Tag: solo travel

#16- In love

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I think I’m in love. Not with anyone in particular, but with this world. I think this world has way too much to offer. The nature, the people, the animals, the architecture, the history, the universe, everything comes together concurrently to create this world that we see before us. Ever since I got back, I find myself being able to appreciate the people around me better, being more aware of the things going on around me. I’m used to cruising through life here because it is so familiar that I take it for granted. Maybe it is time to start focusing and exploring home once again, with this sense of newfound awareness.

Thanks to those who shared my last post; I’m glad it meant something to some of you!

Xoxo

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#15- Moving on and letting go

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Had a discussion with a friend about moving on and letting go. In life, things rarely go exactly the way we want it to be.

Some words of wisdom from a really good friend that put things into perspective for me. People come into our lives for a reason, and every single person that you have met in your life was there for a reason. After you have been taught that lesson that you are supposed to learn, they leave, and you go on your separate paths. When that lesson is for a lifetime; they stay. The key is to focus on your path, rather than what could have been, might have been, because life is too short to focus on the negatives.

Also, what I realized is that it is not entirely bad when things don’t go your way; it is a stark reminder that you have taken things for granted. It might mean you have a chance to do something about it, or it might not. Either way, you learn a lesson about life.

With this said, I think I have finally found the door to continue my path on. I am going to take it, and make the best out of it.

Be kind to yourself, and live the life that you deserve, without the shackles of the past.

Xoxo

Uploaded more photos from my Myanmar trip !

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#14- Change is the only constant

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Looking back on everything that has happened in 2015, my greatest realisation is that change is the only constant. Heard of this statement before? Because it is so true!

People, feelings, circumstances, plans, jobs, partners, friends etc, everything in life is subjected to change. Nothing remains static. Personally,  I think the main reason why people feel pain when they end a relationship or when they lose something in their lives, is basically because of their inability to accept abrupt change, and the sense of attachment which they have with whatever they are losing. It is definitely easier said than done, and dealing with constant changes is a really stressful process.

One of my girlfriends just got out of a long term relationship recently, and conversations about life with her always get me reflecting about some of the changes I’ve had to go through this year.

When someone we love decides to leave us, the first thought that occurs is usually, “I cannot live without this person”. That, in essence, is resisting change. In life, there is no one person who is indispensable, and the moment you start accepting that change is a constant, the time taken to heal shortens by so much, because it means you are placing the focus back on yourself. More often than not, when we fall in love, we lose sight of who we are, and you find your identity becoming a collective one. When you do not evolve together with your partner in a relationship, then the identity crisis comes along. Eventually, when one party decides to leave, one resists the change, because it would mean that the collective identity that one is so comfortable with gets removed, and it is hard to readapt back to life on your own. The whole process of “moving on” is in essence, accepting the change, and then realigning the focus of your life back to yourself. At least this was the case for me.

How do we keep ourselves unfettered by these changes? The answer is, we cannot.  The only way to go about it is to basically embrace change as a constant. Sounds simple, but it is in fact an uphill task. Humans have a tendency to stay attached to the things they have and letting go actually entails accepting that life will change from now on. Tough, but I think a good thinking to have is to live in the moment, and be grateful for everything that you have. This thought on its own, will put you back on the path of healing, and leave you amazed at how far positivity can take you.

I hope those who are struggling to cope with change will have positivity to guide them to greater happiness!

~~ululatetravels

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#13- Because home makes me smile

DSC_0355-1Been back in Singapore for awhile now. I think I am slowly integrating “back” into my life. Much as I try to think that things will be the same as before, it will never be the case. I think I have grown on so many levels the last 8 months, having gone through many major changes which required a huge level of maturity and commitment. Time continues to move, people change, and things change so quickly these days that I find it really difficult to continue where I left off before I started my journey.

One big change upon returning here is the newfound sense of appreciation and gratefulness for my life in Singapore. Indeed, I think I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to grow up in Singapore. I’ve been checking out my own city skyline in the last week a couple of times as I’ve had friends visiting, and suddenly I realised how beautiful home is. The people, the sense of familiarity, food, and everything else is really amazing. I have to admit I have always taken all of these for granted.

