I write this blog 10 days after arriving in Singapore and just finishing Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. The book captures my heart, my present time traveling and my future ventures. "Wilderness appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works. It not only offered an escape from society but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult he frequently made of his own soul. The solitude and total freedom of the wilderness created a perfect setting for either melancholy or exultation."-Roderick Nash, Wilderness and the American Mind. So for me to replace "wilderness" with "travel" this quote fits my present state of mind. But "wilderness" also is the appropriate term, for after reading this book my heart/mind desires to be closer to nature everyday and enjoying solitude to reflect on my 30 years of life.
My days spent in Singapore involved the hustle and bustle of traveling via the metro and managing hoards of people through shopping malls and city streets (which I know appears ironic after the opening paragraph of this entry). I spent time shopping and sight-seeing and taking in a multitude of cultures. For anyone interested in Western accommodations with Asian culture, Singapore is where it's at! I've stayed in Little India for the duration of my stay and ate in Chinatown and Golden Mile (Thai). Little India has the sights and smells I am most familiar with and Chinatown has the best hawker stands I've ever eaten at! (Bachman, you've got to get here and get some dumplings!!) I've sat in coffee shops along Orchard Road sipping lattes and enjoying a book and journaling as well. I've also spent days sight-seeing, taking photos and visiting museums. This entry is not like my others where I boast about the sights I've seen, but this entry is filled with more emotion that cannot be expressed via words. This culture has taken a hold me and I a hold of it...
