VIETNAM
I was in Vietnam for seven months. I lived & worked in a city about an hour from Ho Chi Minh City for five months, & traveled for the rest of the time.
Unfortunately, I don't have accurate numbers for Vietnam, but it's safe to say that it was very very cheap. I didn't worry about the price of anything while I was there - I went on tours, ate out & traveled to my heart's content. I even went to Bangkok for a week without thinking twice about it.
By the time I got to China, I was in the habit of recording my expenses, so I know that I spent an average of US$45 per day there. Based on that, I can guess that I spent about US$25 a day in Vietnam - without even trying to save money. It's so incredibly cheap there.
CHINA
I lived & worked in Shanghai for two years, where I rented a room from a Chinese couple for US$365 per month, which is on the cheap end of the spectrum. I went out about once a week & went shopping for clothing about once a month. I ate out for almost every meal - mostly at Chinese restaurants - but I ate at Western-style restaurants too, about once a week. My highest monthly expense was accommodation, followed by tourist attractions, then food.
Here's the monthly breakdown:
US$407 - Accommodation (including hotels on trips outside Shanghai)
US$296 - Tourist attractions (tours, museums, festivals, flights, etc.)
US$253 - Food (95% eating out)
CHINA PER DIEM: US$45
NEW ZEALAND
I traveled around the North Island for three months. I mostly stayed in free accommodation, either housesitting or Couchsurfing. I did stay at a few hostels along the way, so accommodation still figures in the top three expenses. My highest expense was food - even though I was careful to shop at the grocery store & eat at home. The next biggest expense was tourist attractions. Although I skipped the super expensive activities (skydiving was NZ$400!), I didn't miss out on the true once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Here's how the monthly averages turned out:
US$379 - Food (90% eating in)
US$342 - Tourist attractions
US$232 - Accommodation (mostly free stays, or cheap hostels)
NEW ZEALAND PER DIEM: US$42
AUSTRALIA
I was in Australia for six weeks, staying with friends in Sydney for most of that time. Australia is extremely expensive, so I was really mindful of finding free or cheap things to do while I was there. The last ten days of my stay, I "splurged". I went to four different cities, flying cheap airlines, staying in backpacker hostels & going on affordable tours. I definitely skipped doing things that I would have done normally because of the cost. I didn't go to Ayers Rock (US$1000 round trip flight from Sydney!), & I only spent a few days in each city outside Sydney. I just couldn't afford Australia.
Here are my average monthly expenses:
US$715 - Tourist attractions
US$611 - Food (90% eating in)
US$217 - Accommodation (10 days in backpacker hostels)
AUSTRALIA PER DIEM: US$68
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Showing posts with label wandering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wandering. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Baggage allowance: The tables have turned
When I first left the US three years ago, I was a nervous new long-term traveler. I had taken short trips out of the country before, but never had I spent such a long time away from home. I was so worried I wouldn't be able to find my favorite things overseas that I grossly overpacked, causing the scales at airport check-in to scream weigh-limit alarms.
Just a few days ago, at the check-in counter in Sydney, the aisles were lined with people unpacking & repacking, trying to get each piece of luggage under 20 kilos - exactly as I had done at LAX three years ago. It's nice to know I'm not the only one.
Just a few days ago, at the check-in counter in Sydney, the aisles were lined with people unpacking & repacking, trying to get each piece of luggage under 20 kilos - exactly as I had done at LAX three years ago. It's nice to know I'm not the only one.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Touring Australia
I've just finished traveling around the eastern part of Australia. I went from Sydney to Hobart to Melbourne to Cairns back to Sydney in ten days. No small feat considering the size of the country.
Hobart is a cute little port town with one of the best museums I've ever been to. If you're down that way, be sure to check out MONA. I really want to go back to see the rest of Tasmania as well. There are so many mountains & canyons & rivers & wild spaces to see there. Maybe next time I'll get the chance to see a Tasmanian devil too.
Melbourne was cold & rainy, so the city didn't really get the chance to impress. However, Phillip Island made up for it in spades. We saw koalas up close, & watched as the tiniest penguins in the world came in from the ocean to nest on the shore for the evening. Waddle waddle.