Even though I still miss the simplicity of village life in Myanmar, coupled with the innocent laughter I hear each time I see kids there, I am still really happy to be back at home, with my family, friends, and everything else. Life is beautiful, and everyday, there is a reason for me to smile.

~~ululatetravels

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#12- Beginning of a new end

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Its the beginning of a new end. I’m taking a break from traveling to return to some sort of stability. Reflecting on the last 3 months, I think I have grown a lot mentally. The world is so big, and there is so much out there, just waiting for me to discover it. I am very thankful for all the new friendships built across the world, and the new lessons that I’ve learnt from everyone I’ve met, regardless of how brief the encounter was.

The trip which left the biggest impact on me has got to be Myanmar. Interacting with the Burmese people just made me realize how futile it is to keep hanging on to the past, and hopefully, I can give back to them someday somehow. Taiwan was the one trip where self-discovery took flight, and where I started to really connect with the me deeper inside. USA made me realize that love exists everywhere in the world, despite the distance, and distance is never a factor to deter love. Hong Kong made me rediscover my own roots, and also gave me the best friendships I could ever ask for. Thailand reconnected me with my passion for history. Every footstep in the last 3 months has shaped me differently, and I am thankful to emerge a stronger and wiser person after these travels.

One of the biggest takeaway I’ve had was that you don’t need everything in the world to be happy. Sometimes, being content and grateful for things that you already have is enough on its own to fill your heart with happiness. I am immensely thankful for a supportive group of friends, both in Singapore and all across the world, my family, and everybody else I’ve met, even if I didn’t catch your name. The adventure hasn’t ended, and I don’t intend to end it because life is a process of constant discovery. Each day, I am still learning more about myself.

Can’t wait for the next series of adventures! smile emoticon 

If you are interested, here are the Myanmar Photos !

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#11- Thoughts on Childhood

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We met this little boy at one of the random pagodas we tried to climb up in Bagan. He was really curious, and yet behaved in a really warm way, sharing about the pagoda with us in whatever little English that he could speak. The bulk of the communication was done through pointing and gestures. At the end, we were thinking if we were supposed to tip him, as this was always the case in SEA. To our surprise, he simply said bye to us, and signaled for us to make our way down the pagoda.

I enjoyed the short encounter with this kid, as this reminded me of the innocence that children have. Circumstances, more often than not, take that right of childhood away from them, evident from the neighbouring countries we have traveled to.

Children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood, regardless of where and what sort of families they are born into, and this is definitely an area I hope to make a difference to, if given a chance to.

As I look at how the children in the city are spoilt rotten with the introduction of first world “necessities” such as Ipads, Iphones, tablets, I cannot help but think that I was lucky to be born into a time where I could enjoy my childhood in a tiny village back in Hong Kong in the 80s, where I lived in wooden houses. Even though we did not have any of the luxury that we enjoy today, I definitely think that we were all happier then. Much of it was filled with running around the tiny village with my neighbours, and getting screamed at by the adults as we ran around the neighbourhood. I think I miss that pure happiness, and am ever more so thankful that I had the opportunity to enjoy my childhood.

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#8- Thoughts Post Taiwan

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Back in Singapore and my second solo trip ended last night. Its been an amazing trip full of firsts. First time trying 檳榔，first time visiting and navigating random offshore islands on my own, driving an electric scooter, crashing a motorbike while trying to drive it for the first time, taking day trips with random strangers who are now my friends, etc. I’ve definitely found out so much more about myself and even reaffirming certain traits, such as how poor my sense of direction and balance are. Despite these,  it has still been amazing finding out so much more about myself. Revisiting old spots just made me realize how far I’ve come from my past, and the need to keep moving forward without looking backwards. Thank you so much Taiwan, I learnt alot the last few days!

Meeting new people and learning more about others makes me appreciate the little things in life so much more. Take for example Jili and his owner, featured above, the bond shared by them is something that I found really precious, and made me think about my lack of time spent with Camry as I have been traveling quite abit the last few months. Perhaps, it is a stark reminder that I should remain in town next week so as to spend more time with my family, friends, and my precious Camry.

~~Ululatetravels

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