And so we go back to Beijing, nearly four months ago...

The more I think about travel, the more I think about what the experiences do to you. As the year is coming to an end soon (how is December around the block?), I thought it'd be a good way to sum up what I've learnt from my travels this year. My only solo trip, this year, was in January to Paris and, even though it's not my first time to do so, I begin to reflect on what I’ve learnt. These two years alone, I've strangely visited Paris for five times. And although I should really be talking about Beijing and it's cultures, I want to base this post on the importance of travelling - to open your eyes to reality and diversity amongst your surroundings, and to see it first hand; because no matter what people make of a place, it's up to you to have your own say.

Let’s say Beijing - why would you want to live there? It's cheap, big enough find some way to accommodate our interests, and who can say no to a Beijing duck? But then I'll probably group with those who object to it - simply because there are some things that simply can’t be done in the Far East (vice versa in Europe). I’ll never take the fortune to be able to visit other places which make me feel at home for granted.

When you're in a city so dense in terms of its population and buildings, it's almost too easy to get lost in it. Wouldn’t you agree that travelling to some places can even alter the way you think? Or act? Almost like developing an alter-ego? And what’s stranger is that even though travelling to the same place should be somewhat similar, it’s never quite the same. And the more you travel, the more your perception on life broadens.

Although I always thought I would be a ‘big-city-life’ sort of person, I am slowly realizing the perks of living in somewhere quieter. Not exactly permanently since we all have different demands and desires as we go through different stages in life. Though the biggest benefit of living somewhere quiet - you can listen to your thoughts much clearer.

There’s no simple separation of large-city-boy or small-town-girl. Say Paris, you won’t find a skyscraper (excluding the Eiffel tower and La Defense) - yet it's still a city.

Similar attitudes, different characters.

Coming back to Beijing after 10 years only make myself realize the differences since 2005 - more cosmopolitan hangouts, the whole deal on the 798 art zone, and the super sized China World complex is dense enough to make up for its own village.

As for those less travel hungry souls, I have no intention in transforming this platform into a complete travel blog... Just a spot to reflect and review my thoughts. Runway reviews will be back on trip, soon.

To be continued... #tbc