Date: Sunday, June 26th, 2011

11:50 AM - As I was finding my way towards the Vienna Community Church, I couldn’t help but wonder if my threshold for complete and utter solitude had been reached.

Yes, I’ve said before that I liked going on trips alone. But, the one thing I’ve gradually learned about myself while traveling is that, as a social butterfly, there’s only so many days I can go without human interaction. And, I think I’ve reached “so many days.” I could tell. My e-mails, messages and Facebook comments were noticeably longer than usual (at least to me) when I was online during nights back at the hotel. Even when I Skyped my mother a couple of days ago, I ACTUALLY wanted to talk with her longer. She seemed more tolerable.

This was seriously getting too much. I need. To converse. With someone. ANY. ONE. I took a deep breath and said a quick prayer to regain my sanity.

I eventually get to the church, and I was instantly welcomed with smiles and handshakes all around. I could slowly feel myself at ease again. Thank God. I was THIS close to developing a split personality just so I could have someone to talk to.

I sat down and waited for the service to begin. I took hold of the book of hymns, and opened it to a random page. The first hymn I see? “O Come, Weary Traveller.”

For some reason, I knew that today, was going to be a good day.

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9:20 PM - Today was a FANTASTIC day!

Shortly after church and having lunch, I hopped on Vienna’s yellow sightseeing bus at around 1 PM, ready to see more of the city. As I got off at the Austrian Parliament Building, I heard someone behind me say, “Isn’t the weather amazing today or what?!”

The voice belonged to another bus hopper-offer, a Caucasian brunette, sporting a white fleece sweater, green cargo pants, and gorgeous blue eyes. Her hair was neatly pulled back with a hairtie and a headband. I soon learned that her name was Rachel*, she was from Chicago*, and she was both 26 and a teacher, like I was. Upon hearing her American accent and feeling her warm and friendly vibe, I instantly felt at home.

Finally. Human interaction.

And interact, we did. In fact, we ended up spending the next EIGHT hours together, sightseeing, taking pictures, and getting to know each other. Her easygoing, talkative nature beautifully complemented my semi-quiet, “talking-only-when-necessary” disposition, so for the most part, the day was smooth sailing. I don’t remember the last time I spent so long with anyone, but I think it definitely made up for three days’ worth of solitude.

Over dinner later at Wienerwald (which is German for “Vienna Woods”), a casual dining restaurant with Viennese food favorites like schnitzel, we discovered that our connection was more than complementary personalities and common interests. Not only did we share a passion for teaching and travelling, we also had the exact same lives growing up: parents divorcing at 11, making reckless and harmful choices in our early 20′s, and reaching spiritual enlightenment at 24. I was shocked. I was amazed. I was convinced, that this girl… was my TWIN. And, she thought so, too.

After we enthusiastically exchanged e-mail addresses, and pledged promises of keeping in touch, we split ways. I headed back to my hotel, feeling quite happy. If this had been a movie, my 30-minute stroll back would have been squeezed into a 2-minute montage, with myself half-walking, half-skipping along the street with a stupidly huge smile on my face, shots of the gorgeous European buildings passing me by, and an appropriately upbeat song in the background. Preferably something retro, like “Walking on Sunshine,” or “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”

What a great day. I felt so thankful to God for meeting such an amazing person, for starting what could be an amazing friendship, and for knowing that this was just what I needed for an amazing last day here in Vienna.

And, I need to reconsider taking these solo trips.

Off to Salzburg tomorrow!

*Name & location has been changed.

So, just how much can $10 CDN get you these days?

The answer? Given our post-recession economy, not very much. In Toronto, it got me a fairly decent meal out, a couple of fashion magazines, or a music CD. (Yes, I support the artists. No judgment, just a personal choice.)

In London, $10 CDN is about £7, which is equal to a couple of McDonald’s combos, one (and a half?) magazines, or multiple downloads off iTunes.

In Delhi, India, where I’m staying tonight and tomorrow night, 10 Canadian dollars is about 450 Indian rupees. And, 450 rupees can get you your very own PRIVATE driver for 4 hours. How awesome is THAT.

