WE ARE CLAY

Growing up, we’re not given many choices. The family we have. The place we grow up. The ones who look down on us. And the ones who bring us up. Things just happen a certain way, and we turn out the way we do. We’re like clay that has yet to harden, sculpted by those around us whether we like it or not. If we are lucky enough, life finally gives us a good look at ourselves.

“So this is the person I’ve become?”

By this time, the clay has begun to harden, though there is still time to make some changes. Some people just let it be while others seize the opportunity.

One thing’s for sure, by the time the clay has finally set, the only way to make adjustments is to let it break.

Do you like the clay you’ve been molded into?
Or would you like to make some changes?

Maybe there’s still time to make some changes.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 10: I DID IT

(This is the last of the series of diary entries I wrote during my solo backpacking trip to Europe back in 2013.)

July 29th, 2013 - London Heathrow Airport

I traveled around Europe. Yes, the fabled “Eurotrip” that everybody talks about. The one I was supposed to go on three years ago. The one that’s been on the back of my mind since my original plans fell through. The one that made me cringe in jealousy every time another one of my friends uploaded a photo album entitled “Eurotrip.” Well, I made it a reality and, despite all the hesitation and second thoughts I had prior to this trip, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

13 countries, 32 cities, 19 planes, 8 trains, 12 buses, 2 rental cars, 3 hitched rides, and too many hostels, beds, couches, and floors slept on to count. A lost pair of swimming trunks, and a damaged pair of sunglasses, but hey, no stomach aches!

It’s crazy how fast time has gone by. A year ago today, I was in SOHO, NYC, living a life that strangely resembled “The Devil Wears Prada” with all the glitz and glamour of the fashion photography industry. I remember feeling doubtful about leaving even after putting in my two-week’s notice. Fortunately, before I began my journey, I had the rare chance of having a one-on-one chat with my boss and received these encouraging words:

“It’s really annoying that you’re leaving us. It’s not good for me, and it’s not good for the company, but by all means, go and travel. You’re young and you’ve been doing great work with us, but this isn’t the life for you. You must travel. I would say the same to my son, and I did the same when I was your age. Look at me now, we work with the biggest clients, magazines, and ad agencies in the world, but I’m old. I’m stuck in this office all day, constantly stressed out, I can’t go anywhere. You. You’re young. No responsibilities. You have to travel.”

I wasn’t looking for a vacation; I wanted to travel. I wanted to open my eyes. I wanted to have time for myself to really look at my life up to this point. A self-examination and a complete recalibration if necessary. What were my values, beliefs and priorities? What do I like? What do I not like? I was feeling stuck and I knew I had to do something different to grow.

Imagine if we were kids in a classroom and our teacher just handed our tests back with corrections. Not only did I want to look over my results in comparison to the teacher’s corrections, but I also wanted to check against my classmates. How did they approach the test? What were their answers? What was their reasoning behind the answers? How did they feel about the teacher’s corrections? I wanted to take my entire life and the way I’ve been brought up and put it under the spotlight, naked, and for everyone to examine. I was blatantly myself. I asked too many questions, openly admitted that I didn’t know certain things and pushed forward anyway in hopes that I could gain some sort of clarity. That’s all I wanted. Clarity.

I went through many moments of sheer happiness, but also many moments of loneliness. Sometimes I just wanted to catch the next flight home, but I understood that the emotional roller coaster was part of solo travel, and that I needed to embrace it. Stepping foot into a foreign country is very much like your first day at school. Remember that day? When you didn’t know anybody? And you didn’t know where you were to supposed to go when the bell rang? When you didn’t know where to get lunch? Or where to sit? Or who to talk to? When things simply didn’t really make much sense? People hear of my trip and talk about how lucky I am, able to just chill and travel, but in reality, I wasn’t chilling at all. I was doing immense mental work. Work on my character. Work that can’t be seen with the naked eye. This was me purposely stepping foot into a new school, a school that I created for myself.

"It is finding out what something is not that one comes closest to understanding what it is."

