On my first visit to Sri Lanka back in 2008, I was shocked by the chaos, the dirtiness and the poverty on display in the majority of the country.
Granted, this may have been heightened by the fact that the country was still trying to get back on its feet after the tsunami, but it was still a shock to the senses. Before that I had only ever visited much more developed and Westernised countries and was somewhat unprepared. The travel brochures show you the gorgeous sandy beaches and the hypnotising temples; what they don’t show you is everything else.
Something about how foreign and exotic the place felt made further thoughts of backpacking Asia quickly creep into my subconscious. Which was why, two years later, when faced with several decisions on where to take my first solo backpacking trip, Vietnam was the only place that truly captured my imagination. That time, however, I was more prepared for what would await me when I arrived.
I now find myself back in Asia – Malaysia to be exact – and the same conflicting feelings from my first two experiences have resurfaced. If you have ever travelled around parts of Asia you will know exactly what I’m talking about when I say I love it and hate it in equal measure.
I love the food, the sounds of a hot wok cooking something delicious and the inevitable cheap prices. But I hate the rats, the smell of garbage left on the roadside in the heat and the pongy whiff of drains.
I love the unique accommodations and guesthouses and the Asian hospitality and friendliness. But I hate having no tissue paper in toilets (or worse, an overflowing bin full of used tissue), squat toilets and dodgy showers.
I love the beaches, the scent of incense burning in temples and the friendly smiles of local children. But I hate pushy street vendors, con artists and restaurant touts.
I love air conditioned malls, hostel rooms and food courts. But I hate the feeling of sweat slowly creeping down my back after only walking for fifty metres.
I love the value for money that almost everything provides. But I hate that, as a Westerner, it is assumed that I have money to spare.
Asia can evoke a whole spectrum of conflicting emotions and I think that is why it intrigues me so. For everything I love about it, there is something that will test me and threaten to grind me down. But unlike anywhere else I have travelled in the world, Asia can provide you with such a great sense of achievement and fulfilment that you will always be willing to take the good with the bad. And its spirit will linger with you long after you have left.
Just make sure you pack plenty of tissues and a patient smile before you go.
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