"The world is a book.
Those who don't travel read only a page"
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Why travel? Because it opens up your heart. It cleans up assumptions and stereotypes to open up more possibilies. You understand everything doesn't have to be like this or like that. You appreciate differences and uniqueness. You see people who are poor are not necessarily unhappy, and people who are rich are not necessarily happier. You reflect more about life. You don't get away from the unhappiness you experience, but learn to live with it. You crave less and treasure more. You see how beautiful the world can be. You see how beautiful human hearts can be too. You never regret where you've been. You'll only regret if you haven't been.
It's easy to get amazed when we're in a new environment. Although things are always changing, we hardly appreciate these changes because often they happen so subtlely we don't take notice of them. When we land ourselves in a new environment, we see things for the first time and it is like entering a new world. It is easier to pay attention to new things and the ways they change.
Change is the only universal constant. Everyday is different and travelling makes the fact more apparent. When every day is going to be a different day, people learn to make full use of the day. We don't need to make enemies anymore if we know things are going to be different. We don't need to get too emotionally involved or insistent if we know things are going to be different. And we don't take things for granted if we know things are not going to be the same.
I like the feeling of re-establishing myself in a new environment, of having a new identity in a new place, of not having the need to answer to anyone when you are in a foreign land. That is freedom.
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About iwander.net
This website started off as http://happywanderer.shorturl.com and was replaced by http://iwander.net with the registration of domain and web hosting in Sep 2003. It was first set up in July 2003 with descriptions of travelling trips from 1998 to 2003. Had originally wanted to register for http://happywanderer.net but was unavailable. As I wondered the domain name to be used, it came naturally as "iwander". I wondered, and thus, iwander.
I wander because there is no one place which I have stayed or would stay for long. The seek for the proper direction in life lies in this very wandering, as I encounter and understand phenomenons. I hope every step I make, is a step towards nobility. May I strive earnestly, and may you too, pursue your very happiness.
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Who Am I?
I grew up in a family of 4 and led a pretty typical Singaporean life - primary school, secondary school, junior college, university. When I was 17 or so, I began having backpacking dreams. I go to the library and pick out books on independent travelling. It was the first time I came across Lonely Planet. I went to neighbouring countries with my parents and brother on tour packages. In 1998, I signed up for a volunteer work expedition in Batam, Indonesia. It was my very first trip away from my family. Since then, I travelled as often as I can afford. My most expensive trip was to Turkey, for which I spent S$2200 for 3 months. My cheapest would probably be to Xi'an, China where I work as a teacher and still earn some money back. I felt lucky that it hasn't cost me too much to travel.
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I enjoy thinking. It is through thinking that has given an added meaning to my existence as a human being. A philosopher, as written in "Sophie's World", once said that the ability to think and philosophize distinguishes human beings from animals. I sink into thoughts easily. The nature of the mind is such that we never have to tell the mind to think. The mind, or our inner world, is a very interesting place to wander in.
I like the arts. I like music and photography. Writing too, although I'm not very good at it. For a period of time I perceived the arts of an obsession of the senses. Then, in "The Monk and the Philosopher", I realized the spiritual dimension of the arts. True art does not arouse our senses, but serves to calm thoughts and bring excited states of mind to quietness and depth, like a sand sediment sinking deep in still water. I have thus placed greater faith in what art can do, in the many different forms, to bring human beings to a higher spiritual level.
I started my first homepage in 1998. I did my pages using MS Publisher and then upload them to a free homepage provider. Then my ever-inquisitive brother taught me Html. Then I got to know Dhtml. I got more and more interested with webpage making. I use only Html, occasionally javascript and Dhtml. Recently I get to know CSS and PHP. I am still learning. And I believe in creativity and making wonders with simple things I have.
Nov 2003
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