After the chill of Hobart & the rain of Melbourne, Cairns was a pleasant change - sun, beach & palm trees. We spent a full day out on the Great Barrier Reef. It always thrills me to see something in person that I've only ever heard about. It stops being a story & becomes absolutely real. I love that.
The second day in Cairns, we took a tour of the rainforest. This was no ordinary tour. It wasn't the scenery that was so amazing - though at every stop we saw a beautiful waterfall or lake or rainforest path - incredible all on it's own. But the tour company really made the day one to remember.
We spent the whole day singing & laughing & waving at strangers as we drove from place to place. We played road trip games, drew pictures on the windows, splashed around in the water, tried to play the didgeridoo, & went in search of the elusive platypus. It was good clean non-stop high-energy fun for the entire 12-hour trip. If you go to Cairns, don't miss Uncle Brian's Fun Falls & Forest tour. It's a winner!
Now, back in Sydney, I'm getting my stuff in order to fly back to the US. It's been over a year since I've been back, & almost three years since I left to wander the globe.
This trip home will be relatively long. I have a summer job as a tour leader in the national parks, which will go through October. Afterwards, I'll spend the holidays with my family for the first time in four years. I'm really looking forward to that.
Monday, April 16, 2012
How to travel on almost nothing: Transportation
I love traveling, & since I'm not a millionaire, I try to focus on getting the cheapest bang for my buck while I'm on the road. My three biggest expenses are accommodation, transportation & tours. I already talked about getting cheap accommodation. Now let's talk about transportation
For flights, I haven't found any website better than Kayak.com. I can search a dozen travel sites, but Kayak always comes up with the cheapest price. Always.
Many people believe that, within a country, domestic train or bus travel is cheaper than flying, & sometimes it is. But often a flight will cost the same as - or even less than - those slow modes of transportation. Case in point: I just checked online for travel between Sydney & Melbourne. Bus: $172, 10 hours. Plane: $52, an hour & a half.
It used to be that driving was one of the cheapest ways to go. No more. If you think the price of gas is high in the US, you should see the prices abroad. Here in Sydney, gas is $1.55 AUD per liter. That's $6.44 USD a gallon! If I wanted to drive from Sydney to Perth, it would cost about $650 USD in gas alone - one way - not to mention the daily cost of a rental car. To fly? $179.
It probably goes without saying that you should fly economy class wherever you go. Splurging on business class is nice if it's your annual two-week vacation, but if you're traveling for an extended period of time, the money you save by flying in the back of the bus could buy you a tour of some ancient ruins or a river rafting trip.
As with anything, weigh your options. Would you rather be pampered on a plane, or spend that money to do something amazing? The most important thing to remember when trying to stretch your dollar is to lower your standards. Don't be fussy about the frills & you'll be able to travel for a lot longer on the same amount of money.
For flights, I haven't found any website better than Kayak.com. I can search a dozen travel sites, but Kayak always comes up with the cheapest price. Always.
Many people believe that, within a country, domestic train or bus travel is cheaper than flying, & sometimes it is. But often a flight will cost the same as - or even less than - those slow modes of transportation. Case in point: I just checked online for travel between Sydney & Melbourne. Bus: $172, 10 hours. Plane: $52, an hour & a half.
It used to be that driving was one of the cheapest ways to go. No more. If you think the price of gas is high in the US, you should see the prices abroad. Here in Sydney, gas is $1.55 AUD per liter. That's $6.44 USD a gallon! If I wanted to drive from Sydney to Perth, it would cost about $650 USD in gas alone - one way - not to mention the daily cost of a rental car. To fly? $179.
It probably goes without saying that you should fly economy class wherever you go. Splurging on business class is nice if it's your annual two-week vacation, but if you're traveling for an extended period of time, the money you save by flying in the back of the bus could buy you a tour of some ancient ruins or a river rafting trip.
As with anything, weigh your options. Would you rather be pampered on a plane, or spend that money to do something amazing? The most important thing to remember when trying to stretch your dollar is to lower your standards. Don't be fussy about the frills & you'll be able to travel for a lot longer on the same amount of money.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
How to travel on almost nothing: Accommodation
So, I've inspired you to take off to the wild blue yonder, eh? But you don't want to spend a lot of cash on the adventure. No problem. All you need to do is fly under the radar.