I wanted to be someone who has seen the world. I wanted to be a person of character, someone with experience of life outside of what he is accustomed to, someone who doesn’t fear the unknown. I wanted to set aside superfluous and unnecessary clutter in my life and hold onto the things that really mattered. I wanted to be able to look back at my life and be completely content because I’ll know that I laughed, I danced, I loved — that I lived life to the fullest. Am I there yet? No, but I am closer, and I will never stop trying.

 by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 9: GIVING THANKS

June 12th, 2013 - Rosenhill Farm, Sweden

Thank you UCLA Film School - My classmates and Kris young.

Thank you Steel Horse - I will never forget our late night cycling shenanigans.

Thank you Tokyo to Osaka - What an unforgettable cycling trip through the rain and the mountains.

Thank you Cherng Loong Lion Dance Troupe - I grew up with you guys and I consider you my family.

Thank you High School Band - Especially Mr. Pleasure, you instilled in me my deep love for music, nurtured me, and believed in me.

Thank you High School Student Government - You really helped me break out of my shell.

Thank you High School Volleyball - I was just a benchwarmer, but I had the time of my life!

Thank you LA Street Dance Collective - You introduced me to the street dance world that has made my life so full and rich even up to this day.

Thank you Mark Kuroda - You started this entire photography thing for me.

Thank you 2b Management - You gave me the opportunity of a lifetime in the Big Apple and I am forever grateful.

Thank you Alumi - For being so encouraging in dance and in life to be myself.

Thank you Jeff Selby and Robyn - I wouldn't be a HUSTLA without ya!

Thank you family for being so supportive in all this running around that I've been doing.

Thank you friends for the laughs and all the good times.

Thank you life.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 8: LESSON FROM A ROSE BUSH

June 8th, 2013 - Rosenhill Farm, Sweden

The farm here is most well known for apple juice pressing and its huge apple orchard. A common problem with apple orchards is that rose bushes often grow around the tree trunk, which can be harmful to the apple tree. So today, I was responsible for cutting the rose bushes.

I was doing it wrong at first. I was chopping off the individual branches one by one. It was easier, but it was slow. It took me a while to realize that this was actually much more time consuming, and much less effective. It didn't matter how many branches I cut. Because the root still remained intact underground, the rose bushes can always grow back. I realized it was more effective to work a bit harder, risk getting cut by the thorns, and dig deeper into the ground and get to the root. Once I was able to locate the root and chop it off, the entire rose bush would come off easily. Not only did this eliminate problem, it also prevented future rose bushes from growing.

When dealing with problems, get to the root of the matter.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 7: LESSON FROM THE GOAT MAN

June 5th, 2013 - Rosenhill Farm, Sweden

Every once in a while the Goat Man comes along and I help him feed his goats. He is 48 years old, and we call him the Goat Man because nobody knows his real name. Today he asked me what my interests are in life. I said to learn as much as I can, to be a good person, and to be a positive role model. I then asked him the same question. He responded by saying he is still trying to figure out the meaning of life.

HOLD UP

While the famous quote from Souza states that, "Happiness is a journey, not a destination," I also believe that finding meaning in life is a journey and not a destination. The author, Alain de Botton, pointed out that people are so willing to go to the gym to strengthen their muscles, to the doctors to heal their illnesses, but so unwilling to train their mind and go to therapists for psychological health. I have been priding myself over the fact that I've been willing to face my fears and take time to discover my true self. However, not unlike the Goat Man, I may have taken this a bit too far, and it has prevented me from simply living life. Who wants to spend their entire life at the doctors? At the gym? At the therapist? They should only be pitstops along the road of living an enriching life, not the goal itself. 

Life doesn't suddenly have meaning after a certain number of hours you spend thinking about it, after a certain number of trips around the world, or after a certain number of self-help books you read. Life is an ongoing process in which we have to work with what we have. It's okay if you don't know if you're on the right path. Find comfort in simply knowing that you're at least heading towards the right direction. Don't waste your life away spending all this time trying to find meaning in life, because before you know it, life has passed you by. 

The Goat Man will be having twins and moving in with a woman he no longer likes. He bought goats to raise thinking that it will help him find the meaning of life.

To each their own, but enough with the moments of utter confusion, relentless questioning, doubt, and fear. 

Stop being so intent on arriving, and GET LIVING.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 6: A DAY AT THE ROSENHILL FARM

June 2nd, 2013 - Rosenhill Farm, Sweden

A beautiful Sunday at the Rosenhill Farm. 

