As I leaned my head against the window of the bus that would take me half across Thailand, I replayed the last couple of days in my mind.
Swaying through crowded streets, my pack on my back, beads of sweat rolling down my neck, completely lost in translation. I was excited yet scared, anxious yet tired, relaxed yet uneasy. But most of all, I couldn't have been happier.
I had worked for the past 1.5 years, been planning, plotting even. I had toyed around with dreams and destinations, I had read dozens of stories of people who had gone before me.
And here I was, finally.
I had imagined this in a thousand ways, but none of those could've lived up to what I'm seeing, hearing and smelling here.
I have absolutely no idea how this journey will evolve, yet I feel strangely confident.
It makes me think of a line from Kerouac's 'On the Road' (yeah, you'll read me quoting that one a lot on here)
'...now you just dig them up in front. They have worries, they're counting the miles, they're thinking about where to sleep tonight, how much money for the gas, the weather, how they'll get there - and all the time they'll get there anyway, you see.
But they need to worry and betray time with urgencies false and otherwise, purely anxious and whiny, their souls really won't be at peace unless they can latch on to an established and proven worry and having once found it they assume facial expressions to fit and go with it, which is, you see, unhappiness, and all the time it all flies by them and that too worries them to end. Listen, LISTEN! ...'
Kerouac was right. If I look around and see other travellers, I see few, if any, with a smile on their face. Sometimes I myself worry too much. What to do, where to sleep, how to go? Eventually, we'll get there, the important thing is to GO.
Travelling is something one has to learn, just like any other skill, like languages, soccer, IT, cooking, etc... I myself am a total rookie, but I'm so damn curious to see where this road will take me.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Random thoughts, I may be preaching to the choir here.
Location: Kuwait
Time: 22u54 - 3/02/2009
I love people watching.
As I'm sitting on a bench in the transit-hall of Kuwait international Airport, I can't help but think how many people there really walk this planet.
Sure, we've seen the statistics and we all know the numbers, but have we really ever stopped to think what those numbers actually mean?
Imagine, if you will. Try to collect all your thoughts, your memories, your hopes, your dreams, your fears... our entire mind seems like a universe on its own, with our ego and persona at the very centre of it.
In the West, we are brought up with the idea that our individual is all-important. While I certainly don't judge or condemn this way of thinking (after all, history has shown us that the act of one individual can influence the lives and thoughts of billions), it still baffles me just how tiny one mind really is. Everyone I see here passing before me, from virtually every culture, every religion, lifestyle, wearing robes, burka, pants, shirts .. everyone has that universe of their own, everyone is capable of having the very same thoughts I'm writing here.
Think of cities like Mumbai, Paris, Bangkok, New York, London, Beijing... inhabited by millions. It's strange what effect looking at those numbers can have.
Mind-blowing. Literally.
Time: 22u54 - 3/02/2009
I love people watching.
As I'm sitting on a bench in the transit-hall of Kuwait international Airport, I can't help but think how many people there really walk this planet.
Sure, we've seen the statistics and we all know the numbers, but have we really ever stopped to think what those numbers actually mean?
Imagine, if you will. Try to collect all your thoughts, your memories, your hopes, your dreams, your fears... our entire mind seems like a universe on its own, with our ego and persona at the very centre of it.
In the West, we are brought up with the idea that our individual is all-important. While I certainly don't judge or condemn this way of thinking (after all, history has shown us that the act of one individual can influence the lives and thoughts of billions), it still baffles me just how tiny one mind really is. Everyone I see here passing before me, from virtually every culture, every religion, lifestyle, wearing robes, burka, pants, shirts .. everyone has that universe of their own, everyone is capable of having the very same thoughts I'm writing here.
Think of cities like Mumbai, Paris, Bangkok, New York, London, Beijing... inhabited by millions. It's strange what effect looking at those numbers can have.
Mind-blowing. Literally.
Monday, February 2, 2009
South-East Asia
Location: Bredene, Belgium.
Local Time: 20u46 - 2/02/2009
In approximately 15 hours I will board a plane that will take me to the other end of the world! This is one of my favourite moments of traveling: the hours before you take your bag and kick your own ass out that door.
