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Published: June 30th 2014
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The simple action of hopping off a bus and stepping foot in a new place for the very first time may not sound like a life-changing or particularly riveting moment.
However, for me, as I climbed down from a rickety old bus and arrived in the famous tourist town of
Yangshuo, China for the very first time, it was as if my whole view of the world had completely changed in that one moment.
I could there and then tangibly see that life isn't just what I was used to in Britain. That there was another world out there. Another way of living, thinking, being. You can pick up a lot in just a few short seconds.
Don't get me wrong, looking from the outside this particular disembarkation of a motor vehicle would've appeared as nothing out of the ordinary what-so-ever.
It wasn't fraught with danger, there were no hilarious mishaps and it was a moment that I'm sure every other traveler before me has experienced. But for me it was pretty special.
As I stood standing still in utter awe of my surroundings and simultaneously blocking the door of the bus, my eyes were fixed
on the other side of the road but soft focused on all the madness whizzing past me.
Then, a rush of adrenaline. I almost laugh out loud. “What is this place? And where's it been hiding all my life?”
And as I stand there, unaware at the time that I probably looked like a child at Christmas who can't quite believe Santa Clause has actually bought him a brand new bike, I was having some extremely positive feelings about the place.
I quickly grab my bag and step aside as the locals behind me are pretty keen to get off the bus, but despite their haste and my general slow-paced way of life, nothing could wipe the smile off my face for the happiness I felt to be in this fresh new world.
I'd traveled Europe extensively and made plenty of trips stateside, but Asia was a whole new kettle of fish for me, and China even more so.
I still can't quite put my finger on the exact reason why I was so overwhelmed with emotion when I first arrived in Yangshuo, I just remember loving everything about it.
The roads were busy,
disorderly and exciting. The people full of energy, passion and life. The smells were intriguing and incredibly inviting, and on top of that, the scenery was just out of this world and like nothing I'd see before.
After a good few minutes taking it all in, the fatigue of a long journey made its presence felt and I fancied getting to my hotel sharpish. I'd booked into a converted-barn hotel in the countryside, about 5km outside of town.
I figured the simplest way to get there would be by taxi. What I didn't know though was that the only form of taxi you're likely to find in Yangshuo was of the motorbike variety. I always used to think I'd never get on one of those “death-traps” as my Mum would call them!
With the only other choice being a quite unappealing long trek, I hopped on the back of the bike which had the friendliest-looking driver. If this person was going to have my life in their hands for the next 10 minutes I wanted it to be someone capable of smiling, and whose sales tactic was to politely wait for customers instead of screaming at them
as they walk past.
Before I even had time to look for a helmet, we were away. Cruising down the busy streets and weaving in and out of traffic at a speed I'd never be brave enough to drive at! Instead of being scared though, I found it thrilling and it only served to improve my mood further.
It got even better as we headed out of town and into the Yangshuo countryside, where for the first time in my life my breath was taken away. And not in the metaphorical sense which is way over-used these days, I'm talking literally!
Yangshuo is a town of 300,000 people located on the beautiful
Li River, and is surrounded for miles and miles by epic karst peaks. After just a couple of minutes driving, we were in what seemed like the heart of it, and for miles these unique natural structures were all the eye could see.
A lot of my time here was spent not in Yangshuo town itself but in the surrounding area's wondrous countryside. Long, winding roads offer spectacular views for cyclists and motorists, and the fresh water rivers are ideal for swimming.
Trekking is another popular pastime, and there are certainly no shortage of challenging trails to explore.
The reason I'll never forget that moment I first jumped off the bus, though, is not because it was the entry point into a nice little trip. Far from it.
The reason I regard that point (and the following few weeks I spent exploring the area) as so important to me is because it opened up my horizons to other possibilities I didn't think capable for myself.
Despite never being 100% content or excited by working life in the UK and the repetitive daily grind of eat-sleep-work, I always used to think I'd find it impossible to actually relocate and live abroad. On my previous travels I'd fell in love with many places, but never found somewhere that really felt like home. I assumed I was destined to stay in the one tiny part of this magnificent planet I just happened to be born in, for the rest of my life.
I'd have never expected to find a new home in China, but that's exactly what I did. After returning home for a short while, I flew back out to Yangshuo and this time didn't leave.
It was my home for three years and it changed my life. I wasn't expecting much of China in all honesty. It was my original plan to make a short visit and then jet off to the beaches and temples of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma.
However, turned out that my pre-conceptualised ideas of China were wrong. I loved it all and the whole experience made me wonder, “hmmm, what else have that I've been taught to believe is wrong?”.
And that's why I love traveling.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Following along
We will be following along on your adventure. Can't wait to read more.