Firm confidence and just trying to plan your best trip can make a big difference in your life, and it can change it. So why procrastinate?
I started traveling on my own in 2012 when I took a bus with a friend to Finland and Sweden. This was my first independent journey after graduation. After that I flew to Spain, traveled across Russia, lived in Thailand and visited the countries of Asia closest to it.
All this, one way or another, leaves its mark on our life. There are completely different thoughts, ideas and aspirations that are simply impossible to feel if you live a measured life, typical for most people. At some point, this happened to me.
After I traveled all over Thailand on a motorcycle for about five thousand kilometers, something clicked in my head. A few months later I returned to Russia and together with a friend came up with a new motorcycle trip. More global and even at that time not quite real. I decided to ride a motorcycle across western Europe. And not just drive, but stay in a state of travel for two months, although such a route can be “flown” in a couple of weeks.
It was August 2014, I didn’t have my own motorcycle, nor the necessary rights, nor money, nor visas. There was nothing at all, except for the complete confidence that in May 2015 I will get on a motorcycle and go on my journey called One on moto , no matter what.
Usually, after a while, most people forget about their dreams. They continue to lead an ordinary life and come up with 1001 excuses for themselves why you can't give up everything and do it right now. This happened to my friend, who after a couple of months actually gave up the idea of our trip.
Oddly enough, but on my own, I felt relieved. There was no need to adapt to other people's desires, to go where I personally do not want. I had a ready idea and the opportunity to do everything the way I liked it, without looking back at someone else.
Everything suddenly became clear and transparent. It is at this moment that the mere desire to go on a journey begins to change our life rapidly and irrevocably.
I got a job, income, a goal. All year I have been preparing for the trip. The problems that usually concern the average resident of a large city have become indifferent to me. It is this indifference to the little things of everyday life that releases energy in us for really worthwhile actions, deeds and decisions in our lives.
Needless to say, I got married in January 2015! A man who, for the past five years, has been firmly convinced that he will not marry before he gets rich or lives to at least thirty.
You might think that all of this is common enough. Maybe. But we begin to make serious decisions in our life only when we are confident in our life goals. There are no hesitations and empty thoughts, whining and cottoniness cease to prevail over us. Being in this state, I can say with confidence that right now I really live!
While planning all aspects of the trip, I started studying maps, terrain, motorcycle design, visa subtleties and more. All this helps to move away from the usual activities, broadens the horizons and gives new food for ideas.
At the end of winter, the idea came to me to tell as many people as possible about the trip, to do something that had not yet been done before me.
There are hundreds of motorcyclists who visit Europe every year from Russia. But few talk about their feelings and generally move away from the usual "snatch" on the European autobahns of several countries in two weeks. After all, it is outside the well-trodden routes that the most interesting begins.
I have always been disgusted by travel programs and programs that pour from screens refined and absolutely hackneyed information for a package tourist. Using the situation, I decided to make a mini-series about the journey after returning and publish it on my YouTube channel... So the emergence of another desire, for the sake of which I had to overcome new difficulties, set goals. As a result, I got the result - I agreed with the studio about editing, found cameras and everything I needed, the only thing left to do was to shoot the material.
This is just another example of how you can discover new horizons for yourself through related areas and directions. I am a designer by profession. But the whole story with this trip made me rethink my professional desires and now I have a lot of ideas where and how I really want to develop. What really matters to me in life.
Thousands of people spend years and a lot of money for the sake of this understanding, go to trainings of all kinds of charlatans. But you should just go on a journey, plunge into the unknown, talk to yourself cleanly, and many things will become obvious to you.
During the downpour that caught me among the hills and mountains on the way from Krabi to Bangkok, I received a whole storm of sensations and emotions. Fear, cold, dampness, stuffiness, freedom, joy. Damn it, I was happy and focused as much as possible on what was happening, I lived in the moment and I really liked it! May there be more moments in your future journey when you just live without thinking about anything.
You can find out more about preparing for the trip on the website.
Some travels are remembered because they were at a certain time - honeymoon or graduation. Others - by being the first: the first trip abroad, the first flight, the first trip. And some travels are made because it's time for a change. They give a new outlook on life, a breath of fresh air and a chance to change everything for the better.