So my morning routine goes like this. I wake up at 8am, we have breakfast at 8:30, which usually consists of Muesli + Yogurt + Knakebrod + Kaviar (a swedish shrimp/fish paste) + Lingonberry Jam (the best thing ever), and Soft Boiled Eggs. How have I never had these before? They're absolutely delicious!

After breakfast, I go with Laura, a Finnish lady, and her 3 year old son to go feed the Pigs, Chicken, and Rabbit. This is my favorite part of the day. We take the buckets filled with all the leftover food from the day before, wheel it down to the pigs, and soon as they see us coming, they come running towards us. They are very cute, just about 4 months old, and they are always hanging out with each other. They eat only the grass available in their field and the vegetables that we give them. We make sure they never eat any meat. The chicken also have their own little field, with a ROOSTER, very important, as the eggs they produce actually have the ability to produce offspring. Chicken are omnivores so they are allowed to eat meat, they don't seem to be a big fan of dairy products though. They also have a little hut within their field where they can lay their eggs. Every morning we can go in and collect some fresh eggs, making sure we always leave at least 2 eggs behind so they know where to lay their eggs in the future. We also feed the rabbit, though I feel a bit sorry for it because it is all alone.

Before coming to this farm, terms like "organic" and "free range" were just words to me, but now they make sense. This is what traveling is about, being able to link up the words that we speak with actual life experiences, after all, words are just metaphors/symbols for reality. But back to the subject of food; when I see these pigs and chickens, I'm actually happy for them, they have space to roam and good food to eat. All the eggs, pork, vegetables that we eat here are locally grown and it feels so good to know that what we are eating are not filled with pesticides. I can't even imagine how terrible the quality of our food is in America. Stuck in cages, never allowed to move around, forced to eat only corn and soy, injected with dozens of hormones, this isn't the type of food we should be feeding people.

Another thing I like about feeding the animals in the morning is actually the conversations I get to have with Laura. She is a single mother with her first child. So we talk about how some people don't want children because they feel it may be limiting to their own lives, but in many ways, having children can also be the best thing to do because raising a child is the most selfless act. We talk about how fast children learn, and the different phases they go through. The ability for children to learn languages still blows my mind. This kid speaks finnish but has been picking up Swedish and he even learned ENGLISH today. Haha. His first words? "LET'S GO!". After feeding the pigs, we always go and wash the buckets. He learned this phrase because he likes holding the water hose spraying them down. Whenever I need extra water, I say, "Let's Go!" Haha. I think he might even know what the words, “Thank you” means now, because he knows to stop when I say it. Sometimes he holds my hand when we walk, and sometimes he just wants me to watch him play. It's quite a peculiar feeling. It feels nice because all of the sudden it feels like family, like I'm his older brother.

Note: The kid might be mistaking the word "Let's Go" for my name, haha, or maybe that's just the phrase he uses to get my attention.

Lesson: She said the most important thing about raising a child is educating yourself, because the person you are is the person your child will become.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 5: IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PLACE

June 1st, 2013 - Rosenhill Farm, Sweden

I just had a conversation with an Australian lady here, who's name I believe is Lexi. She mentioned how she doesn't enjoy aimless traveling, which is what she did during her 2010 Eurotrip, but is enjoying her time here now because she is traveling with her boyfriend and has someone to accompany her. I find it quite coincidental because what she is saying is exactly what I've been going through. 

I came to Europe thinking that as long as I was traveling and seeing cool things, I would be happy, but upon arriving in Europe I was a bit surprised with myself. I wasn't having that much fun. So as our conversation continued on, we both agreed that it really comes down to WHO we are with. 

I couldn't agree more because I've been on the road for over two months now, and I'm over traveling alone. I'm no longer motivated. What keeps me going is knowing that I have friends that I can meet in Stockholm or Helsinki. What keeps me going is knowing that I will grow as an individual. The initial reason that brought me to Europe (just going solo and seeing the world) no longer holds any weight, it no longer pushes me forward, — if anything, it makes me want to go home because I miss my family and friends.

Initially, the most memorable parts of my trip were those fleeting moments when I was hiking in the Isle of Skye in Scotland, or when I was able to enjoy the Glacial Lagoon in Iceland by myself. Then again, those were quickly overshadowed by moments spent with people — be it a nice conversation, a shared laugh, or just a feeling of being connected with others in a “same wavelength” type way. I can easily list them out: being with Anna in Finland, seeing Sophie in Zurich, visiting Nalita in Lausanne, and getting along so well with the staff at the Interlaken Hostel I stayed at in Switzerland.

