I love full moons. And Mandalay has made me appreciate
it even more. Almost every full moon is
celebrated with a festival in Myanmar. And I commited these holidays into
memory. If there are two things I like
about Myanmar, it is these full moon
festivals and its sunsrise and sunset. Personally I think it is picturesque and
captivating. I am positive that we get breathtaking view of the sun wherever
part of the world we are. But here, It is usually the first thing you’ll ever notice. I just
regret I did not bring my camera to capture this beautiful thing that makes me
want to wake up early every morning. But the snapper in me finds a way – Bless
the android phones J
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Time doesn’t fly here. Most of the time I get bored. Maybe because I
don’t have anything else to do here. However mundane my life has become, I have
learned to use it to my advantage. I get the chance to really re asses, think,
and plan my next move. Good news is, I can’t wait to start! But at the moment,
I am going to enjoy Myanmar. Here is the checklist I need to do:
1. Sneak-swim
at Sedona Hotel’s inviting pool (non-members are not allowed)
2. Hike
Mandalay Hill and nearby hills J
3. Go
to Bagan
4. Visit
Golden Mountain in Yangon
5. Put
Thanaka on the face the same ways
Burmese do
6. Take
Pictures
7. Walk
around the Mandalay Mote
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I wrote the one above about 2 months ago and it is
still saved in My Blogs file. As I read it again, I was amazed to see how I am
fulfilling everything in my check list. I still have to go to BAGAN and to the GOLDEN MOUNTAIN though. Though I brought my camera now with me, I am hoping to take more pictures and to travel more around Mandalay. I have to take a picture of myself with Thanaka on my face too!
I must admit that when homesickness kicks in, I long to go home in an instant. But the incredible part is that I don’t
feel that so forlorn anymore being in this country.I think because I set my mind to be happy. And personally, I think each of us should really make a radical change once in a while in our lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which we may previously never have thought of doing, or been hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of whicch may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
As much as we would like to bolt for home as quickly as possible, sometimes it is therapeutic to unleash the adventurous spirits hiding in the still deep. Home will always be there. We will always long for home. That is certain. But once in a while we have to leave home and bring back with us new discoveries. Otherwise, we see ourselves right back to the same situation which we see everyday and thus fail to discover all the wonderful things that God has placed around us to discover. I'm not saying we have to be nomadic. And I don't want to be one. What I am saying is we just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and take the opportunity to revolutionize our life and move into an entirely new realm of experience.
For a start, bug some friends, along with trusted male friends (you don't know when you will be needing some male intimidation, or just having them around is pure fun - you know, THEM, being hilarious and all, hehehe) and hit the road. Drive around. Maybe you'll see that familiar road with a different eye from now on. And drive more, with your companion holding a map, or a GPS inside your car, or trust your google map or just asking your way around. Then you'll know what I am talking about. It's worth it even when you get lost :)
