There and Back Again: A Traveler's Thoughts

I wrote this article in 2013, a year where I took a few journeys across borders. I had made a resolution earlier that year to travel - part of my quest for self-realisation - and I, surprisingly, did a pretty good job at living up to it.

It's 2023. Besides the routine visits back to Brunei, I had a quick (and terrifyingly painful because I injured my leg pretty badly) escape to Bangkok for shopping, explored Kuala Lumpur after a work-trip and got to spend some quality family time in India (twice!). The India trips were interesting because, I had not been to Northern India with my parents since I was eight, and this year I visited several cities and realised the existence of several cousins that I didn't know I had. Plus, towards the end of the year, I visited Southern India after a span of four years, only to find that my love for it had increased tenfold thanks to eye opening spiritual journeys during my time there.

In all these journeys, I realised new things about myself and things that, as a traveler, I liked, disliked, enjoyed and found completely nonsensical.

1. Stop clicking!

I don't think I can understand the love for snapping every single thing and adventure that one goes through during a trip. And unless I'm on a photography mission or assignment (which I won't get - not a photographer!), I don't see the need to.

I suppose I'm one of those people who prefers to bask in the magnificent moments rather than to stop and take a photo. With that said, I definitely did ensure I snapped certain memorable instants such as the me standing next to the Taj Mahal (India), and at the Sanctuary of Truth (Thailand), and of course I had to run with my handy iPhone to capture the epic moment where I found an auto rickshaw in India with my name beautifully engraved on its windscreen (pictured above).

Other than that, it's not abnormal for me to return from a trip overseas without even one photo of myself posing at some tourist spot. Call me weird, but I think that's it's just something else to stop and stare, breathe in and feel without having to worry about why your photo is not turning out "good enough".

Besides, if I miss something enough, it probably means it's time to return to that spot again. Photos may just not do enough justice.

2. Getting down to the bare minimum

I have a friend who has decided to go "homeless". He now carries a backpack around the world, and during a conversation over a cup of coffee oh his trip to Singapore recently, he told me that sometimes he wonders if his backpack is also too much. That thought lingered around me for longer than I expected.

I sense the need to carry less when I travel. Relying on a few pair of tops, durable jeans, a charger and one small pouch of toiletries can really make you appreciate your bare minimum. It makes you wonder what the need for accessories and other luxury items are at times. On top of that, I've begun to treasure what I have, for instance, I've learnt to LOVE my shoes, no matter how worn out, more than ever, after going to countries where a lot of people can't afford a pair for themselves.

3. Comfort zone, be gone!

I'm a very organised person, so traveling to other parts of the world without a plan, can, well, be rather traumatising.

Having travelled to India on two separate occasions this year, I met with a lot of skeptics prior to my departure. But my family kept safety as a priority during our trips with pre-arranged flights, on-land transportation and good quality hotels.

Nonetheless, I still traveled to India without much expectation. In fact, I seemed to have enjoyed my travels in the country without knowing too much about the trip, allowing my family to lead the way.

On top of that, my trip to Bangkok proved how having no plan and expectations works wonders. Upon my arrival in Bangkok, I asked the hotel I was staying in for a map, only to get lost and then manage to find a way out anyway.

In the end, my niece and I covered so many things and even got a friend of hers to take us sightseeing to faraway places that we didn't know existed!

And with that, I hope my years ahead will be filled with even more unexpected travels!

Anyone care to join in the adventure?