My highest expenses fall into three categories: accommodation, transportation & tours - & I'm constantly looking for ways to keep those costs down.
To save on accommodation, the best thing to do is get in touch with other travelers in the area that you want to visit. Couchsurfing & Hospitality Club are great places to start looking. TravBuddy is a similar sight, but it's better for finding activity partners than for finding a place to stay. In China, there's an online community called Tour Boarding that matches hosts to guests willing to teach English to their children in exchange for a few weeks' stay. Talk about your authentic experience!
Once you start digging around in these types of online communities, you may never pay for accommodation again.
If you must pay to stay, get a bed in a hostel instead of paying for a hotel room. Hostels are clean & safe, & they're used to travelers with questions about the local sights. Plus you will meet lots of interesting people. I always get a dorm bed. It can often be $20 less than a private room, & that $20 can be put to much better use.
You can search for hostels in the area on sites like Hostels.com, but never book through these online brokers. Find the actual website of the hostel & book with them directly. You'll save a couple of bucks & the hostel won't have to pay commission.
I recommend getting a YHA or HI membership. Though they are rarely the cheapest places to stay, your membership might get you discounts on tours or transportation, the other two big-ticket items I mentioned earlier.
If you're looking to stay in one place for longer than a couple of days, try housesitting. Mind My House is a good place to start, but there are several sites dedicated to local markets as well. If you don't mind digging in the dirt, try WWOOFing. Also, ask around. You may know someone who knows someone in the place you want to visit, & it's amazing how welcoming people can be.
My highest expenses fall into three categories: accommodation, transportation & tours - & I'm constantly looking for ways to keep those costs down.
To save on accommodation, the best thing to do is get in touch with other travelers in the area that you want to visit. Couchsurfing & Hospitality Club are great places to start looking. TravBuddy is a similar sight, but it's better for finding activity partners than for finding a place to stay. In China, there's an online community called Tour Boarding that matches hosts to guests willing to teach English to their children in exchange for a few weeks' stay. Talk about your authentic experience!
Once you start digging around in these types of online communities, you may never pay for accommodation again.
If you must pay to stay, get a bed in a hostel instead of paying for a hotel room. Hostels are clean & safe, & they're used to travelers with questions about the local sights. Plus you will meet lots of interesting people. I always get a dorm bed. It can often be $20 less than a private room, & that $20 can be put to much better use.
You can search for hostels in the area on sites like Hostels.com, but never book through these online brokers. Find the actual website of the hostel & book with them directly. You'll save a couple of bucks & the hostel won't have to pay commission.
I recommend getting a YHA or HI membership. Though they are rarely the cheapest places to stay, your membership might get you discounts on tours or transportation, the other two big-ticket items I mentioned earlier.
If you're looking to stay in one place for longer than a couple of days, try housesitting. Mind My House is a good place to start, but there are several sites dedicated to local markets as well. If you don't mind digging in the dirt, try WWOOFing. Also, ask around. You may know someone who knows someone in the place you want to visit, & it's amazing how welcoming people can be.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Top 5 Regrets
In the Guardian, this article talks about a new book written by a hospice care nurse in which she talks about the most common regrets that people have at the end of their lives.
I've read articles like this before. In fact, articles, books & documentaries on this theme are much of the inspiration for my vagabond lifestyle. I'm trying to take full advantage of my opportunities before they pass me by.
Of course I won't be able to experience everything that life has to offer, & I will always have some regrets - I think it's impossible to have a perfect life. But I can at least try to learn from those who have gone before me.
The top five regrets of the dying:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
Read the original article here.
I've read articles like this before. In fact, articles, books & documentaries on this theme are much of the inspiration for my vagabond lifestyle. I'm trying to take full advantage of my opportunities before they pass me by.
Of course I won't be able to experience everything that life has to offer, & I will always have some regrets - I think it's impossible to have a perfect life. But I can at least try to learn from those who have gone before me.
The top five regrets of the dying:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
Read the original article here.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
New Zealand to Australia
My three months in New Zealand have come to an end. Incredibly, I only found time to see the North Island. Since I'm working while I'm traveling, there just wasn't enough time to also see the South Island, which is supposed to be even more beautiful.