Here are just 15 places that can really change your life:
Denali National Park, Alaska
More than 100 km of road through the park in a subarctic landscape, which is not found anywhere else in North America. Golden eagles fly overhead, deer climb the slopes, and grizzlies make their way through the tundra. The mountain that gives it its name rises above the park. The protected natural area extends over an area of 25,000 square kilometers - the size of a small European country like Macedonia.
There are many campsites here, and it is easy to get lost in nature, untouched by the passage of time, in such a huge space where everyone will feel negligible.
Istanbul, Turkey
Although Turkey is in a not very favorable neighborhood with Syria, Iraq, and in itself there have been a lot of conflicts lately, but if we abstract, Istanbul is just a joyful reminder that everything should be different. The ancient Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque ... Everything is combined here: the historic city center, modern architecture and art, vibrant nightlife and modern cuisine.
Bagan, Myanmar
A thousand years ago, this city was the capital of the kingdom of Southeast Asia, which built 10 thousand Buddhist temples along the Ayeyarwaddy River. More than 2 thousand of them remain. Unlike Cambodia, where crowds of tourists go, here it is even more spacious and the locals themselves will show you the sights.
There are no big hotels or resorts here. This is a real journey back in time to Asia, which no longer exists elsewhere.
Caribbean sea
Feel like real pirates, but without robbery and bloodshed. Hiring a private boat is much easier than it sounds and not very expensive as they say. Spend a few days at sea, stay on small islands that seem to have never been discovered by anyone.
Holi Festival, India
A riot of colors is celebrated every spring in the Indian cities of Mathura and Vrindavan. The festival has spread all over the world, but it retains a special significance here - at the birthplace of Krishna. It is a holiday of spring and a day of forgiveness.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Swim here, of course, under water, and you will realize how truly our world is huge and majestic. The 2,900 reefs, which make up one Big, are home to billions of tiny living creatures, corals, which together create their own separate underwater space.
This is what is best done sooner rather than later. Every year, due to global warming, the reef rises to the surface. Even experienced divers will discover this unearthly world.
Paris
Romance and art, fashion and food. The French capital offers it all year round, but the pinnacle of it all can be seen at the Salon du Chocolat chocolate fair. Every autumn, the world's best chocolatiers, pastry chefs and cocoa experts prepare the most delicious desserts. This year there was a 6m chocolate bear and a fashion show of clothes made from or inspired by chocolate.
Kyoto, Japan
High-speed trains and LED street lights dimmed in Kyoto, the ancient capital of the empire of pagodas and temples, where tea ceremonies can last for hours. Here you can meditate for the entire journey, walking under the sakura trees near the shrines. Many temples have guesthouses where you can stay.
Chicago
Amazing architecture, jazz clubs and ethnic festivals every weekend all summer. In the Second City Theater, you can learn to be a comedian, because this is where famous American comedians came from. The full course of classes lasts 8 weeks, but there is also a short intensive course. They seriously believe that laughter can change your life, therefore they offer appropriate courses for those suffering from depression or autism.
Drakensberg, South Africa
There is a kind of otherworldly landscape, which is indicated by the very name of the main local attraction - the Drakensberg Mountains. Jagged ledges, sheer cliffs, snow-capped winter peaks. For thousands of years, people have admired the special mystical mood of this area with the largest collection of ancient rock paintings in caves in Africa. Some of them are 4 thousand years old and are accessible only to experienced climbers.
Buenos Aires
Everyone knows about his tango, good wine and steaks, but many are missing out on another attraction - the books. The Argentine capital is a botanist's paradise with more bookstores per capita than any other city in the world.
One of them is located inside the old theater El Ateneo. The seats have been replaced with shelves, but the theater boxes have nooks and crannies to read a couple of pages before purchasing.
Forbidden City, Beijing
This is the largest palace complex in the world, the main "white house" of the Chinese emperors of the last centuries. The two main gates are located almost a kilometer from each other. Every year this place is visited by more than 15 million people, most of whom are Chinese, for whom it is a real center of power, a national symbol and historical pride.
