i will be able to travel as you do, staying in hostels, chatting casually with the locals and the ones you happen to meet on the road, eating and resting whenever you feel like it. sounds no nice and really inviting.
Reply highfive 2011-7-22 11:23
rich: happy to see you here again. sort of miss you.
your new entry, somehow, reminds me of the famous poet Li Bai. to tell the truth, for various reasons,
hey there, missed dio and you too.  
wow, I'm really flattered that it reminds you of the megastar poet.  yeah, I think one of the reasons that most people jump fromone place to another is due to their time limitation.  otherwise, who wouldnt enjoy a serene and lazy stay in a picturesque place.

but again, most people cannot be on the road forever, including me.  so after the sightseeing and eyeopening journey, I also plan to select a beautiful place and stay there for years maybe.

hope one day you'll set out and enjoy the trip as well.
Reply 2010jj 2011-7-28 22:20
Wow, it's happy to read your words. I'll continue to keey an eye on your journals.
Reply highfive 2011-7-30 21:30
2010jj: Wow, it's happy to read your words. I'll continue to keey an eye on your journals.
thanks, I'll keep writing and hopefully it'll get better.
Reply Kevin_z 2011-8-3 09:02
Your words are so beautiful! I cannot help but asking Where did your learn English and How did you learn it?
Reply highfive 2011-8-3 21:41
Kevin_z: Your words are so beautiful! I cannot help but asking Where did your learn English and How did you learn it?
thank you so much for your compliment.  actually, English is my major in college, so I probably have more time and focus to learn it than others.  besides, I'm counting on it to support myself and put food on table, so my language proficiency shouldn't be too bad, right?
Reply Kevin_z 2011-8-4 08:37
The answer is acceptable,
I believe there are many English majores here but most of the blogs I read more or less have some kind of problems, only your articles are near perfection. So I guess you must be a top student graduated from a top school.
Reply highfive 2011-8-5 21:09
Kevin_z: The answer is acceptable,I believe there are many English majores here but most of the blogs I read more or less have some kind of problems, o
Well, I'm really flattered that you may say so.    but more often than not, I still feel like I'm an amateur and there's so much about English and its culture that I do not know about or simply don't understand enough.    anyways, language learning is a lifelong and endless process.  I guess I'll  have to keep working on it and try to dig deeper than that.

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