Why I don’t travel for fun - a recap of my 2017 SEA trip.

You know, when you are back from a long travel, people always say, “OMG, your trip looks so fun”. I just find it low-key annoying. Ok, I understand that the person has all the good intentions, but I could not help but to think, “wow, (name here) hasn’t really backpacked around, huh?” Having fun, well at least for me, is being able to sit at a VIP section of a Beyonce concert, being able to eat uni to my heart content while still being able to afford this month rent, or sitting through a full tasting menu at Noma. Backpacking in hot wet Southeast Asian countries with limited money and Internet access, or trekking among cold-ass mountains where I have to literally take sleeping pills to sleep through the cold at night is not my idea of fun. And, I honestly believe nobody should really do these things for fun. I mean, why would you?

Smoked Shrimp and Fried Meatballs from my aunt

However, after having said that, I am still a junkie for backpacking around random countries, but I do it to not only see new and colorful things, but also feel in ways I have never felt before. Fear and loneliness so great that you started crying at a corner – I have felt it while farming alone in Turkey. Total helplessness and blind trust in strangers – I have felt it while I lost my backpack in Thailand.  Muscle pain so strong that you have to take Nyquil to sleep at night – I have felt it while trekking in Vietnam. But, these are the real beauty and boiled-down essence of traveling. These experiences made me see the innate goodness in people, allowed me to sort out things what I considered important in my life, and shrunk my biases by being able to spend time with people from different walks of life. In a way, it made me realize that just as you cannot state the bitter flavor is bad and the sweet flavor is good, there is no such thing as bad experiences in life, just different ones. 

Two things I go crazy for in Myanmar - Pork offals and sweet tea.

I used to think that life is all about maintaining that state of happiness as long as possible. In retrospect, what a stupid-ass idea that was. I mean, just think about it. If you have a static emotion (let’s say happiness) regardless of any situations you are in, then something is very wrong. Emotions change to guide us and lead us. The real satisfaction in life, at least for me right now, is to embrace all the experiences and, sheepishly hope that when I crave uni, I have enough money to get uni.

I love markets because there is literally so much life.

Markets have stories, waiting to be discovered. If I have time I want to have a long conversation with every single one of them.

Lay Har Pyin Market at Kyee Myin Tai District, Yangon

Hpa-An

In Myanmar, there is a culture of a group of people cooking up storms to feed the community. It is all free, and I felt so blessed during this trip to be able to capture as well as enjoy this moment.

HANOI/ SAPA

These cost slightly above a dollar per bowl.

Egg Coffee from Cafe Giang in Hanoi and Weasel poop coffee from Trung Nguyen. Honestly, both of these amazing cups of coffee are ridiculously strong that I started having palpitations. 

In SAPA, my host’s husband helped me clean a salmon I bought from a farm. SAPA is famous for its salmon farms.

My SAPA host’s son and her sister, who is looking at her smoked pork.

Temple near West Lake.

These grilled clams are so good. If I die, feed me these and I will resurrect.

Clams cooked in pungent turmeric broth.

These road vendors are everywhere in Hanoi. Some vietnamese lesson, Bo = beef, Ga = Chicken, Ca = fish, Pho = flat rice noodle

Singapore

These are actually solar panels.

Two of the best things I have eaten in Singapore.

Best Chai tea and golden milk I have ever had.

Astscience museum in Singapore - very underrated.

Soon-to-be the infamous dish - Singaporean chili crab

Inside the artscience museum

Kaya toast and tea - a typical Singaporean breakfast

Biryani at Little India. The whole Singapore is sparkly clean and the Chinatown looks super fake. If you want to see real unfiltered life, the little India is where is at. I got this amazing meal at Tamil Nadu Special Kudal Kitchen.