Today I'm on my way to Sydney. I'll only spend about six weeks in Australia - much less time in a much bigger country. I'll only be able to scratch the surface before it's time to leave. I guess I'll just have to make another trip down under one day.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
On permanent vacation
I just spent ten days on the road, traveling around the North Island. After my two-week housesitting gig in Turangi (near Mt. Tongariro on the map), I took a bus down to Wellington. I spent a week there, then traveled to Hawke's Bay (the area around Napier) - wine country - for a few days. From there, I went to Rotorua to meet up with my friend from Hamilton over the weekend. Then we drove back to Hamilton together on Sunday.
On the way, I saw sheep & cows & rolling hills. I saw an opera sung in Maori, & stayed in a rural Scandanavian settlement of 300 people. I tasted award-winning New Zealand wine, & saw a village excavated from a lava flow.
Total expenses for four weeks, including food, transportation, accomodation & entrance fees: $687 NZD (about $561 USD). That's less than I would spend if I had a permanent home. The rent alone would be more than that.
& I was able to find time to do a little work too. I'm starting to get used to traveling around, shifting from place to place. I'm seeing some amazing sights, but since I work online, all I need is an internet connection & a decent block of time, both of which have been easy to come by so far.
It may seem like I'm on permanent vacation, & in a way, I guess I am. But I'm still making money while I'm traveling around. It's not a lot of money - I'm not going to get rich doing this - but it's definitely enough to keep me going. I'm seeing the world - & the experiences are their own wealth.
Part of the secret to making working online work is finding cheap places to stay (Couchsurfing, housesitting), & avoiding all the crazy expensive things that normal vacationers do. I didn't go skydiving in Rotorua since that costs a few hundred dollars, but I did do the luge ride down the mountain, which cost $10 - WHEE! I don't stay in five-star hotels or have lavish dinners, but I do meet some pretty amazing people who are willing to share their spare bedrooms for a couple of nights. & still I feel like I'm experiencing the real New Zealand, even though I'm doing it cheaply.
I think the key to living the life of a vagabond is letting go of the idea that you need a lot of money to do it. You don't. Of course, you won't make a lot of money trasping around the globe either - that could be the most difficult idea to accept. It's a different mind-set, one that I have been trying to embrace ever since I left the US for a life abroad.
Monday, February 27, 2012
It's not as easy as they say
... but do it anyway.
Before I left on my journey around the globe, I read several books & blogs by what they call "lengthy travelers" & "slow travlers". They told their stories of how they became globe trotters, & were full of good advice on how I could do the same.
The general concensus was that we unwittingly trap ourselves in our conventional lives by saying, "I wish I could go off traveling, but..." It's the "but" that keeps us stuck in a job we don't like, trudging along day after day, waiting for the right time to go a-wandering. When I have enough money, when I have enough time, when I pay off my debts, I'll go. Most of these authors who were my inspiration said that all of those excuses are just that: excuses.
They said, don't wait until you have enough money because you'll never have what you think is enough. Don't wait until you have enough time because time waits for no wo/man. One of the most powerful things that I read was the last line of the book A Journey of One's Own by Thalia Zepatos: If I could say one final word, it would be 'Go.'
But it wasn't as easy as those traveling authors made it sound. Not in the least. In fact, I went kicking & screaming. Letting go of my old life was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Not only did I get rid of all my precious junk, but even things that had sentimental value got sold in a yard sale or were carted off to the thrift store. I took photos of some things in an attempt to hang on to the sentiments while still getting rid of the physical thing. I spent countless hours scanning old photos & journals so that I could still "have" them after I got rid of them. & before I left, I hugged everyone one of my friends as tears rolled down my face, knowing that I was giving up something precious so that I could do something amazing.
Life is about sacrifice, & this is no different. In order to live the fascinating life of a vagabond, it's necessary to sacrifice the comfort of staying home. But the rewards are beyond measure, & the experiences are irreplaceable. In the last three years, I've learned quite a lot about the world & how I fit into it - & I feel so lucky to be able to experience it all. So if I could say one final word, it would be 'Go.'
Before I left on my journey around the globe, I read several books & blogs by what they call "lengthy travelers" & "slow travlers". They told their stories of how they became globe trotters, & were full of good advice on how I could do the same.
