How the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Affected my Travel

I've been traveling for a while now, and for sure, the coronavirus covid-19 affected my travel. At first I was supposed to go back to Hong Kong on January 25. Good thing I was not allowed to board the plane since I did not have a visa for Vietnam where I was supposed to have a two hour layover and then transfer to another plane that would eventually take me to Hong Kong, so this unfortunate event was blessing in disguise. And after I came to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Bangkok, Thailand, I had a plan to go to South Korea after a month of stay here, but I had to change my plan as soon as I found out about the rising cases of the virus over there. Also a few days ago, my Mom told me that I should go home back to the US because it was safer over there according to her. Well, I knew the virus would eventually spread in the US. Days later, the cases of the Coronavirus has increased dramatically in the US as well as in other parts of the world such as Iran and Italy as I had predicted. Now I do think this is getting worst. I think US might have to do a lockdown just like in China before it is too late. There is a possibility that this might not just be a pandemic but an endemic which means it will be a part of our lives for an extended period of time since I heard that some who recovered from the virus became positive again after a few days. For sure, no one really knows what this virus is capable of. I am sure the World Health Organization is also just learning about it as we do. Just a few days ago, now they're saying that you can get it even if you are six feet away from the one who has it. This information was not known before until now. There's also this info that the ones who are more likely to die from this are older people and with preexisting medical problems , but no, based on the news I've been seeing from China, there were also lots of young people who died from this virus. One of them was the whistle blower. The Chinese doctor who has become a hero for being the one to discover and to reveal about the virus on the internet in China. Their ages were around twenty-something to thirty-something, so that is quite young. In a way, I think the governments all over the world do not want to say so much about this too because it would definitely create panic that might cause some civil disturbances and also affect the stock markets, which is now happening as we speak, and the economy, not just one country but the world. Anyway let us just pray that this does not get really bad like the Spanish Flu and the Plague, which killed millions of people. As for me, I would continue to travel because the way I see it, the only thing I have to fear is fear itself. All I have to do is just protect myself. And follow my intuition in which so far, has made me avoid going to countries where the coronavirus is on the rise. Maybe someone out there is looking out for me. Well, I won't say, maybe. I am sure there is. Anyway I hope everyone is protecting themselves. There is not much we can do but pray. Thank you, and make sure to subscribe to one or more of my social media channels such as Facebook page, Youtube channel, Instagram, Twitter and finally Tumblr (from this, and all we can do now is to pray that it doesn't get worse than what it is now.

My Crazy Fifteen Months of Travel and Seven Months of Living in Hong Kong

It's been a crazy journey for the past one year and three months as I travel from one country to another, from one city to another, from one town to another, including living in Hong Kong while the protests were going on. Quite an experience and learned a lot along the way. Now I am quite exhausted. I haven't completed my goal of going back to South Korea, Taiwan and of visiting Japan for the first time due to the winter season, but at least, with a better airfare than a direct flight back home ($650 against $454, not including my baggage fees) I might be able to stop by Taiwan for seven days before heading back to the US (I might have to go home and visit my Mom for a while until this coronavirus slows down. Still considering it and see how it goes in the next few days. My visa is still good until February 13, so still plenty of time to make a decision.) Anyway if I ever go home, I'll be back, and for my next trip back, I should then be able to visit Japan and also go to Busan, South Korea (been to Seoul quite a few times but not Busan). Well, let's see in a few days if I really have to go home.

Considering Doing a Photography and Video Project about Malaysia.

Come to think of it, I think doing a photography and video project about Malaysia would be very interesting just because of its multicultural and multi-ethnic society, which is comprised of the Malays, Indians and Chinese. It is like a melting pot just like in the US but here in Asia. Majority of the population is Muslim (Most of the Malays are Muslim), and yet other religions such as Hinduism (Most Indians are Hindus) and Buddhists (Most Chinese are Buddhists) exist here; nevertheless, they respect each other. What do you think? Should I do this photography and video project?

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Christmas is also celebrated here in Malaysia.

Christmas is also celebrated here in Malaysia.

