I’m still recovering, honestly. For the past 16 months I’ve been working as an English Teacher in Shanghai — and I was determined to return home with a BANG. That particular sentiment manifested as a month-long travelling session. I wanted to see as much of Asia as I possibly could before returning to the chaos of the West*.
My trip included Xi’an, Beijing, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Bali. I travelled with my family on planes, trains, cabs, buses and the occasional cablecar. And now that I’m back in my lovely suburban home — I’ve decided I don’t want it to end.
Okay, sure; travelling usually implies a long-distance venture. You can’t ‘travel to your greengrocers’ or ‘travel to the upstairs bathroom’. But I think there’s always a way to travel, even if you can’t afford the plane ticket.
Have you ever been so caught up in your daily routine that you feel like you only know one side of your commute, your workplace, the area surrounding your home? You know what I mean. Those days when you exit your house and realise: “ I always turn right and walk to the station… I have no idea what ‘left’ leads to. ”
Or “ I always get off at this station but I’ve never explored the station itself. ”
The Indian novelist Anita Desai once said that wherever you go “becomes a part of you somehow” — and it’s true. Your knowledge of the world is defined by your travels, which is defined by the steps you take, the places you go. Whether that’s backpacking across Europe or exploring London’s King’s Cross station, there’s nothing quite like finding something beautiful around the corner. That feeling can be replicated, wherever you are; so long as you like to explore.
I have to save up for a long time before I can go to Japan again. And when I do, I’ll visit Kyoto. And that awesome abandoned island they showed in the Skyfall movie. But in the meantime, I’m going to turn LEFT on my road, and follow it through my small Essex town. Let’s see what surprises await me there.
Travel big, guys. But while you’re waiting, saving, planning — make sure you also travel small.
*ah, Brexit. We meet again.