The general concensus was that we unwittingly trap ourselves in our conventional lives by saying, "I wish I could go off traveling, but..." It's the "but" that keeps us stuck in a job we don't like, trudging along day after day, waiting for the right time to go a-wandering. When I have enough money, when I have enough time, when I pay off my debts, I'll go. Most of these authors who were my inspiration said that all of those excuses are just that: excuses.
They said, don't wait until you have enough money because you'll never have what you think is enough. Don't wait until you have enough time because time waits for no wo/man. One of the most powerful things that I read was the last line of the book A Journey of One's Own by Thalia Zepatos: If I could say one final word, it would be 'Go.'
But it wasn't as easy as those traveling authors made it sound. Not in the least. In fact, I went kicking & screaming. Letting go of my old life was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Not only did I get rid of all my precious junk, but even things that had sentimental value got sold in a yard sale or were carted off to the thrift store. I took photos of some things in an attempt to hang on to the sentiments while still getting rid of the physical thing. I spent countless hours scanning old photos & journals so that I could still "have" them after I got rid of them. & before I left, I hugged everyone one of my friends as tears rolled down my face, knowing that I was giving up something precious so that I could do something amazing.
Life is about sacrifice, & this is no different. In order to live the fascinating life of a vagabond, it's necessary to sacrifice the comfort of staying home. But the rewards are beyond measure, & the experiences are irreplaceable. In the last three years, I've learned quite a lot about the world & how I fit into it - & I feel so lucky to be able to experience it all. So if I could say one final word, it would be 'Go.'
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Things I've Learned 2011
What an interesting year 2011 has been!
The most influential thing to happen this year was the office job. I've always had unconventional jobs - waitress, retail sales associate, adult education teacher, small business owner - so I thought it was time to try out salaried employment for a while.
In my office chair, I learned so much about writing & editing course materials for online English lessons. I learned about spreadsheets & timelines, PowerPoint & office politics. & I learned that - although I really do enjoy being a content editor - working a 9-to-5, enduring the daily commute, & sitting in a lifeless office all day are not exactly my thing. Thank goodness for freelancing!
This year, I was able to travel to London & the Philippines for work. (My first business trips!) I got to spend a month at home with friends & family. I traveled within China to Harbin, Xian & Tibet. Yes, Tibet! Amazing adventures.
But all this stimulating travel & discovery has contrasted starkly with the daily grind. People ask me why I would leave Shanghai when it's so easy to live here. Lots of people speak English so learning Chinese can be a hobby rather than a survival strategy. Western food & culture are widely available. Many people have drivers & maids because money is worth more here. Frankly, we don't really have to put any effort into living here at all. That's true. Maybe too true.
But Shanghai can be overwhelming with it's hustle & bustle, the traffic, the noise, the pushing & shoving, the shopping - oh! the shopping. I find I can handle it much better with my MP3 player on & my head down. I move around the city, I move through my life here in a bubble, without really paying attention to it - stimulation overload.
& so I'm leaving. I don't want to coast through my life, & I don't want to spend my days in a bubble. Instead, I want to pay attention to what's happening, & I want life to be challenging. I want to see beautiful places, meet interesting people. I want to learn what it's like out there. I want to have to solve the kinds of problems that I will only come across when traveling to a new place.
I want to do things the hard way. & that might be the most important thing I've learned this year.
Things I've learned 2010
The most influential thing to happen this year was the office job. I've always had unconventional jobs - waitress, retail sales associate, adult education teacher, small business owner - so I thought it was time to try out salaried employment for a while.
In my office chair, I learned so much about writing & editing course materials for online English lessons. I learned about spreadsheets & timelines, PowerPoint & office politics. & I learned that - although I really do enjoy being a content editor - working a 9-to-5, enduring the daily commute, & sitting in a lifeless office all day are not exactly my thing. Thank goodness for freelancing!
This year, I was able to travel to London & the Philippines for work. (My first business trips!) I got to spend a month at home with friends & family. I traveled within China to Harbin, Xian & Tibet. Yes, Tibet! Amazing adventures.
But all this stimulating travel & discovery has contrasted starkly with the daily grind. People ask me why I would leave Shanghai when it's so easy to live here. Lots of people speak English so learning Chinese can be a hobby rather than a survival strategy. Western food & culture are widely available. Many people have drivers & maids because money is worth more here. Frankly, we don't really have to put any effort into living here at all. That's true. Maybe too true.
