Seeing the world

曰:读万卷书, 不如行万里路。
(reading 10 thousand rolls of scrolls cannot be compared with travelling 10 thousand miles)

曰:百闻不如一见
(seeing for oneself is a hundred times better than hearing from others)

You can read all the stories, you can view all pictures but nothing beats going there and seeing it with your very own eyes, and experiences the marvel of the places, the activities, the events.

When I first travelled on my own back 3 years ago, I tell myself that I will want to travel at least one a year, and to see as much of the world as I can. That is also the very first time I took the plane. Nothing exciting except trying to figure out how-where-when-why-who-what on your own. And most importantly, kept looking at my clock to ensure I dun miss my flight.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon and there is nothing I can complain about. Why should I be? If the poor can become the rich, the rich can become the powerful, I'm sure I can place myself somewhere in that hierarchy. And its always great and no guilt that you are spending your own moolah, and not wasting your parents' moolah. Beside, I dun have the luxury of wasting my parents' moolah.

I remember the time when I was supposed to go travel with some friends to phuket a few years back. After months of delaying and waiting, each one of the members dropped out for various reasons and finally, the last fella dropped out as well. I was upset and disappointed as well. All the talking and planning vapourized before me. So a colleague told me of a promotional airticket to Down Under, so off I went on my own.

The good thing of travelling alone and being single at the same time is that you do not need to give any commitment. No discussion to be carried out with a any SO, except with your boss to ensure he approve leaves. No fussing over who cannot do what or who dowan to do what. No more delaying as no one else to wait for. Almost no screw up, unless you screw yourself up. And its a really good thing to have someone, especially local, at the place of travel. Free lodging comes in handy if its available.

Happened that a friend was studying in the 2nd largest city in Down Under. So get my airticket and off I go to visit him. Ok, I din fly off immediately but the time taken to decide to go to holding the airticket in my hand was completed in 3 days. Chop chop get it done, chop chop go enjoy. So lucky me, I get to stay over at 2 friends' places, saving a fair bit of my travel.

Lately saw a promotional package to this history-rich island in a country of 13 thousand islands, probably the country with the most number of islands in the world. A place said to be one of the most expensive place in the country. An island said to be good for diving. Yeah, now whatever is in planning, diving has become an itineraries though it is not a must. So go around checking with my salsa-cum-diving kakis to see who wants to go, and the response take much longer than expected to come back. By the time the details are gathered, the good deal was no longer a good deal. A 4D/3N package had technically become a 2D/3N package. Last flight in and first flight out is no fun. Same moolah for a much lesser time there dun seems to look attactive those going. SoI had to go cancel the booking. Sadly.

Then now I saw another package to another island, in a country of 7 thousands islands. A deal so good that I can't really make it any cheaper if I go make the booking individually to avoid on my own, not with what they have to offer. So quickly, I go gather people, and this time, a smaller group and I want to have the answer by the next day. Good news is that I get all my details fast and bad news is that my room mate cannot make it. His leaves got disapproved. No shit. I seriously think the sway deity is clinging onto me.

Maybe its about time I go do my travelling alone. I always wonder how it is like to backpack alone. Maybe I should just do it. Maybe