California Highway SR 1
You might have seen this track in movies, advertisements or NFS. Sharp bends, sheer cliffs, large bridges are great places for chase scenes or romantic getaways. More than a thousand kilometers from San Diego to the north of San Francisco. And don't plan to just drive them around with a breeze. There are many places to stop and take in the views. The mountains cut into the Pacific Ocean in the Big Sur area, the picturesque town of Carmel invites you to stroll, and Hearst Castle will allow you to plunge into luxury.
Finding the gorillas of Rwanda
Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is certainly not for everyone. Not everyone can stand hiking in the rainforest, the steep mountain slopes, and sometimes the slippery trails. There are only 700 mountain gorillas left, and meeting them can radically change the very idea of what it means to be human. In Rwanda, only 10 groups of gorillas are used to humans.
Bali, Indonesia
The name itself is already associated with a tropical paradise, and not without reason. Bali has long been a haven for artists and writers seeking the inspiration it offers in abundance. Stunning scenery, great food, nightlife and peace to come. And although many tourists come here, there is still a place to escape from everyone.
I write this while hiding from the typhoon, hurricane wind and rain on the east coast of Taiwan. When it's over I'll try to finish mine huan
dao 2012, full island trip, over 1000 km by bike. I made a similar journey in 1992, my first year in Taiwan. But, both my life in Taiwan and my passion for cycling tourism - and I have 100,000 km and more than 24 countries behind me - stems from my cycling vacation in Malaysia 25 years ago.
In fact, the story began even earlier, a year earlier, when I first came to Asia, to Thailand. And that was a big disappointment.
Do not misunderstand me. I love Thailand as much as I love Malaysia, Taiwan and many other countries.
But I made a mistake that many neophytes make. I followed the directions in the guide to find popular destinations, shopping malls and beach hotels. And, although I had a good time, it was not clear to me where in the end Asia was, since I did not come across anything that I could not see without leaving home.
So next year I packed my bike and, despite the fact that I had never traveled further than school or the beach, I decided to ride it through southern Thailand, all of Peninsular Malaysia and enter Singapore. Everything is in the place a little more than 2000 km. I was going to fly from Kuala Lumpur.
It looked like the most stupid thing in my life, but it turned out to be the smartest thing to do. And, as I said, it changed the course of my life, and more than once.
I didn’t have to give up visiting attractions, but between them I had to drive past “real” villages and cities, interact with “real” people, live in small hotels, along with truck drivers and merchants, and there is one like them , writing. Despite the pain in my legs, arms, back, and especially in its very lower part, the trip won me over.
In Alor Setar, I celebrated my arrival in Malaysia with a can of Guinness beer. I was pleasantly surprised by the widespread availability of beer. But what I was even more surprised was that my favorite Irish stout was among the popular brands.
The next day I pedaled, and in Georgetown, Penang Island, I realized that I had fallen in love with Asia. I can't say what exactly I liked so much, but tongue-tied is not an option for a writer, I have to try. A mixture of peoples, or at least a mixture of culinary traditions. Or the architecture of old cities, study taiqi in the park, trying to master a few phrases
Bahasa Malay - I still didn't realize how widespread English is here - and bike rides along the beaches late at night for a swim.
My planned two days turned into two weeks, and even then it was difficult for me to leave. The next stop was Tanakh-rata, at an altitude of 1500 meters in the Cameron Mountains. I spent four days on this halt.
I got by with two. One late evening I arrived in Ipoh, the next stage, which included a five-hour climb in a thunderstorm, took me to Tanah-Rata, a small town in the middle of tea plantations, at a very pleasant altitude. The hotel manager said my schedule was perfect. Early the next morning, the Indian Tamil festival of Thaipusam began, during which devotees surrender themselves into the hands of the Indian gods, injecting dozens and even hundreds of hooks into their bodies before a general parade of 5 kilometers along the streets. Then a treat awaits them at the local church.
I quickly rolled down the mountain and arrived in Kuala Lumpur before midnight. This was the first time I drove 200 km in a day. Time passed even faster than my savings, however, soon it was time for me to return to England to work, so I left the capital, counting on my next visit.
I made a short stop in Malacca, where the old city conquered me, and Muare, which is still a lovely sleepy port.
After that, the trip to Singapore was not difficult, I already knew that cycling in Asia would become an important part of my life, and not just one of the vacations.