The real concept of travel began months ago, however. It starts when you feel that very peculiar feeling that comes up from deep within your belly and soon starts to spread all over your limbs and your head. You can't really put a name on it, it feels neither good or bad.
Restlessness.
The unability of staying in the same place for too long a period of time.
You start to look at maps, start to check out the airline prices, and start saving up money. Where will you go? The widest array of possibilities lay ahead of you. I love it!
Where am I going? South-East Asia, or that wide area (silly to talk so casual about a vast amount of space). In about 36 hours, my best friend, Davyd, and myself will be walking the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. After that, we'll take it from there!
You can read Davyd's blog right here: http://davydbintein.blogspot.com/
We'll also write a general blog about this trip where you can read all about our wacky daily adventures: .
A Song of the Open Road - by two hobbits.
(this one will be mainly used to upload photos and let you all know where we are and what we're up to)
If we can keep up with writing three blogs at the same time, well, there's only one way to find that out, isn't there?
See you on the other side!
Local Time: 20u46 - 2/02/2009
In approximately 15 hours I will board a plane that will take me to the other end of the world! This is one of my favourite moments of traveling: the hours before you take your bag and kick your own ass out that door.
The real concept of travel began months ago, however. It starts when you feel that very peculiar feeling that comes up from deep within your belly and soon starts to spread all over your limbs and your head. You can't really put a name on it, it feels neither good or bad.
Restlessness.
The unability of staying in the same place for too long a period of time.
You start to look at maps, start to check out the airline prices, and start saving up money. Where will you go? The widest array of possibilities lay ahead of you. I love it!
Where am I going? South-East Asia, or that wide area (silly to talk so casual about a vast amount of space). In about 36 hours, my best friend, Davyd, and myself will be walking the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. After that, we'll take it from there!
You can read Davyd's blog right here: http://davydbintein.blogspot.com/
We'll also write a general blog about this trip where you can read all about our wacky daily adventures: .
A Song of the Open Road - by two hobbits.
(this one will be mainly used to upload photos and let you all know where we are and what we're up to)
If we can keep up with writing three blogs at the same time, well, there's only one way to find that out, isn't there?
See you on the other side!
Introduction
Life on the road overwhelms the traveler with emotions. Joy, curiosity, fear, uncertainty, courage... to name just a few. To me, traveling is looking into a mirror. I get to know myself during these moments of intense hapiness and sorrow that only traveling can offer me. After all, despite everything that happens while you're traveling, you're always richer for the experience.
This is the story of my traveling self.
I am a 23-year old guy from Belgium (Europe), learning to adapt himself to the road and all of its challenges. I have started this diary because it helps me to reflect on past experiences and give them a place in my life. To me, writing can have a very calming and therapeutic effect.
This diary will deal with more than the experiences of one trip, however.
I have travelled somewhat in the past, mostly for short periods at a time, and in doing so, seen most of my home-continent, which is Europe. I've never kept record of anything of these travels, however, so I'd like to change that. Why write this diary in English? Very simple, because some of my friends don't speak nor read Dutch, and I'd really like them to read this. They're my link to this world.
Dear reader, who and wherever you might be, I hope you enjoy reading these excerpts from my life on the road as much as I enjoy living it.
Enough talk, I'm taking my bag and we're off!
This is the story of my traveling self.
I am a 23-year old guy from Belgium (Europe), learning to adapt himself to the road and all of its challenges. I have started this diary because it helps me to reflect on past experiences and give them a place in my life. To me, writing can have a very calming and therapeutic effect.
This diary will deal with more than the experiences of one trip, however.
I have travelled somewhat in the past, mostly for short periods at a time, and in doing so, seen most of my home-continent, which is Europe. I've never kept record of anything of these travels, however, so I'd like to change that. Why write this diary in English? Very simple, because some of my friends don't speak nor read Dutch, and I'd really like them to read this. They're my link to this world.
Dear reader, who and wherever you might be, I hope you enjoy reading these excerpts from my life on the road as much as I enjoy living it.
Enough talk, I'm taking my bag and we're off!
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