So then why do we travel? Yes, it is to learn about other lifestyles and cultures, to get out of our comfort zone, to see and do things that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do in your “bubble.” However, I feel that in its essence, travel is a very long-winded, roundabout way of teaching us a very important lesson. Though we all have differing customs, traditions, values, and beliefs, when all is said and done, we all want the same things, and we're all searching for the same feeling. What is this feeling? We want to feel like we belong, we want to feel appreciated, desired, admired, wanted, and when we are away, that we are missed. We want friends and family that care about us. We want to be happy, and more specifically we want to be happy through the company of others. What we want is companionship.

We search for so many things in life. We want to get fit, buy a shiny new car, buy a big house, and get a high-paying job to pay for it all. Money and status all seem to be surefire ways of attaining true happiness, but if we were to get down to the root cause of unhappiness, it would come down to the issue of companionship. The root cause of unhappiness is due to our misjudgment in thinking that the quality of our relationships, whether good or bad, are of little matter as long as we have money. This is what we have been brainwashed into thinking, forgetting that it is through the people around us that we can attain happiness.

It's no longer a surprise as to why it was so difficult leaving California now, and it's no longer a surprise as to why I was so willing to leave all of the other "amazing" European landmarks I've come across. I’d rather be with the people I care about. I’ll take companionship over the Swiss Alps (or any other European landmark) any day.

Alain de Botton put it perfectly in his book, The Art of Travel, when he states that this is a "logic that we ignore at our peril when we encounter a picture of a beautiful land and imagine that happiness must naturally accompany such magnificence.” 12 different countries, and half a year later, it all makes sense. To me, this was no longer a theory, as I have become a living example of this miscalculated logic:

"Our capacity to draw happiness from aesthetic objects or material goods in fact seems critically dependent on our first satisfying a more important range of emotional or psychological needs, among them the need for understanding, for love, expression and respect. Thus we will not enjoy - we are not able to enjoy - sumptuous tropical gardens and attractive wooden beach huts when a relationship to which we are committed abruptly reveals itself to be suffused with incomprehension and resentment."

My unhappiness, and shock at my unhappiness despite having the pleasure of traveling the world was, as Alain de Botton puts it, "because we misunderstand what holds up our moods. We are sad at home and blame the weather and the ugliness of the buildings, but on the tropical island we learn that the state of the skies and appearance of our dwellings can never on their own either underwrite our joy or condemn us to misery."

So in conclusion, it's not that going on an epic Eurotrip isn't fun (solo or not), it's just that this “secondary” source of happiness cannot be enjoyed unless our primary needs are first met, as with most things in life.

Before traveling the world, one should first tend to their relationships at home.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 4: WHY AM I TRAVELING?

Apr 26th, 2013 - London, England

I’ve been asking myself this question since day one, and ever since reading Alain de Botton’s The Consolations of Philosophy, I’ve been trying to figure out a puzzle. In his book, he divides happiness into three sections:

• Natural and Necessary: Friends, Freedom, Thought, Food, Shelter, Security
• Natural but Unnecessary: Big house, Private baths, Banquets, Servants
• Un-natural and Unnecessary: Fame, Power, Material Possessions 

We have a natural hierarchy of needs, but because we are such suggestible creatures, our hierarchies have been skewed (ehm* advertising). So he offers these examples:

• It may be a Jeep we end up buying, but it was… freedom we were looking for
• It may be the Apertif we purchase, but it was… friendship we were after
• It may be fine bathing accoutrements we acquire, but it was… thought that would have brought us calm

And so I created a puzzle for myself:

It may be the plane ticket that I bought, but it was (fill in the blank) that I was looking for.

I was trying to get away from the city life and naively assumed that immediately jumping onto a plane would solve everything, but soon as I touched down in Iceland, I wasn’t jumping for joy like I expected. Then I realized, that ESCAPE is not the solution, it is only part of the solution. 

So what is this BLANK?

A multitude of things. FREEDOM, THOUGHT, CLARITY. Sometimes you just have to take a step back to see things clearly, even if that means having to leave the comforts of home.