Mind you, you won’t be driven around in anything fancy like a BMW or a Mercedes. But, if you simply need a way to get from point A to point B in Delhi, and you want something quicker and more convenient than their public transport (not to mention safer, which is great for females), hiring a private driver, and not being picky about his car choice, is the way to go. (Who cares what he’s driving anyway?? It’s $2.50 per HOUR for a private chauffeur!)

At around 2 PM today, I was picked up from my guesthouse by my driver in a beat-up, early-90′s Honda. We drove to the M-Block shopping district at the Connaught Place, one of Delhi’s largest commercial centres. On the way, I got a good glimpse of the dirty, grimy, poverty-filled city, while at the same time, the male locals got a good glimpse of me, from adjacent buses, automobiles & Tuk-tuks (their 3-wheeled rickshaw taxis). That’s right, my Rough Guides guidebook warned me about this. In India, men have absolutely no shame in gawking at foreign women. Even when you’re in the confinement of a car, and even when they see that you’ve caught them staring. They just… keep… looking at you…

I suddenly appreciated how most mentally-stable, Westernized men were socially conscious enough to stop staring at an attractive female after 2.5 seconds.

I was soon dropped off at the M-Block, and I was excited. Today’s goal: go shopping for Indian clothes. I have always been fascinated with the way Indian women dressed themselves, and I was determined to “blend” in during my time in India, by dressing up like them. When in Rome, you know?

After spending about 3 hours at the shops at the M-Block, I bought a salwar kameez (also known as a Punjabi suit, *click*), a couple of Indo-Western outfits (*click* & *click*), and of course, the ever popular and gorgeous sari. And, shoes to match. I then went back into the parking lot to meet up with my driver, who had been waiting for me all this time, just chilling and napping in his car.

He reminded me that I had one hour left, and asked me where to go next. Without my guidebook, I really had no clue, so I politely asked him to drive me around the city, anywhere he would consider scenic and worth seeing, so I could take photos. Gotta get my 450 rupees worth. Later on, I was chauffeured back to my guesthouse, happy and high off the culture shock that was Delhi. I didn’t see much today, but I saw enough to know that I was in a totally different place, and that I was loving it.

It’s almost 9 PM now. Since I’m still jet-lagged from my 8-hour flight, and it’s generally not recommended for women (both local and foreign) to be out past sunset, I’m calling it an early night, so I can be well rested for sightseeing tomorrow.

India is so awesome! Looking forward to day 2!

One of the main reasons why I moved to Hong Kong is because I want to explore Asia. When it comes to being convenient travel hubs, HK is to Asia, as London is to Europe.

So, it’s no surprise that I’ve already made a list of places I want to visit. Here’s where I plan on hitting up, at one point or another, listed from cheapest to most expensive flights, relative to HK.

(Give me a break. I’m involuntarily unemployed for at least 3 more weeks, and my busyness comes and goes.)

1. Singapore (HKD$1107 / $140CDN / £87)
Eating, shopping, dancing.
Done. Oct 2011.

2. Manila, Philippines
Eating, shopping, beaching nearby.

3. Taipei, Taiwan
Eating & shopping in night markets, Alishan mountains, & hot springs.
Done. Aug 2011.

4. Bangkok, Thailand
Beaching, eating, taking a Thai cooking class, ladyboy shows, getting up close and personal with a white tiger (!!!).

5. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Eating authentic, delicious pho, plus it’s where my beloved Miss Saigon took place!
Done. Jan 2012.

6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Eating, shopping & temples. (Yeahhhh Asia is all about eating.)

7. Hanoi, Vietnam
Shopping in Old Quarter, spa sessions, and eating more pho. Supposedly way better than Ho Chi Minh.
Done. Jan 2012. And I personally liked Ho Chi Minh City better, as there were more expats. #multiculturalismFTW

8. Tokyo, Japan
Like I have to explain this one.

9. Seoul, Korea
Visiting palaces & parks, and getting my KBBQ on.

10. Phuket, Thailand
Going to beaches, temples, the Big Buddha, and enjoying the nightlife.

11. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Discovering, & doing typical things (eat, shop, walk around) in, a poor, third-world country. Cambodia just may be my next India.

12. Bali, Indonesia
Have you SEEN “Eat Pray Love”? Exactly. A breathtaking paradise of white-sand beaches, volcanoes, and traditional villages.

