I first called up my girlfriend telling her how exciting I am having decided to go travel- on my own- to a journey for me to realized all that had and will happen in my life. Having all those excitement raging from my heart, she asked me a question- where? 'Where will you go on alone to this travel you called journey to realization?' she asked. I am stunned for a while, I had been only think and decided to just go travel alone, I never thought of where. I asked myself 'What is the first place I wanted to go?'. After a long pause on my behalf, I answered my girlfriend- 'Sabah, I want to go to Sabah, I want to travel the whole east coast of Sabah!'. This point on, she started to think that I am mad, mad because I had been in Sabah for the past four years studying and yet I want to go back to that place again to travel. I explained to her that that is the first place that pop out of my mind, not Vietnam, not Thailand, Not New Zealand but Sabah. My reason was- I loved that place too much to not go back and I had a few things and places I haven't do and discover. Sun, sea, sand, mountain and the wonderful people! What not to go back to Sabah!
And off I go, Just go!
Slowly I opened my eyes and looked at my watch, there was another hour till my plane will land on Sabah's soil. It was all too familiar, the uncomfortable-ever-tight seat of low cost air flight, the ever intention to sleep but always only halfway accomplished and the constant hope that the co-pilot announce that we are soon to land. The horrible and interesting experience of getting and packing my first backpack was still fresh in my mind. I read many articles online regarding about buying backpack and how to go backpacking, and I was surprised to find that how the backpacking culture was so well established online. There are tons of articles just to guide you in 'How to select the best backpack for you' and 'What to pack in your backpack'. Why do I say horrible in the first place? Imagine when you know nothing about certain thing and suddenly you got so many different views, and all of them think that they are the right one. ahahhhhh! Even selecting how much volume I need for my backpack need days of researching! (I end up buying a middle range J-World sport 45L backpack which I am glad to own). Then the worst indecisive moment came when I was to pack what to put in my backpack! Some guide suggested me to bring one jeans, and some do not. Some said just take 4 pieces of T-shirt and two pairs of shorts will do, while some other said more! I am a heavy packer- those that always had a 'backup T-shirt' if you know what I mean, you can't blame me to rate this a horrible experience right! I think by this I am official the laughing stock of the backpacking community.
In the end, the best way to pack your backpack was, keep it light while not compromising your on-the-road wardrobe comfort. And always keep in mind that you will have no problems getting what you need on-the-road as well as do not look back to what you have not pack. Not to be boastful, I am pretty sure I can be certified a professional in weight balancing to keep the backpack firmly hugging your back and how you can pack all your stuff in 5 minutes. I tell you, IS AN ART! It will be a whole article itself to explain to you how I do it, I'll leave it for next time...
I had a fear,
a fear of travelling alone, with no one to take care of you, no one you can rely on.
I had another fear,
a fear that everyone had bad intention on you, wanted to do you harm and rob you of your possession.
after this journey,
I want to have no fear,
no fear of any fear stated above,
for I can travel alone,
for everyone had a heart to be good in them.
The speaker on the airplane came on, the long awaited landing announcement was read out much to my delight. Sabah, I am here! Upon stepping off the ladder and touching Sabah's soil, a sense of happiness engulfed me, a happiness I all so familiar of, but somehow different from previous ones whenever I came to Sabah. For this time I come for a journey, a journey I chose to do alone, a journey that would give me courage, a journey that I must take, a journey that would change my life, for I have so much I want to realize. My journey to realization, started with this refreshed step...
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| (note: this photo is not actually taken from my journey, I just thought this was COOL to put in this. by the way, my backpack is bigger than this one. The guy is the photo was still me though. XDXD) |
To be Continue...
Live well people,
Stay tuned
Shian
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