Before I went on this trip, I was feeling stuck. I was feeling like I wasn’t reaching my fullest potential in life, that I still had so much to see, so much to learn, and so much more I needed to grow. Most importantly, I felt like what I was doing was not helping the world in anyway.

At the end of the day, this is about living a fulfilling life. How would I define a fulfilling life? One that revolves around delivering happiness by doing what you love, which brings me to some insightful quotes:

"There’s nothing more important that you’ll ever do than spread positive, upbeat, energetic, passionate vibes. You’ll feel better for it. And, crucially, those around you will respond in a positive manner." - Andy Cope

"To receive trust, you must give trust. To receive love, you must give love. To receive happiness, you must give happiness." - Unknown

And so it may be the plane ticket that I bought, but it was FREEDOM, THOUGHT, and CLARITY that I was looking for… in order to answer an even more profound question...

"How many people can we influence in a positive way? How many can we inspire?"

I think we have it all backwards. We place so much emphasis on the ACT of pursuing our dreams, instead of taking a step back and first figuring out the POSITIVE IMPACT we would like to have on the world, and then finding the ACTION most appropriate in achieving that result. Because our thinking is backwards, we have generations of talented young people doing a lot, but achieving very little. We are lost.

I’ve been spending my days thinking about what it is I can pursue professionally that can also benefit those around me. We all have that ONE THING that we’re supposed to be really good at right? The reality is, I don’t have that ONE THING that I absolutely must do, because that ONE THING that I care about isn’t so much WHAT I’m doing. 

"It’s about the journey - mine and yours - and the lives we can touch, the legacy we can leave, and the world we can change for the better" - Tony Dungy

I love music, I love dance, I love photography. I can choose to do any one of these things and call it "following my dreams," but the ACTION is only part of the dream. Ultimately, it’s not about what we’re doing, but about how what it is that we do is a means of doing more.

I think the question to ask our children is not, “What do you want to be or do when you grow up?” but “What positive influence would you like to have on the world?”

In this way, we have direction and a higher purpose that goes beyond the self.

If I chose to pursue photography, it wouldn’t be so much about the act of photography, but about how photography can be a means of doing more. That somehow, the photos that I take wouldn’t just provide individual fulfillment, but would transcend all boundaries, and despite our differences, somehow bring us all closer together.

And so here comes the possible answer to the BLANK… and thus the answer to why I am traveling:

It may be the plane ticket that I bought, but it was FREEDOM, THOUGHT, and CLARITY that I was looking for in order to gain enough SELF-KNOWLEDGE to know WHO I am, discover WHAT to pursue and HOW this can be a positive influence on the world.

--

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world" - Joel A. Barker

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 3: IT'S BEEN ONE MONTH

April 19th, 2013 - Galway, Ireland

It’s been 1 month since I left home. I’ve been to 6 different countries, 15 cities, and slept in 20 different beds. My hair is getting longer than I usually allow. Jeans covered in dirt. The whites of my shoes no longer white.

Still, I’m okay. I’m getting proper rest each night. I have the privilege of hot showers to keep me clean, and I have a full stomach (despite some difficulty eating healthy). I haven't gotten sick or anything yet, so that's a plus.

It’s not easy huh? Constantly moving around like this… living out your backpack… looking in the mirror everyday and trying not to ask yourself that damn question, “What the hell are you doing here?”

The time zones change, the foods change, people, languages, accents, the taste of the water, the smell of the air. All that remains constant is the fact that I’m still me when I wake up in the morning. Human beings are superior because we are able to adapt, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Traveling isn’t easy… you’re constantly being tested, constantly getting lost, constantly having to trust complete strangers…

It’s true we don’t need much to survive, or even to live a happy life. I’m not bashing the privileges of having a large house and delicious food filling our stomaches, but I do like these “reference points”, so to speak. In this way, whenever I feel that I’m going through a hard time, I can remind myself, “Hey, I lived out of a backpack for half a year and did fine,” or “I took cold showers for an entire month in Africa,” or “I ate nothing but peanut butter, bread, and bananas at one point in my life”.

The more I travel, the more grateful and appreciative I am of the life I have.