Going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Since I am going to Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Malaysia, I am now considering doing a photography and video project over there too. I think it has a great history and culture which I need to learn and explore. Considering that I am doing a project on mostly Buddhist countries, zI think it would be good to showcase a Muslim country too. Also knowing that Malaysia is a multi-cultural country with Indian and Chinese people, this would be an interesting topic to explore too. As I do this, I will document what I discover with my camera, capturing both photographs and video footage along with it.

History of Malaysia

Picture below is not mine. Photo by Izuddin Helmi Adnan on Unsplash

Why Do I Travel?

I think the following quotes the reason why travel a lot and try to stay longer at each place I go to.

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comforts of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things — air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky. All things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”
– Cesare Pavese

“Wherever You Go Becomes A Part Of You Somehow.” -Anita Desai

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
– Jawaharial Nehru

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA- A 24-7 MODERN CITY

The cold air made my body shiver as I got off the shuttle bus from Incheon International Airport. As I looked around, I was already fascinated by this city called Seoul. It seemed very modern with its stylish buildings all around me. It was my first time in Seoul, yet for some reason, I knew I would get to love this city, despite not having heard of KPop or KDrama or even Gangnam Style (well, at that time, the song wasn’t even out yet). So for sure, this was my first impression of Seoul. Oh wait, I did see some movies from South Korea, so in a way, I had a little bit of an idea what South Korea or Seoul was like. Yet, still not so much the way you find out about this place from those other things. At that time, when I first came to Seoul, it was very early in the morning, so most of the stores were still close, but there was already a crowd of people rushing to get to the bus stop or to the nearest subway station. Being very cold and not used to it anymore, having lived in Los Angeles, California for such a long time, I immediately tried to find the nearest cafe, and there it was: a Starbucks. Talk about cold, last time I felt this cold was when I was still living in Chicago, but after getting my caffeine for the day and getting myself warm, I was ready to check out the city, and I wasn’t disappointed.

 
As I went around the city, I could immediately see what this city had to offer. Shops, including most of the famous brands you see in the States and Europe, are all over the city, so this is a city that is almost on steroids when it comes to shopping. As I looked around, I saw a lot of beautiful and sexy Korean women and handsome men walk around with their designer clothes and accessories, so you could tell that they really care about the big name brands and how they looked. For some reason, the men are almost feminine as the women with their almost flawless skin. Just to think that South Korea used to be an impoverished nation ruined by the Korean war about fifty years ago, but now it is basking in wealth from the money it has been earning from its rise as a technology powerhouse with companies such as Samsung, Hyundai, LG and others.

Fast forward a few years later, when I came back, I knew a lot more about the Korean culture through KPop and KDrama. Thanks to my ex-girlfriend and some Korean friends who introduced me to those things in order for me to learn the Korean language and culture. This made me appreciate my stay in South Korea a lot more just because everything now felt familiar. The culture was not that alien to me anymore. I could pretty much immerse myself in the culture with ease as if it were mine. I’d say that I did not really enjoy the country of South Korea and the city of Seoul fully until my second and third time here. Knowing much more than what I knew back then really made those trips a lot more meaningful and fun. It was not a question of doing “when in Rome, do what the Romans do.” I was actually doing it naturally. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to.

I’ve been to a lot of cities worldwide, including most major cities in Asia, except Japan, and I think Seoul is not your typical Asian city. Here you do not see a lot of scooters. If you do see scooters, they’re mostly used by delivery people. In Seoul, anything can be delivered no matter what. For a city that is on the go, it is pretty much a necessity. In this city, everything is fast paced. That’s why the most common Korean expression is “Pali-pali” which means “Hurry up!” or “Faster!” In this city, everyone seems to be always in a rush. They walk fast here that only a New Yorker can outrun them.

No wonder their internet speed is considered the fastest in world, when their people do not seem to have patience due to their fast paced lifestyle, it is pretty much a given that their technology is dictated by the their needs for convenience. So I assume that probably the Research and Development Departments of their top technology companies always try to fill in those needs right away as to keep up with the pace of the lifestyle of the South Koreans.

