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What if you could travel the world and money and time is not a concern? Would you go on a round-the-world trip? How would you go about doing it? Will you go alone? Or will you bring a friend? Where would you go? Which countries are a must see? Will you go on a luxury trip? Or would you have to budget your finances carefully? What if you have no option in this, because the most luxurious place you can stay in the islands off Vanuatu is in fact a shithole? What if your friend who is an annoying little twat wants to come along? Will you allow him to join your RTW? What if he tells you that he needs western toilets everywhere he stays? And if there is no toilet paper, what would he do? Do you even care?
Why not just go alone? What do you really want to get out of this trip? Is it because you need a getaway? Why not just take a weekend staycation in a local five star hotel and blog about your wonderful ‘travel experience’? Or do you actually want to realise your dreams and see the world? Which idiot came up with the word ‘staycation’ anyway? Maybe you want to explore different cultures and meet the locals? Or have full moon parties in the beaches of Thailand? Aren’t you such a cliche?
Have you looked through your bucket list of countries to visit? Is it possible to plan a route that covers everything without having to backtrack? Does it make sense to buy an RTW ticket? If so, which airline? And is it open jaw? Why is airline food so bad? Does anyone even pay attention to the airplane safety demonstrations nowadays? What if they had supermodels doing the safety demonstration? Would you pay attention then?
Will you fly from country to country? Or would you rather go overland? Will you hire a car and a driver to bring you to the border? Maybe you might want to consider the cross-country train? Or will you take the public bus? What if the bus ride is an excruciating 16 hour ordeal through northern Pakistan? The scenery along the Karakoram highway is beautiful, is it not? Would that justify sitting in a cramped space with your backpack on your lap throughout? How come the bus does not stop for toilet breaks? Why does everyone one in this frigging bus seem to have superhuman bladders? What if you really, really need to pee? Will you then shout for the bus driver to stop? “Hello mister driver, can you please stop so I can pee?” What is that translated to Urdu? Will everyone in the bus with their superhuman bladders laugh at you? Maybe before the next bus ride you should do a little planning? How about not drinking anything for the next 16 hours so that you would not have the urge to relief yourself? Doesn’t that sound utterly ridiculous? But what if the alternative is a random god-knows-when stop where everyone lines up by the roadside, hitches up their shalwar kameez and empties their bladder in a contest to see who can shoot the furthest? How about the women in the bus, don’t they have to go? These women really do have superhuman bladders, don’t they?
How about visas? Will you get them before you leave home? What if the visa is only valid for three months, what then? Why do some countries have the most stupid visa requirements? Are they so determined to keep out tourists? Why do you need a confirmed hotel booking, an itinerary and a flight ticket out in order to get a Chinese visa? Why can’t they just go visa-free, it’s not like we tourists want to overstay in China for 6 months and laze around in the hostel all day, under the pretext of “learning Chinese”, right? Right?
Since we are talking about hostels, where would you stay on your RTW? Will you stay in hotels or hostels? Is AirBnB an option. especially if you were headed to Sochi? Or maybe a good idea is to couchsurf? But what if all your Turkish couchsurfing host wants to do is hit on you? What if his house smells faintly of onions and it permeates through all your clothes and you cannot stand the smell and all you want to do is to flee from his home? Wouldn’t that be rude? What is the etiquette of couchsurfing? Must you bring a gift for your host? Or do you have to cook for him as a gesture of thanks for hosting you? What if all you can come up with is instant noodles? How come supermarkets in Turkey don’t stock instant noodles? Don’t they eat ramen? Can you just live on kebabs everyday? What is the difference between an Adana kebab and an Iskender Kebab? Don’t they all taste the same? Isn’t a kofte kebab just a doner kebab on a stick? Have you tried asking that to a Turkish kebab connoisseur who gets so appalled that you don’t know the difference between an Adana and an Iskender that he spends the next 30 minutes explaining to you about various kinds of kebabs? When in your mind all you want is a packet of instant noodles?
What will you pack on your RTW trip? Will you bring a backpack or a suitcase? How heavy will your luggage be? Won’t you have to carry everything you have on your shoulders? Do you really need to bring five pairs of jeans? Are you going to bring along your favourite red socks? What if you are in Bosnia and everyone else is wearing black jackets and black socks and you look like a complete idiot in your red socks? What if you are in a mall in Sarajevo and a blonde Bosnian supermodel is about to come up to you and chat you up and notices your red socks and immediately changes her mind and walks away? Maybe it wasn’t the red socks, maybe you just smell funny? Could it have been the onions from your Turkish couchsurfing friend?