But Shanghai can be overwhelming with it's hustle & bustle, the traffic, the noise, the pushing & shoving, the shopping - oh! the shopping. I find I can handle it much better with my MP3 player on & my head down. I move around the city, I move through my life here in a bubble, without really paying attention to it - stimulation overload.
& so I'm leaving. I don't want to coast through my life, & I don't want to spend my days in a bubble. Instead, I want to pay attention to what's happening, & I want life to be challenging. I want to see beautiful places, meet interesting people. I want to learn what it's like out there. I want to have to solve the kinds of problems that I will only come across when traveling to a new place.
I want to do things the hard way. & that might be the most important thing I've learned this year.
Things I've learned 2010
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Butterflies in my stomach
One of my Chinese friends asked me if I had everything ready to leave for New Zealand. I told her I'd been waking up every morning this week with butterflies in my stomach. With a concerned look on her face, she asked if I felt sick.Friday, June 3, 2011
Two Years
It has been two years since I left the US to travel the world. In that short amount of time, I have experienced all sorts of wonderful, beautiful, stressful, amazing, crazy, inspiring, frustrating, exciting things - & I treasure every day of it.
My first year out of the country was spent half in south Vietnam & half in Shanghai, China. Click here for that story.
One major change this year was my job. I decided to take a break from teaching English for a while & became an editor for my school. It's been interesting trying to switch from talking to people for a living to sitting in front of a computer all day long. I haven't quite gotten used to it yet, but it's a good challenge to try.
Even though I have been rooted in Shanghai for the last year & a half, my second year abroad was filled with lots of adventures. I went to the World Expo & the Literary Festival, entertained several visitors from home, & had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with the local vegetarian group.
There were opportunities to travel outside of Shanghai too. I went to Hangzhou to see the vast West Lake, to Beijing to walk on the Great Wall, to Harbin for the annual Ice Festival, & to London on a business trip. I even spent a long weekend at a Buddhist monastary - not your typical vacation destination!
Of course, my favorite trip this past year was home. I was so happy that I could be there to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday, & to celebrate my own birthday surrounded by people I love. It really was nice to be home after being so long away.
With so much yet to see out there, I'm excited to see what my third year abroad will bring. I already have plans to go to the Philippines at the end of this month & to Tibet in September. After that, perhaps I'll head to the southern hemisphere for a while. The great thing about life as a wanderer is that the possibilities are endless.
My first year out of the country was spent half in south Vietnam & half in Shanghai, China. Click here for that story.
One major change this year was my job. I decided to take a break from teaching English for a while & became an editor for my school. It's been interesting trying to switch from talking to people for a living to sitting in front of a computer all day long. I haven't quite gotten used to it yet, but it's a good challenge to try.
Even though I have been rooted in Shanghai for the last year & a half, my second year abroad was filled with lots of adventures. I went to the World Expo & the Literary Festival, entertained several visitors from home, & had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with the local vegetarian group.
There were opportunities to travel outside of Shanghai too. I went to Hangzhou to see the vast West Lake, to Beijing to walk on the Great Wall, to Harbin for the annual Ice Festival, & to London on a business trip. I even spent a long weekend at a Buddhist monastary - not your typical vacation destination!
Of course, my favorite trip this past year was home. I was so happy that I could be there to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday, & to celebrate my own birthday surrounded by people I love. It really was nice to be home after being so long away.
With so much yet to see out there, I'm excited to see what my third year abroad will bring. I already have plans to go to the Philippines at the end of this month & to Tibet in September. After that, perhaps I'll head to the southern hemisphere for a while. The great thing about life as a wanderer is that the possibilities are endless.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds
In spite of - or perhaps because of - Ai Weiwei's international influence, he was arrested this past April in Beijing as a political & social dissident. He has not been heard from since, but the Chinese government has recently said that “Ai Weiwei will be judged by history, but he will pay a price for his special choice.”
For three years, he maintained a blog where he openly criticized the Chinese government. It was shut down in 2009. You can still go to the site, but you will only see a dead fly there. Before his writings were removed however, they were compiled into a book, which you can get here.
