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« Cyn Discovers the World »

Well, that’s the name I found for my traveller’s account on Facebook before my « world tour » as I liked to call it more than one year ago now. I love the wordplay with my first name, and I have to say that I’m proud of it.

Initially just a project of world tour, to discover the world, like my name says …

But now that it’s been over one year I’ve been on the road, the names « Cyn Discovers the World » and  “world tour « seem unsuitable. Quickly after I left, already, the term “world tour » seemed inappropriate. I prefer the term « big trip » or « long journey », even if 2 years (22 months exactly), it’s not that long … In short, I am in big trip that’s it !

So one year, a little more now as I have taken a long time (for change…) to write this post. But I wanted it authentic, representative of the progress … So now, 1 year through the Eurasian continent, it looks like this:

From the Baltic capitals to the Finnish capital

From the Venice of the North, St Petersburg, to the typical village in Siberia Zavyalovo

From the magical Baikal lake to the infinite Mongolian’ steppes

From the hot Gobi Desert to the marvelous Khövsgöl lake

From the Great Wall of China to the karstic peaks around Yangshuo

From  the Ha Long Bay to the Mekong Delta

From the horrible Killing Fields to the magical Angkor temples

From the Bangkok’s markets to the 3D paintings in Georgetown

From the tea plantations in Cameron Highlands to the turtles of Apo Island

From the trek in Batad’s rice terraces to my yoga class in Chiang Mai

From my meditation retreat to the pagodas and temples in Bagan

From the authentic Mandalay to the pleasant Hpa-Han

From the historic city of Sukhothai to the touristic Luang Prabang

From my Kung Fu classes in Pai to the Mindfulness Project in Isan region

From the old capital Ayutthaya to the modern one Bangkok

And finally…. My teleportation above the Pacific from Bangkok to Vancouver !

So long way, so many destinations and yet … not that much!

During that year, I crossed, rather,  I  almost crossed the Eurasian continent by land, mainly in local transports. From my home to Kuala Lumpur, only over land and seas !

So what did I learn so far ?

First, I mostly learned to take my time, to enjoy this time, to live in the present moment, day by day … without worrying about the next day! It’s a wonderful thing for who succeeds! But I also learnt that :

Sharing

a word that can seem such far from our way of life. During that year, there is nothing that has been eaten in front of me without anyone offers me, not a beverage drunk in front of me without someone makes me taste it (for better or for worse …), each blanket when was cold was shared, each small free place was offered to me if I didn’t have one … And then I discovered me too that it was a joy to share what we have. And not only material things, but also the knowledge, the experience … so many things to share! And that’s great.

Generosity and solidarity

Seeing people in need is not always easy, especially if like me, you know that you earn more money by travelling than them by working hard… But these people do not want any pity. So when the opportunity was offered to me to give something they really needed, I’ve never hesitated a single second!

Trust

First, to trust in the others :

When you arrive alone in a place where you know absolutely nothing (yes, I do few or no research on my next destinations!), sometimes the only solution you have is to put your trust in unknown people. About where to go, or how to get there… Anything, you must accept to be led blindly. We can’t do everything on our own or know everything …  And that’s how encounters happen most of the time … However, we must also listen to our instinct … So far, my instinct never betrayed me, and I saw what happened when I didn’t listen to it in Myanmar !

And I learnt to trust myself :

Yes, I have to say that when travelling alone, sometimes you have to face some difficult situations. In these times it’s important to stay calm, to go on with positive attitude… But to be able to do that, you must trust yourself. It seems obvious, or may sound simple, but in this kind of situation, some may panic, some may feel sorry for themselves and want to give up everything …

Trust in your ability to solve problems is paramount … And I can say that, after two months in China, now I’m able to stay calm in any circumstances !

So many things, so many lessons, so much enrichment. I can’t speak about everything, so I’ll resume that by this quote :

« Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer ». Unknown author

I confirm !

So who am I now ?

First, I can say that it’s no longer « Cyn Discovers the world » but « Cyn Discovers », that’s it! Because I didn’t only discover the world, but I discovered myself as well !

However, one thing is still the same :

I’m still just me, and I’ll always be !

I mean by that, although if sometimes I heard about me that I was inspirational, or someone wrote me that I was “extraordinary…I don’t care. In short, if I am as they  say in Asia « Same same but different! » …. Whatever I’ll always be “just me”, and I’m proud of that !

« I’m just me », Cyn Discovers

The girl who enjoy & feel it !

                                                                  Cyn Discovers, Mindfulness project, Khon Kaen, Thailand