I Want to Be Happy

today was the last day of my trip, i finally went to 2 places in the city which i liked very much and did not find them earlier: a historical building group on a hill explaining the history with tea trade, and an art district in some abandoned warehouses with shops selling artefacts and handicrafts, cinema exhibition, bookstore and restaurants.

i have always thought this country i travelled to is another country and i still think it is. but in this trip i saw exhibitions telling history of the city mentioning a lot about the mainland, it s quite interesting to see there was so much connection among my home city, this country, and the mainland towards which the younger generations of the 1st 2 places both have phobia and try to avoid. with more knowledge about the history (and some life experiences as one grows up) i feel empathetic the way the mainland has developed and become. just because they had something that some others didn't have, plus some people were greedy for business, wars were started, over something we see as so trivial today. however these 3 places have developed into very different places now, and i still don't want my home city to get interfered and disturbed by the mainland.

after this trip i really feel travelling alone is good for one's personal growth. planning itineraries and finance, being more alert, having time to think and read, looking for things that amuse you, making choices and decisions, getting lost and finding the right ways. now i feel mentally recharged and prepared for the challenges in life. i am glad i have gone to travel instead of staying at home.

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Cierzo · M

I have travelled alone and I saw more pros than cons. The part of it I did not like was having my meals. I missed then someone to share my impressions with. Apart from that, it gives you a great feeling of freedom and helps to know yourself better.

It is certainly much better than travelling with people who have different interests and habits than your own. I don't want to adapt to others when travelling. Enough with doing it at work.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

I guess there are advantages to both scenarios but having meals alone would be a drag, and it's fun to talk about the new places you visit and things to see. You can take your time when you are alone and focus on the stuff you like too.

novembermoon · 51-55

I love the place you went. I have been there once but it gives me a warm feeling， what we call 人情味 (human warmth and goodness). The resorts in the hills, the old streets, the old train stations.

When I think about these three cities (this place, the one you live and the one I live) , the place you live strike me as very vibrant. Yes, it can be mercantilistic. But I see a lot of human activity and grounds-up initiatives.

Here, I often feel it is sterile. A lot of what is happening is top-down. People are too busy to care. The landscape is disorienting. Buildings and roads change. A building or shop can stand there for 5-10 years and it is pulled down before a shiny new one is built again.

That's why I love to look for nooks and crannies where things are organic, where I see old men playing chess, where kids play. And sadly, there are not many of these around today.

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