Tag: travel

#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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#10- Taking things for granted

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I met this uncle whilst visiting one of the villages in Myanmar. The village had just started to have electricity just 2 months ago, and I could see that they were still trying adjust to the new lifestyle, with firewood placed everywhere around the village. This village had no locks, doors, but with the introduction of electricity, the wealthier families were beginning to build their own wells, so as to have a stake on clean water before everyone else. Seems that as society progresses, the notion of selflessness begins to diminish, and personal gains become prioritised.

Civilisation definitely drives the change in humanity, but I am not too sure if this is a good thing, as I look at how our houses these days have to be locked up, and so many measures have to put in place to ensure that others do not take advantage of another.

On another note, visiting the village was a humbling experience, as it got me thinking about how I should be grateful about the availability of electricity, clean water, which we very often take for granted. The flick of a switch, and the convenience of modern life drives one to take many things for granted. There is just so much in life to be grateful for.

~Ululatetravels

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#9- Hong Kong and Spontaneity

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I chose to travel without my camera this time round, as I figured that it would provide me with alot more mobility, so please excuse the lack of quality in terms of photos.

Just got back from Hong Kong this morning. So many things happened, and reflecting on all the serendipitous encounters and experiences in the last few days, I feel some parts of me stirring as I start pondering about the next steps and priorities in life.

This is the first time in my life where I allowed myself to act on complete spontaneity even though there were financial considerations involved for that decision. I extended my stay, at the very very last minute, cancelled my existing flight ticket back to Singapore, and ended up paying a premium for another ticket back to Singapore.  I also had to bear the cost for additional nights of accommodation as well. I have never done this before, and it was really liberating (albeit the slight tinge of regret when I looked at the bank numbers). However, I do not regret the decision, as the extra time allowed for me to meet so many people, and reconnected with so many different parts of me.

I have always had a sense of detachment with Hong Kong, because it was always just a stopover for me. I never felt any connection with the city even though I spent my formative years here.  There is just this part of me living in nostalgia, thinking about how I used to be really happy, when I lived a much simpler life back in HK as a kid. Taking the time to explore the city all over again has got me rethinking my relationship with the city, and maybe, just maybe, there is so much meaning in this city. It is the people that make the difference, I have no doubts about that. But, there is also that element of reconnecting with the me, before I moved to Singapore.

Maybe, just maybe, Hong Kong might be the answer I am looking for, as I continue on my journey to find that missing piece of me. Which begs the question, what is one’s priority in life? What should be the most important to me right now?

~~ Ululatetravels

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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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