After Trip Thoughts

Previously, a friend asked me why would I spend a few thousands on a backpacking trip when it's so tiring and hard. It was like spending money to make life difficult for myself. Why don't I spend my money on new laptop, computer etc...? That friend also mentioned that after the backpacking trip, I was left with nothing except memories, but if I spent the money on computer, I could use it for the next few years.

Hmmm....

Another friend asked me why do I spend so much money just to see and experience new things? What can you do there, especially in those less developed regions? Why can't you see it from your TV screen? What do you get in return?

Hmmm....

I have a hard time trying to convince people who do not backpack to give it a try. Seems that everybody likes to measure things in terms of material or tangible returns. In my opinion, backpacking is a bit aligned with existentialism where the emphasis is the whole process and not the destination. In a package tour, the whole "process" element is missing, as everything is pre-arranged, and the emphasis is destination.

On the other hand, Backpacking is fun because it is self-exploratory & self-discovering process where you learn so much about yourself during the process. Often, it is the "hiccups" along the journey, the unpleasant experiences, the awful encounters... that make the trip memorable. Your senses is constantly stimulated by new sights, new aroma, new sound. Somehow, you felt liberated from the seemingly pointless rat-race back home.

There are moments of jubilation when you saw something magnificent, when you are partying away with fellow travelers, when you finally reached your destination. There are moments of sadness and difficulties when you felt extremely alone in a foreign land and feeling a bit homesick, when you are feeling sick and nausea, when everything just went wrong. when you see the suffering of those who are less fortunate. There are moments of inspiration when you met people who have done great things out of passion, when you felt that life is full of dreams and hope, when success is not measured by material wealth.

Putting it simply: I felt that I was alive!!!

Friends kept asking me what're the highlights of this trip? I thought of the incident of picking up my handphone from the shit-hole, and puked after seeing my hand stained with other people's shit; I thought of the day when I was exploring Beijing in a bike with a bunch of great friends and eating steamboat after that; I thought of the night scene of the Bund from Grand Hyatt, Shanghai; I thought of all the kindness of all the new found friends along the journey; I thought of the visit to my old friend and staying in the Tibetan monastery for a few days; I thought of the awestruck moment when I first saw the Potala Palace; I thought of the .....


It is the Tibetan people that really touched me. I derived so much inspiration from them. Despite the harsh conditions of the highland, the lack of material wealth, the wreckage of their homeland by intruders, they are still living a simple happy life. I could see the determination and the faith in the pilgrims all over Tibet, experience the hospitality of Tibetan people, feel of the strength and resilient of the Tibet herders and lastly, I saw the joy of childhood again in the Tibetan Kids.

They lack material wealth, but they are so much richer in other areas.

Perhaps, having Enough is all we need...

Perhaps...

Perhaps, not forgetting that there is this innocent and simple kid in everyone of us.

(Drenched by Water-bomb attack by the Kids in Lhasa, Tibet)