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 2: TRAVEL TIPS

April 11th, 2013 - Isle of Skye, Scotland

While I don’t consider myself a seasoned traveller, I do feel that I can offer a few tips:

1) Eat everything! You didn’t fly all the way to Europe to eat the same old burgers and french fries! Be bold! 

2) You don’t have to go to all the tourist hot spots. You also don’t have to pay admission to see everything. Consider all the tourist attractions you haven’t seen in your home town. Sometimes looking at it from afar is enough. I still haven’t been to Alcatraz.

3) A money belt is actually not that essential. While I agree that it is safer to have one, the determining factor should be where you’re going, not simply because you’re traveling. Do you really think the locals in London are carrying around money belts? No, leave your valuables in a safe or just have it in your day bag.

4) When in doubt, ASK! Not just because it’s the fastest way to get an answer, but because it’s a great way to start a conversation and meet new people. I’ve met so many amazing people just from asking, “Hey, have you been to Scotland?”

5) Sometimes the fastest way is not the best way. Train rides can be awesome. For example, the West Highland Railway in Scotland is amazing. (Harry Potter fans take note)

6) Send postcards to your friends and loved ones. It’s fun to search for postcards each time you arrive at a new destination and it’s just a nice thing to do. What better way to end the day than to write about all your great adventures to your best friends and lovers? Your friends will appreciate you for keeping them up to date, and it will make you feel closer to them even from thousands of miles away.

7) Don’t plan out every little detail. In travel, as in life, we have plans, but along the way, things change and when the moment actually arrives we often feel different from how we thought we would feel. Our decisions are a result of our past experiences, future wishes, and current situations. Maybe you don’t feel like staying in Ireland any longer and you’d rather celebrate Midsummer in Sweden or make a side trip to Iceland to catch the Northern Lights. Who knows! Don’t be afraid to change your mind. Don’t limit yourself. The choice is yours.

8) You don’t have to book hostels beforehand. Okay, maybe you have to if you’re traveling during peak times (July/August), but otherwise, you can be pretty free. As a safety measure, I often check the vacancies for the estimated dates just to make sure they have space for me if I decide to go. This allows you to be flexible. Last thing you want to do is to arrive at a town where there’s nothing to do but you’ve already booked a hostel for 3 nights that is non-refundable.

9) Don’t bring your SLR. Yeah I said it, and I’m a photographer. Just bring a point and shoot. Traveling is about the experiences, not about your five thousand dollar camera.

10) Keep a journal. This is a must. Even if you never read it again, it is nice to have an outlet to let your thoughts flow. It’s good for your mental health, and who knows, you might find that you have some rather grand ideas that you’ve never thought of back home.

11) Stay at hostels. This might be a no-brainer, but I recommend this especially if you’re traveling alone. Why? Because even though you can afford the penthouse suite at the W Hotel, you’re not going to meet anybody there. Go where the people go.

12) Splurge every once in a while. Maybe you want to spend a night at the hotel after roughing it in the hostels for the past few weeks. Maybe you want to eat at the fancy restaurant across the street after eating only nuts and crackers for several days. DO IT. Money can always be made. Time to experience the pleasures of life? Nope. It keeps on ticking. So go for it… once in a while.

13) Talk to everybody. This is especially if you’re staying at a hostel. People go to hostels not just because of the low cost, but because they know there are cool people like YOU that they could be meeting. Stop waiting and go. You’ll learn so much and hear so many cool stories.

14) Carry a day bag with all your essentials. Leave your larger backpack at the hostel, other valuables in your locker if they have one, and the rest with you. (ie: laptop, money, cell phone, credit card, passport, etc). These are the essentials that you need to travel. You can lose your luggage with all your clothes and toiletries but that can all be replaced easily. A lost passport/card/laptop? Not so much!

15) Bring snacks. Don’t make the same mistake as me thinking that stores are all open 24/7 like in New York City. Some places close early!

16) Take a break. After all that running around, don’t be afraid to just spend a week in one location to simply relax. Traveling can be tiring. Allow yourself the opportunity to rest.

17) Take advantage of fast internet when you can. Most hostels offer free Wi-Fi, but more often than not, it’s unreliably slow.

18) Introduce yourself to fellow travelers staying in your hostel room. Not only will you be spending the night with them, you’ll also be leaving your personal belongings with them. Mind as well make sure you can trust them, and also to let them know that they can trust you.