How would you keep in touch with everyone back home? Will you use Facebook? Or will you Skype your way through the world? Will you keep a blog so that family and friends can keep track of your travels? Will your blog be updated regularly or will you decide to go “Fuck it, I’ll update the blog when I get home” and then realise you have a backlog of 6 months worth of posts to update? What will you do then? Will you create a stupid blog post asking all sorts of questions incessantly and hope your readers won’t notice that your last RTW recap post was more than a month ago?
What if you could travel the world and money and time is not a concern? Would you go on a round the world trip?
ps. If you have not yet realised, every sentence in this article is a question. the idea behind this post comes from Padget Powell’s ‘The Interrogative Mood: A Novel?” which is a good read that you should definitely check out and perhaps pick up for your travels.
pps. Everything in the article happened, except for the bit about onions.
.The first time I rode a tuk-tuk was probably in Bangkok. I didn’t have the best memories of that ride. I remember trying to bargain down the price. The driver was a young guy, wearing a t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops. He insisted on 100 baht for the journey, and was indignant when we offered only half that. We eventually agreed on 80 baht. He beckoned for us to board his three-wheeler, and we did. He was the pilot, and we the passengers. Of course, I later realised that we were still paying more than three times what the locals paid.
Despite that experience, it is hard not to be a fan of the humble tuktuk. I have travelled to more countries since then, to many places where the ubiquitous tuktuk is the mode of transport of choice of the local populace. Often painted in bright colours, their exteriors are simple, though in some countries, the sides and back panels are decorated with flowers, stickers and lavish patterns. Proud tuktuk drivers furnish the interiors of their tuk-tuks with fascinating paraphernalia that gives each tuktuk its own distinct personality.
In my opinion, the tuktuk is the best way for a solo traveller to get around. More versatile than buses, but cheaper than taxi cabs, the tuktuk can take one passenger and one backpack comfortably. Most can take up to two or three passengers, though I been squeezed in with five before. The tuktuk has a top speed of around 100 km/hr, though most are content to chug along at 60 km/hr. The biggest advantage of a tuk-tuk over a cab is that it is able to slip in and out of little side roads and bypass heavy traffic jams. They are also surprisingly able to cut through rough terrain. It’s perhaps not the best form of transport if you are sensitive to dust and fumes, since most tuktuk models are exposed to the outside environment. Also, they don’t do steep inclines very well, they: I’ve actually been charged more for a ride going uphill in Udaipur, India.
Here is a series of photos of the different variants of Tuk-tuks found all over the world.
Indonesia
More commonly known as Bajaj, after the manufacturer’s brand, Bajaj Auto. Tuktuks in Jakarta traverse the city, each within its own district, which is often listed on the front door.
A Jakarta bajaj driver sportingly gives the peace sign
I’ve seen another form of three-wheeler in Indonesia. This motorcycle and sidecar is the preferred mode of transport in Aceh and some other parts in Sumatra, Indonesia. Called the becak, it’s more pleasant to ride on one, since it gives you a better view of your surroundings. Also, you get the wind in your hair.
A photo of two becaks taken from inside a becak. Aceh
Cambodia
The Cambodian variant of the three wheeler is different from normal tuk-tuks, though both use the same name. This one seen in Siem Reap is a motorcyle attached to a cabin in the rear. Kind of like a motorcyle-powered bullock cart.
A parked tuktuk by the side of the road
India
The tuktuks in India are called autos, short for auto-rickshaws. These are found everywhere in the country. Best for short distances, but I’ve taken a 15 minute ride after a late night in Delhi. Try your best to get them to use the meters.
Besides passengers, tuktuks also carry other loads. Trivandrum, India.
Autos on the streets of Trivandrum
Autos parked outside Jagdish temple in Udaipur
China
The only time I sat in a tuk-tuk in China was in Kaiping, en route to see the famous diaolous. This was the Chinese variant of the Tuktuk. Another type I’ve seen are those that resemble 3 wheeled mini-trucks, called san-lun 三轮 san-lun
A san lun on the streets of Xingping, Guangxi, China
A san lun in the Dong minority village of Zhaoxing, Guizhou, China
View from behind a tuktuk driver in Kaiping city.
Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, they call them tuk-tuks. Very much similar to the Indian auto, they are found in many cities all over Sri Lanka, in various shades.
Tuktuk drivers watching a game of cricket at Galle’s Old Fortress
Colourful tuktuks of Hikkaduwa.