13. Mumbai, India
Continuing my love affair with India. Planning on including Kerala & Goa in the mix, too.

14. Fiji
Cutting off phone/Internet communication for a week & indulging in tropical life.

15. Moscow, Russia
As close to Europe as I can get without actually being there.
(HKD$6500 / $822CDN / £516)

I won’t be necessarily visiting these places in this exact order, though. For instance, I’ve been dying to visit Bangkok since I got into Thai food in London. (It’s not that Thai food is significantly better there, FYI. I myself just happened to be a late bloomer, and discovered its awesomeness during my time there.) But, even though Bangkok is one of the least expensive places to fly to, having placed Thailand in my top five to visit, and having learned the importance of prolonged gratification, I’m saving Bangkok & Phuket for a later time. Japan, India, Cambodia and the Philippines, too.

So what’s next? A weekend in Singapore at the end of this month. I told myself no more trips after Taiwan in August, BUT… one, it turns out I had some extra pounds in my UK bank account. (Felt like winning the lottery!) And two, it’d be foolish not to go anywhere, with all this free time before starting work in October. Singapore is close by & affordable, and a weekend is all you really need.

3 more weeks!

***Even though I think the title fits well, I apologize for alluding to FEM. Hey, I’m very pleased about the long-awaited inclusion of Asian artists in mainstream music. But, I’m far from being a fan, as I question their recent hits and wish they’d take better effort to create better songs, regardless of catchiness. #randomdigression

I arrived in Vienna last Thursday morning, without a plan or agenda. Usually, before a trip, I would ambitiously make a checklist of things to see and do, eager to cross off every single one. However, this time, I had been too busy getting myself ready physically and emotionally for my departure out of the UK to even think about my travels.

But then I blinked, and before I knew it, I was on a plane leaving London, my home away from home for the past 2 years. I felt thankful for the time I’ve spent there, acceptance that it was my time to go, and eager to visit and see everyone again soon. Deep down, however, I mostly felt sad. I have never had such an amazing, supportive group of friends before, and with them, I had the best two years of my life. I knew I would be missing them terribly.

So here I was, in Vienna, for my last EuroAdventure of 2011. Vienna is nicknamed the City of Music, as it is home to famous composers of centuries gone by, such as Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. It is also the very first European city I’ve ever heard of.

Not unlike many Chinese kids, my parents made me take piano lessons. I started when I was 4. I remember when I could read, I saw the word ‘Vienna’ often on the pages of my piano books. One day during a lesson, I asked my piano teacher what this word meant. She told me that Vienna was a city in Europe where the greatest composers used to live, long, long ago, and that the pieces I was playing had been composed there.

I was also forced to practice a whopping 3 hours a day. At home, my mother would stay next to me the entire time, making sure that I practiced all my songs and that I had the right notes. Sitting there in front of the upright mahogany Yamaha, practicing for what seemed like forever, and not being able to do anything else, was absolute TORTURE. I hated it so much that I would lie & take frequent washroom breaks, each one longer than the last. I think my record was 45 minutes. The bathroom was my refuge, where I’d escape from that dreaded piano, and I’d stay there, reading the Babysitters Club novels I purposely hid there. (Obviously, Mom knew. But she usually left me in peace because she knew I’d quickly get bored and come back out again.)

That continued on for eight agonizing years, before my mother finally gave into my complaints and let me quit. I felt the happiest I had ever been; I no longer had to sit at that piano, and to top it all off, I won my first battle against my mother. I felt like Superwoman.

The funny thing was? All those years of classical training had a significant psychological impact on me. I came out of it, musically enhanced, able to play various instruments and by ear. Plus, my singing’s not too shabby, either, although I believe I could use some practice.

But most importantly of all, while classical music once gave me feelings of aversion and escapism, it now gives me comfort and utmost peace. Because during those years of piano lessons, I believed that my parents had a happy & stable marriage, and that I had a mom and dad who loved each other as much they loved me. Well, lucky for me, they loved ME very much. I quit lessons shortly after they divorced.

Consequently, I stayed away from classical music for a while, but would come running back years later at various, low points in my life. Listening to the works of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach would always be euphoric to my ears, reminding me of a time when life was happier, when life was simpler, when life was only about two things: trying to quit piano lessons and successfully rebelling against my mother.