If you found this article interesting, we invite you to learn more about travel to Malaysia by visiting our website:Tourism in Malaysia
Mark Caltonhill (Taiwan)
Mark Caltonhill, writer, actor and amateur cyclist based in Taiwan, was born in Manchester, England. Read his other works: http://markcaltonhill.blogspot.com.au/
Translated from:The journey that changed my life - Cycling Malaysia in 1987, by Mark Caltonhill
I tried to write this article more than once ... And still did not dare. For different reasons.
But it's spring outside, and we all want a change. Today we will talk about what changes are coming into our lives. Or don't come. And why.
I do not seek to impose my attitude to life on anyone ... And this article would not have appeared for a long time. But the same type of questions asked by people were waiting for me every day on social networks and on this blog as well.
And I decided - it's time to answer ...
How travel changed my life
Traveler's Confession or "What's Next?"
Have you noticed that for some reason witty answers to someone's shameless joke always come "after the fight"? You come up with an ingenious answer to the rude saleswoman in the store, who called you "lady", just drove out of the parking lot.
So it is here. When I was asked these tricky questions, I did not always have what to answer.
What are the questions? For example: well, you will go around all those places that you want to see, and what next? Or: well, you will work as an instructor for another 5-7 years, and what next?
I somehow tried to first answer these questions, and then I realized: a waste of time. Those who ask them, as a rule, are not interested in what I really am going to do NEXT ... It is just important for them to assert themselves at my expense. And prove to yourself: here is THEIR choice RIGHT. Their work may not be so interesting, but STABLE. And in general, even if life is not too bright, but quite bearable and, again, socially approved (there, they put likes on Instagram under the photo ...)
And here you are, Katya? What are you, dear, going to do next? And so you will - further in the order of my growing up: “to paint and dress like a clown”, “to walk unmarried”, “not to know how to cook”, “not to rush to give birth - what kind of family is without children?”, “To work outside the specialty”, “ spend all the money on clothes "and so on.
And you know, at first I honestly fulfilled this "correct life scenario": I learned how to apply makeup skillfully and look presentable, got a higher education, got married, gave birth to children. I even learned to cook tolerably well (well, almost, no one seems to have been poisoned!) Did it make me happy? In some ways, yes, of course.
But at some point I realized: by and large, I do not live my life. Not where I want to. Not with those with whom I want. And if I don't change anything, I will suffocate in my "stable role" assigned to me by a caring society ...
At that moment, the film "Eat, Pray, Love" was just shown. I went to see him. And I cried all the way from the cinema home. Because it seemed to me that I would never be able to, just go and go in search of myself. Although I really want to ... But it turned out I could.
Someone will say: well, the girl accidentally watched a movie and went to embody the movie "script" in her life. Well, firstly, I did not leave for Bali))) And secondly, everything is random - not by chance.The people you meet, the books you read, the movie that touches you to the core -
you attract what your "antennas" are tuned to.
And now I have an answer to this question. Rather, a question to such a question: what about you, what will YOU do NEXT? When will you pay off your mortgage payments and go to your kids' wedding? What will you do next? What to strive for? Will you be HAPPY?
Finding yourself through travel
As old as the world. But it works flawlessly. The result is different, but there is always a place to be.
Results have been published recently
globallythresearchI am,
The survey was conducted among 15,000 respondents in 20 countries around the world.
The main conclusion of the study
was pretty predictable
: a trip to an unfamiliar city or simply rest in a “new way” - lead to positive changes in life.
Well, for example, many have realized that when traveling to a new country, city or in a new format (for example, with field trainings), they increase self-confidence.
40% of respondents met new people, 43% began to try and cook exotic dishes, and almost a third of all respondents began to take an interest in the culture and history of other countries. Others began to learn a foreign language. About 45% of survey participants noted that the knowledge and skills gained while traveling helped them become more successful in their personal life and career.
Also, many respondents agreed that people who have visited different places and tried something new on a trip are much more interesting in communication than those who travel a little and are not inclined to adventure.
However, before packing your suitcase on a long journey, answer yourself one question - what do you want to change in yourself? What changes do you want in life and do you want?
What are your expectations from travel?
The answer can be anything. As for me, so for you.
