Numerous classes later, my time in MPU for the Personal Development Module has finally come to a close. Throughout the sessions I have encountered and learnt many new aspect sin life. Despite me being initially skeptical on the true purpose of this MPU programme as it was not necessary for university applications, my time in MPU has indeed proven to be useful to a certain extent. I believe that you always learn something in the most unlikely of places as long you keep a humble attitude - which is the willingness to learn from whomever and whatever that provides knowledge. The new things I have learnt or did include (but are not limited to) creating a blog, and learning how to do a SWOT and SMART goal.
"Since 2008 I'm almost non-stop traveling. Sometimes I think back about my life before and I barely remember anything. It's like I didn't live before. Once I started to travel, everything felt more intense. Every day was a new adventure. I paid attention to details. I got lost. And addicted. Addicted to this kind of lifestyle. I never wanted to go back to a daily routine. Sitting in an office and doing some job from 9 to 5 seemed like the most ridiculous thing on earth. What a waste of lifetime!" This excerpt from an amateur backpacker has inspired me to follow suit. His words resonate in my mind like a singer singing along the rhythm. My goal is to travel around the world, visiting each and every country (well, most countries) and exploring each and every nook and cranny on the face of the Earth.
I interpret my goal as something that is breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and mentally rejuvenating. I shall feast my eyes on every grandeur of Mother Nature, and mingle with people from different spectrum of life. My heart skips with elation as I look forward eagerly to traversing the Russian wilderness via the Trans-Siberian Railway; riding on horseback across the vast Mongolian Steppe; weaving my way through busy historical cities of Europe, and trot along treacherous ridges of the Andes in South America.
Achieving this goal is certainly far from something as rudimentary as merely tracing lines to my intended destinations on a map. It will have to be the culmination of years and years of planning, saving up, sheer determination, and most importantly, dreams. When it comes to backpacking, questions like these will always pop up in mind - But how you might ask... How can we leave all the 'normal' life behind? Can we make a living and travel at the same time? Is it really so difficult to travel over years or even a lifetime? The success of my goal will have to depend on the presence of ample planning. As a result, I will have to compile a bucket list of destinations I wish to visit, and commence planning of a most economically-viable route so as to not incur extra costs.
As far as planning goes, I am more inclined to place extra emphasis on regional destinations for now and gradually work my way into further corners of the world. Clustering destinations in accordance to their respective geopollitical regions is a good way to base my strategy on, as I can only be away for so long, it is almost impossible to complete my goal in one go. Economically speaking, backpacking in one region at a time will also help me save on flight costs as it reduces the need for long-haul flights. Alternatives which include trains and ships will also offer a more breathtaking experience as savour the moment along roads less travelled, and trails less trampled.
