So here I am, on the eve of my final paper for my final, about to experience academic doom descending upon my head and all I can think about is what I’m going to be doing for the summer.
5 countries, 4 cultures, 3 months, 2 bags and 1 adventure = Summer 2010.
Kicking off my summer with a bang will be visiting the man in my life in Sydney. I really love what the city has to offer, the breezy weather, the sassy people, the trendy night scene, a really hip yet laidback culture, and of course the greasy cuisine. And to get in touch with our inner sophistication, we’d be doing the requisite Sydney weekend trip to Hunter Valley wine region and hope that we won’t have to nurse a hangover afterwards. Je ne peux pas attendre! In any case I’m excited to be back again.
I received my Indian visa two days ago, which means that I am good to go for my internship. And just maybe… I would just run out and buy some more socks, just in case. A backpacking circuit that would set my heart pumping and my wanderlust soul on fire around Southern China, Laos and Thailand would round off the summer with aplomb.
Jumping onto the bandwagon of the Shanghai World Expo hype is part of our itinerary…after all, visiting the Bund during its construction really did pique my curiosity enough for me to visit the Paris of the East again so soon. So with the exception of Chinese culture (which I must say I’m not fully attuned to either), I will have new cultures to embrace and hopefully a couple of interesting phrases to pick up on the way.
My attempt at minimalist travelling will also mean that I have to pack really light this time round — the heels and the hairdryers and the trashy novels will have to stay home, limiting myself to two bags, which will eventually be full of bangles, boxes of Darjeeling tea and traditional garb from India. I will also learn, for the first time, to deal with living in a town free of the creature comforts that an urbanite like me is used to and find out if my body can function well beyond 3,000 metres above the sea level in the Himalayas.
And all of that will culminate towards one big adventure…be it good, bad or funny. Oh, summer, how I love you so.
Now, if you would excuse me, I would like to extricate myself from this reverie and finish up my revision for tomorrow morning’s exam.
Tagged: australia, china, College, holidays, india, internship, laos, packing, shanghai world expo, summer plans, thailand, travelling, university