While I was in London recently, I had the opportunity to see one of his installations, Sunflower Seeds. Millions of bits of porcelain shaped & painted by skilled craftspeople to look like real sunflower seeds were spread across the floor at the Tate Modern. Seeing all of those seeds, so much alike yet so individual, makes you think of what it means to be a part of the whole - to be an individual in a sea of individuals.
Originally, visitors were able to interact with the seeds, walking on them & touching them, but by the time I got there, that was no longer possible. The museum said that the dust from so much playing around with the porcelain was causing a health hazard. Plus, people were probably pocketing some of the seeds to take home with them, which I might have done as well, the delinquent that I am.
Here is a fascinating 15-minute video about the making of the seeds.
Even though Ai Weiwei has been removed from public view, his works continue to make the rounds. You can see a new installation in London at the Lisson Gallery, which to Western eyes might look like a lovely set of animals depicting the Chinese zodiac, but to China is an example of deeply subversive social commentary.
It's hard for Westerners to understand why someone like Ai Weiwei is seen as such a threat in China - what harm can zodiac animals & sunflower seeds really be? It's just one man's expression of his opinion, right? One commenter on the Time Magazine site tries to explain it:
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Clink
I tend to go for the unusual - it's what makes life interesting. I'll go to a place where the temperature is 30 below just to see some snow sculptures. I'll opt to spend a weekend at a quiet monastery instead of at a luxury hotel. I'll even seek out fake train platforms - why not. So when I heard about this hostel in London, I had to stay there.
Clink78 was originally a courthouse, with a few holding cells in the basement. They've converted it into a hostel & you can still stay in the holding cells if you really want to. I chose to stay in one of the dorms instead, which cost me 85 pounds for four nights (about US $140). The word "clink" apparently comes from the original jailhouse in London located on Clink Street, where it is now a museum.
The hostel still maintains some of the features of the original building, including the original layout of the courtroom, complete with plaques denoting the witness stand & the prosecutor's table. If you're feeling authoritative, you can sit in the judge's chair to check your email.
All the major tourist attractions are within walking distance of Clink78, & the hostel is just a five minute walk to Kings Cross station, where you can pick up the London Underground or a train to destinations beyond. There's even a travel shop in the hostel where you can book bike tours of the city or a day trip to Stonehenge.
One of the days I was there, I hooked up with one of my dorm mates & we walked all around the city being tourists together. It was really nice to have a travel buddy for the day, which I would have missed out on had I stayed in a hotel.
Clink78 was originally a courthouse, with a few holding cells in the basement. They've converted it into a hostel & you can still stay in the holding cells if you really want to. I chose to stay in one of the dorms instead, which cost me 85 pounds for four nights (about US $140). The word "clink" apparently comes from the original jailhouse in London located on Clink Street, where it is now a museum.
The hostel still maintains some of the features of the original building, including the original layout of the courtroom, complete with plaques denoting the witness stand & the prosecutor's table. If you're feeling authoritative, you can sit in the judge's chair to check your email.
All the major tourist attractions are within walking distance of Clink78, & the hostel is just a five minute walk to Kings Cross station, where you can pick up the London Underground or a train to destinations beyond. There's even a travel shop in the hostel where you can book bike tours of the city or a day trip to Stonehenge.
One of the days I was there, I hooked up with one of my dorm mates & we walked all around the city being tourists together. It was really nice to have a travel buddy for the day, which I would have missed out on had I stayed in a hotel.
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| Clink78 |
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| Reception |
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| Internet cafe |
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| Dorm room |
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| Breakfast |
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Platform Nine & Three Quarters
I'm not particularly a Harry Potter fan, but I do appreciate a good joke. I had heard from some co-workers that you could find Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross station, so I went to check it out. When I asked a burly man in a station uniform to point me in the right direction, he half-heartedly pointed down a passageway & said, "Down there, left, then left," then turned back to his work, uninterested in my quest. I wasn't the first, apparently.
Friday, May 6, 2011
London's Tower Bridge
I love all the textures, shapes & shadows that make up the London landscape. There are so many lovely surprises down every street. Even an ordinary office building can be the frame for an imposing structure that looks more like a Medieval castle than a bridge.
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