19) Avoid any hostels with the word “PARTY” in it. Most hostels cater to the younger crowd, but unless you want to spend the night listening to shitty Top 40s and getting woken up in the middle of the night by hoards drunk people, avoid it like the plague.

20) If you’re ever feeling down about traveling solo, just remind yourself that at least you’re still young, full of energy, and don’t have to deal with traveling with kids. (How do people do that?!)

21) You will lose things. That’s okay. You gain so much more from traveling.

22) Don’t buy guide books. I know everybody loves browsing through the travel section at the local bookstore with extreme envy, wishing for the day you can finally buy one and put it to use, but the reality is that all the information you’ll ever need can be found online. Plus, who wants to be lugging around a heavy guidebook anyways?

23) Practice patience. While time can fly when you’re traveling, some days can also feel like years. It is not uncommon to have planned an outdoor activity, only to find out that it will be raining… all week. Sometimes you just feel bored, lonely, or just fed up with the place you’re in and itching to move on. Take these moments as lessons in patience. Use foiled plans and unchangeable realities as an opportunity to slow down and reflect. Read. Write. Consider it a gift for greater clarity. After all, you’re not going to spend the entire day groaning, right?

24) Embrace the rare opportunities of privacy. You’re staying at hostels. You’re constantly surrounded by people. Enjoy those precious moments when you finally get to be alone! AKA, the shower, taking a dump, or those once in a blue moon moments when you’re the only person in your hostel bedroom. Woop!

25) Don’t be that guy talking way too loud on the phone/skype in the common rooms please.

26) Buy it there. Try not to pack a bunch of things that may end up costing you more money and inconvenience due to travel restrictions. I’m mainly referring to toiletries like soap, shampoo, or other liquid products that are often oversized, heavy, and difficult to pack. If you can afford it, allocate money for a ‘settling fund’. Who knows, you might even get lucky and be able to borrow the many things you need.

While these are all lessons for traveling, they can also be life lessons. Isn’t life just an enormous trip itself?

by Jason Lam

EUROTRIP DIARIES - 1: SMALL WINS WHEN TRAVELING SOLO

(This is the beginning of a series of diary entries I wrote during my solo backpacking trip to Europe back in 2013. All posts are made in chronological order)

April 10th, 2013  - On the West Highland Railway, Scotland

While there are many perks to solo travel, sometimes it can also really suck, so here are just a few things that we can learn to cherish when we're out on the road.

1) You booked an awesome hostel. We never actually know what the hostel is going to be like. We've all stayed in terrible ones, but sometimes we arrive at the front doorstep and it's amazing!

2) Getting the best bed location. Bottom bunk in the corner right by the window?! And I have my own little personal space to be as sloppy as I want with all my stuff?! Perfect! Because otherwise you could’ve also gotten the worst placement AKA right by the main entrance/toilet with absolutely no privacy.

3) Getting seated right away at a restaurant.

4) Meeting an awesome new friend.

5) Finding free Wi-Fi!

6) Finding an outlet to charge all your electronics!

7) A lamp that works properly and is also situated right by your bed. Scrambling all over the place in the middle of the night looking for something is no fun.

8) A shower that isn't tiny. I've had to shower in some of the smallest shower stalls.

9) A shower with proper temperature control. Being able to take a nice hot shower at the end of a long day of travel is probably one of the most essential things a traveler needs.

10) Nobody snoring or drunk people stumbling into the room in the middle of the night? Score!

11) Having the whole hostel room to yourself. Awesome!

12) A proper lounge area in the hostel? Yes! 

13) A reception that's actually helpful and tells you exactly what you need to do, see, eat, and how to get from A to B. Thank you so much, you just saved me hours of confusing research.

14) A hostel bathroom that doesn't stink.

15 A hostel room that doesn't reek.

16) Complementary breakfast and dinner.

17) Finding a toilet just when you need it.

18) Any form of transportation that isn't packed.

19) Any form of transportation that runs frequently and on time.

20) Meeting fellow travelers open to help you and tell you everything you must know!

It's interesting how depending on the immediate circumstances we're in, our priorities can shift from camping out for the latest iPhone to simply wanting a nice hot shower. If there is any benefit from traveling, it must be how the road can jolt us back into appreciating the simpler things in life lest we ever forget.

by Jason Lam