So to arrive in the City of Music, just hours after being “deported” from the UK with my expired visa, and being separated from my beloved friends in London, was exactly what I needed. I walked around the beautiful city, gazing up high at the ornate buildings while listening to classical music. I watched two symphonies and listened to some of those very pieces I used to play myself on the piano. I visited Mozart’s apartment, where he used to live with his girlfriend, and where he composed the famous “Marriage of Figaro” when he was around my age. It was wonderful. It was the ultimate pick-me-up.

I spent a total of 4 days in Vienna. I left the city, refreshed and revitalized, and wishing I could have been there for just one more day…

(Plus, the picture above may be a dead giveaway. THANKS FOR WAITING!)

1. Venice, Italy.

It was the first weekend of May. A Saturday.

I was somewhere between Milan and Venice. I woke up from my nap to see my roommate Carmen next to me, reading a book. Along with our friends Jenny & Stanley, we left the Milan Central train station over 2 hours ago, curious to see what Venice had to offer. Well, THEY were; I was slightly less enthused, to my surprise.

I proceeded to tell Carmen what was on my mind: that, after visiting India in February, witnessing the astounding world wonder that was the Taj Mahal in Agra, and just basically having the best trip of my life, everywhere I went to thereafter… just couldn’t compare. Only days prior, I had just come back from my Spain & Portugal trip. Both countries were beautiful, with gorgeous architecture, delicious meals, and lovely, welcoming locals. But, even though each European country had its own personality, I could already start to see some similarities. (Landscape, Roman arches, and laidback cafe cultures, just to name a few.) I could already sense myself getting a little… bored.

What’s more, I still couldn’t shake off that high I got from my India travels, a high that was the combined result of being in a completely brand new culture, and being someone who completely thrives on novelty. Plus, didn’t I mention how amazing the Taj was? Exactly. And, not being able to reach that high on my last trip, although I had a great time, was a tad bit disappointing.

As Carmen listened to me empathetically, the fluent Italian P.A. blared out, informing us that we were officially in “Venezia.” The four of us grabbed our belongings and proceeded off the train.

We were at the Santa Lucia train station, one of Venice’s two stations (the other one being the Mestre train station). Just two minutes later into the future, I’d be enthusiastically making a mental note of which station I was at, because of what I saw, next.

As we exited the building, I was still feeling slightly indifferent, slightly pessimistic about being there in Venice… UNTIL… I saw it. The Grand Canal. The huge waterway, with faded yet exquisite Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic architecture on either side, where people could get from one place to the next on boats, if they didn’t want to walk or bike on dry land. Because in Venice, no one drives. There’s literally no roads for cars. You had to either walk it, bike it, or boat it.

I was amazed, and at the same time, feeling a little sheepish. Here I was, impatiently and ridiculously thinking that I may be done with Europe already (without yet given thought to, or conducted research about, other areas, like the Mediterranean, for instance), when Italy catches me by surprise… with this. With Venice. With the Grand Canal. And later on, with the Piazza San Marco, and the people, and the mountains of gelato my friends and I indulged in collectively, and so…. much… MORE.

Out of all my travels, circa 2010, Venice holds the top spot for capturing my heart that year. And it wasn’t just all that beautiful architecture built in an aquatic setting. It was the fact that one day, this city could vanish forever. Venice is literally sinking as we speak, with recent reports of the city subsiding 24 centimeters in the last century. Possible causes include the high tides that flood the city during autumn & winter, increased human activity, and even global warming. Whatever the real reason is, there’s a chance that Venice may disappear in as little as 100 years, with any attempts to save it being deemed too expensive, and pointless.

Unlike all the other places in my top 5, Venice possesses, and wins with, the combined element of preciousness and uncertainty. And, even though a hundred years may seem far off to some, I eagerly came back for a visit, exactly one year after. I even chose to arrive by train again, at the exact same station, for the exact same majestic view of the Grand Canal, upon leaving Santa Lucia.

Things to do in Venice.
1. Take a romantic gondola ride on the Grand Canal.
2. Visit the Piazza San Marco, including the Basilica.
3. Eat gelato. And paninis. And pasta. And pizza. Just EAT.
4. Get a bird’s eye view of the gorgeous city from the top of the Campanile.
5. Go islandhopping by taking a quick water boat to Burano, Murano and Torcello.