A decorated interior of a tuktuk. Hikkaduwa
A bearded tuktuk driver taking a break in Kandy
A row of parked tuktuks in Nuwara Eliya
Sudan
Tuktuks exists elsewhere too. This was a scene in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum. Locally known as rakshas, they are used to get from place to place all over town.
Rakshas in the central market area of Khartoum
Rakshas in the town of Kuraymah
Three travellers inside a Sudanese raksha
Ethiopia
The tuktuk in Ethiopia are known as a Bajaj, again after the brand. All of them are blue in colour, with a white canvas top.
A tuk-tuk turns the corner on the streets of Mekele.
Parked tuktuks by the road in Harar.
Bangladesh
The tuktuks that roam the streets of Dhaka in Bangladesh are called CNGs, named after their fuel source. They are green in colour, to indicate the environmentally friendly fuel that they use. Interestingly, Dhaka CNGs all have metal grills separating the driver from the passenger.
Looking out of the side window, towards another CNG. Dhaka
The driver takes a break at a traffic light
A lone CNG struggles to get past the other popular form of three-wheeler in Dhaka, the cycle-rickshaw
Pakistan
In Pakistan, I’ve seen two different kinds of auto-rickshaws. One is the Vespa three-wheeler model, similar to the Indian models, but more angular in design. They are called rikshaws¸and often have fancy decorated windows and sides.
A rikshaw in Multan
The other type of three wheeled tuktuk I have seen in Pakistan is the modified motorcyle. This type is called the Qingqi, named after the Chinese brand that made it.
A Qingqi in Multan
A list of thoughts after returning from almost 1.5 years of travel.
1) When you can live on a 12kg backpack’s worth of stuff, you realise you don’t really need much. No fancy cars, no second property, no expensive brands.
2) When you meet different people who dress in different ways, and have different taboos, and things that may be wrong here, are perfectly alright elsewhere, you learn not to judge someone based on where they come from, how they look, speak or how much they own.
3) When you realise that when different people from different parts of the world from all walks of life can make the effort to do what’s required as part of the religion (like praying 5 times a day, albeit with many different variations, but the intent is the same), you realise that you should follow suit.
4) When you look at the horizon from the peak of a snow-capped mountain, dive amongst schools of fishes, or even trying to survive the night while stranded outdoors in the Alborz mountains of Iran, you realise that in the scheme of things, you are very small.
5) When you end up in a situation that requires you to put your emotions aside because you need to plan your next course of action. You realise that you have no time (and no point) to be angry, or sad or disappointed, because no one cares anyway. You learn to quickly pick yourself up, be objective and move on. Change course and move on.
6) When you travel to Country A and everyone there tells you that people from Country B are all vile, nasty inbreds, and then you travel to Country B and you realise that they are in fact all very pleasant and friendly. But then Country B tells you that people from Country A are all evil, baby-eating monsters. You learn to take what people tell you with a pinch of salt. You also learn that people’s perceptions are based on past history, from a generation ago and it is better to form your own point of views, rather than just agreeing.
7)You realise that sometimes, it is better to listen, gather information, process it yet keep the opinions to yourself. Because not everyone is interested in what you have to say. And some people will not agree to what you say. Forget trying to change their minds, it’s not worth the effort.
8) You get lonely if you keep to yourself for too long. Everyone needs friends. If you are travelling alone, go out and make some. If you are at home, catch up with old friends.
9) A little bit of stress, and regular exercise (in this case lots of walking) keeps you fit and healthy.
10) This last one is a bit tough for me to learn, still getting there: Don’t be so uptight. Planning is good, keeping to a schedule is good and to keep moving is good. But take some time to look up and enjoy the travel.
For more bits of wisdom, check out this list after I returned from travelling 4 months in Africa. https://www.thefuriouspanda.com//2010/03/96-bits-of-travel-wisdom/
Week three’s topic: Indie Travel: Have you ever studied or taken classes on a trip? What did you study, and perhaps more importantly, what did you learn while on that trip? What would you like to learn on your travels this year?
I try to think back, and recall a time when I took classes or lessons during a trip. And curiously enough, I don’t think I ever did. But that’s not to say that I’ve not learned anything during my travels. In fact, I think most of life’s lessons have been learned through travelling.