This is a country that does not seem to want to slow down. Because of this, when you come here, you get a sense of that energy. That energy does not seem to run out as the overworked Koreans get off from their work really late at night. Still they have a lot of leftover energy to spend their time at KTV, clubs, etc, drinking their soju until they do not have energy anymore. By that time, it is almost morning already. To say that Seoul is another city that never sleeps is definitely true. Everything here is 24-7.

I think that’s probably one of the things that really made me like Seoul a lot. The energy you feel when you are in this city. Now that I’ve been here quite a few times already, I do not think I would never get tired of coming back here. But with its 24-7 lifestyle, you will definitely run out of energy and get tired as you spend your time here, but then again, life is best served best on the go.

WHY I LOVE THAILAND: MORE FUN FOR YOUR BUCK AND VERY TOURIST-FRIENDLY

What is it about Thailand that I like? First of all, it seems that the country itself is catered towards both the tourists and expats. You can immediately sense this as soon as you arrive at their airport: Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Countless different types of people (French, British, Australians, Brazilians, Japanese, Chinese, Germans, etc) swarm and arrive in this airport everyday, so it is true what the article from Trip Advisors said about this country: its city, Bangkok, is the 15th top travel destination in the world right now ( https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Destinations-cTop-g1 ). In addition, now its second largest city, Chiang Mai is the world’s second best city according to Travel and Leisure magazine ( http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/cities ). So it just makes sense that this is one of the best countries to visit.

In this country, everyone seems to know basic English. It is probably because they are used to a lot of foreigners coming to this country that they are now used to speaking the English language all the time. And I was told as more and more Chinese tourists are also visiting the country every year (4.5 million of Chinese citizen visited Thailand in 2015), they are also beginning to learn Chinese. I had a chance to talk to a Thai woman, and she told me that a few years ago, if a Thai person wanted to get a good job in this country, she needed to be able to speak English well, but now a Thai person can get even a better job if she speaks both English and Chinese well. Based on this talk with her, I assume that the country itself really wants to really do their best to make everyone welcome. I bet if it was not impossible, they probably would make themselves learn most languages just to make sure the the visitors from other countries feel at home in their country, but since they know both English and Chinese, they can pretty much talk to most people on the planet: Chinese with about 1 billion and 300 million people and about 328 million native speakers worldwide having English as their first language and about 600 million worldwide who speak English as their second or third language. This just shows how accommodating the Thais are with foreigners. You can also see this with their smile. They did not call this place “the land of smiles” for nothing.

Added to this, in addition to the famous Thai cuisine, all kinds of Western food are also served at a lot of places here. That is if you’re not the kind of person who “when in Rome, do what the Romans do,” but most foreigners love the Thai cuisine. Also the coffee, not the instant one but the pure brewed one, is everywhere and is not expensive in contrast with most Asian countries where real coffee is quite expensive. It seems that it is more a part of their existence since the beginning rather than just something that the Westerners just introduced into the country. That’s also one of the best things I love about this country. Cafes are everywhere. For a coffee lover like me, it is a paradise.

What also makes Thailand extra special is that the cost of everything is pretty cheap but not at the expense of them being low quality. Even with the Thai street food, you can tell that they use the best quality ingredients. And from the way it is prepared, they seem to be very healthy, especially with such dish as Papaya Salad. Just like the coffee, its beers and other alcoholic drinks are not too expensive compared to other Asian countries such as South Korea and even China. For sure, your money goes a long way. You will definitely have a great time for a lot less.

And if you are not just a tourist but an expat who wants to stay a lot longer in this country, you’re making a right choice since this country is one of the best countries to live in as an expat ( http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160426-bangkok-shouldnt-be-good-for-expats-but-it-is) . I met a lot of them during my extended stay here, and they seem to enjoy its lifestyle, quality of life, and low cost of living.

What can you ask for. It has everything you need: great nightlife, beaches, outdoor sports, diving, etc. So you’re not limited as to what you can do over here for a vacation. Also if you come here, I highly recommend for you to try to go around, to another city or town, even a smaller town. Every place has different things to offer. Though I have been there for a few times, I still feel that there are still more things I could do and more places I could visit over there. It is a country I would never get tired of visiting over and over again.