But I know for sure: the experience that I gain every day, moving along the chosen path, I will not exchange for any STABLE JOB in the specialty indicated in my diploma. Those people whom I meet along the way, I certainly would not have met, sitting from 9 to 18 in the office ... The emotions that every day spent traveling gives me, I will not exchange for any shopping.
And by the way, I can safely say: shopaholism is curable.
So is addiction to new gadgets. To whom it seems that he cannot live without a new iPhone model, I can only sympathize: the boundaries of his world are indicated by the size of the screen of his smartphone.
It's funny, by the way: people sometimes complain to me - we don't have that much money to travel a lot ... But they have an expensive phone in their hand. And they obviously didn't dress at a thrift store. Is there money for this, I ask? Well, it's on credit, they answer.
By the way, I only bought myself an iPhone last year. When the next "android" was covered along with the base of my contacts. Then I realized: there is no more energy to save on gadgets. By the way, all the photos for this article are from this very iPhone. Although I still love my NIKON DSLR, it is not always at hand at the right time, unlike a phone.
What else has changed in my life thanks to travel?
Nutrition. I watched what people in other countries and regions eat, tried, discovered many new products. At this stage, my diet is dominated by vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, chicken and fish. Sausages, sausages, pickles, preserves, pies and dumplings - goodbye, do not remember dashingly ...
I became less sick. And extra pounds are not gained. And for years I get into my favorite things calmly. In short, a solid benefit)))
By the way, here's another point: when you travel often, your wardrobe, as a rule, also changes. Especially in women. I love dresses, skirts, and heels, but these are the things I now prefer jeans and comfortable shoes. Farewell to fur coats and sheepskin coats. Do not wait for me, office suits in the style of "business lady", I will not return to you soon ...
In general, travel is a tool that can help to lose relevance at one stage of life at another. It all depends on the result you want to get.
If it seems to you that traveling to the ends of the earth is an escape from reality, from yourself, “chasing a blue bird,” a waste of money ... Damn it, then you shouldn't go anywhere.
If the mere thought that you will have to work at an unloved job to pay a mortgage for a cramped apartment in a residential area for the rest of your life causes an attack of nausea, then your choice will most likely be completely different.
Who's going to say that cooler: quit your office, leave to travel, see 50 countries or not go anywhere, build a career, family, home, raise children?
The criterion, as it seems to me, is one - the cooler is what makes you happy. Life is NOT WHAT NEXT. Life is what happens to you NOW.
So now I live exactly where I want, and I do what makes me happy.
And so far I like to live this way. Here are photos from my phone, taken on the same day, with a difference of a couple of hours:
But all this became possible not overnight. Although now I clearly understand that the decision to leave was the most correct and fateful one. Something inside just haunted until it was accepted. And I am infinitely grateful for him to everyone - God, parents, people who met me on the way the first time I was here in Sochi, in Krasnaya Polyana. The time spent here, the events and meetings that took place during this time, helped to change the picture of the world and one's own capabilities in the head.
One little BUT ...
And finally, I want to ... no, not to give advice. Probably just to throw a thought for pondering.
Yes, travel expands the boundaries of our consciousness, they temper our character, hone our personal qualities, help us meet the people we need at this stage of life. Traveling can show you life from the other side - a life in which there are unreal sunsets, amazing meetings, interesting events and places that give goosebumps and tears of joy in your eyes that you are here, you could, you saw it and now your life has become even richer and brighter.
But ... If there is no business in your life for which you are ready not to sleep at night, about which you think every free minute, about which you proudly tell everyone you meet and are ready to talk about it for hours. A work that gives you the joy of self-realization and the feeling that you are here, in your place, investing your soul and getting feedback.
So, if there is no such thing, very soon travel turns into a series of temples, buses, countries and seas. And you'll just get bored again.
It's so simple and obvious, but I didn't understand it right away.
I sometimes hear: what, travel?!? Yes, this is not a search for yourself! This is an escape from yourself!
So, it always seemed to me that running away from yourself meant staying where you felt uncomfortable, and continuing to cram yourself into the framework that had long become small for you. But you are so lazy and cowardly and so busy with external tinsel that you simply cannot notice that you are running from yourself right now, at this very moment ...
I AM I don't know what my choice will be in five, ten, twenty years.But I sincerely want to remain a happy person doing what I love. What I wish for you too!
See you on the blog!