I’ve learned to conquer my fears, stand up for myself, but the one most important thing I learned is appreciation. The capacity to appreciate persons from another culture, race or religion, through interaction during my travels. Here in Singapore, we have a bevy of foreign nationals, out to make a living in a distant land. We have salespeople from the Philippines, construction workers from China, cleaners from Bangladesh, maids from Indonesia and Sri Lanka. They go about their own business, some more quietly than others (those not in front-desk services obviously). Many of us here in Singapore take little notice of them. In the past year, I have been to each one of the abovementioned countries, as a guest, instead of the usual guise as a resident of the host country. And in my travels, I have had the opportunity to have meaningful conversations, partake of their hospitality and be humbled by the way some of them live their lives. Now, when I see the Bangladeshi cleaner in my office building, I strike up a conversation and learn that he was from Rajshahi; he has a degree but can earn more as a cleaner here in Singapore than back home.
“Seeking knowledge is essential, and what better way than traveling. The experience makes for a better human being, and the best thing about it is that it stays with you for life.”
In my travels this year, I have set a target to learn conversational Chinese, Arabic, and possibly Russian. Additionally, I would want to pick up a small portable musical instrument along the way and be somewhat proficient with it. And finally, I hope to learn the rich culture and history of the countries I travel to, and be able to share them with loved ones back home.
Now this is interesting. Bootsnall has a travel challenge every single week of 2012. A topic, a prompt or a question that I’ll write about. Sounds like an interesting challenge, so here goes. WK01 of #indie2012 is about travel resolutions.
So without much ado, here is a list of things to do and places to visit in hopefully 2012 à which I tweeted about last week.
1) The Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan – Secluded in the northeast corner of Afghanistan, the Wakhan area boasts one of most scenic trekking around the region.
2) North Korea – Pyongyang looks like THE place to visit this year, after the handover of power to the younger Kim. Arirang festival should be a bigger affair; it is just too bad that the timing is wrong when I am around there.
3) Petra in Jordan – Thanks to all the #GoJordan tweets over the last month, Petra’s rock carved architecture is on my travel resolution list.
4) Asmara – The capital of Eritrea, with its Italian influence was a destination back in 2009, but unfortunately, it was next to impossible to obtain a visa. Now is the time for a second attempt.
5) Socotra – Part of Yemen, located south of the mainland, the flora and fauna is said to be nothing that you have ever seen.
6) Korakoram Highway – A road trip starting for Kashgar in China and ending in Gilgit in Pakistan. Probably by public transport. And just one of those things on my list that needs to be done.
7) Libya – I am still crossing my fingers that by the second half of next year, Libya will be more indie tourist friendly, without the need for a guide and all that.
8) Iran – The Persian cultures, the Safavid empires, the central asian influence; Iran has to be on this list. So rich in history, I look forward to this particular destination.
9) Traipsing central Asia – More historical cities of the Silk Road, Samarkand, Bukhara, Kiva, Merv. I’ll take every destination I can get to. The political climate makes some of the cities inaccessible, but at least a decent attempt is on the cards.
10) Georgia – In fact, all of the Caucasus, but especially Georgia for its hospitality and landscapes.
That’s the Korakoram Range in the background. So more landscapes like this in 2012 then =)
Sounds like a very ambitious resolution list, doesn’t it. But goals are meant to be ambitious. Here’s where S.M.A.R.T. acronym comes in useful. These above I would say are pretty Specific. Measurable as well, since setting foot on each location would count as having completed the task. Definitely Attainable, despite the list looking absolutely crazy and some would say challenging! They are Relevant to my own personal goals, as well as Timely. I give myself a year. Wish me luck!
- Create your own travel map or travel blog
- Compare flights at TripAdvisor
red is documenting this because this deserves documenting.
Saturday
1) Spectacles screw keeps coming out, so right lens keeps dropping.
2) Wanted to go hum to loud music
3) All dressed up and good to go.
4) Cannot find wallet. Lost!
5) Searches car, house, bag, void deck trash bin (cos remember throwing plastic bag tt afternoon)
6) Very frustrated. Spec lens drop out. In anger, throws specs aside. Goes to room to sulk.
7) Searched everywhere but can’t find. Cancels ATM & other cards.
8) Goes to sleep blind, spec lens is now missing. suspects evil house cat.
Sunday
1) Morning calls office. Finds left wallet there. In drawer. DAMN.
2) Goes out to play soccer. Get VERY swollen left ankle.
3) Sprain. Limps home.
4) Thankfully it’s the left ankle. Auto car.
5) Intends to buy new set of contact lenses & replace specs later.
6) Removes lenses & limps around blind the whole afternoon so that eye checkup is not screwed due to wearing lenses (says the opto)
7) Evening intends to limp to shop to buy nice specs. All dressed up
8) Realises no ATM or other cards to pay for nice specs
9) Resigned laughter. Goes to mope & finish stuff for work in front of the PC. Blindly.
10) Sigh