Wednesday
Apr212010
Oh, The Places I'd Go
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 07:10PM
There are vacations, and then there are adventures.
Everyone’s parameters for definition are obviously different.
For example, to me, Pakistan or India are vacations. But, China? Is an adventure.
I suppose my definition resides somewhere in how familiar the customs, faces and food are for me. An adventure constantly challenges, forces one to grow, and to acknowledge that there are infinite worlds within this world.
Between you and I, if time, small children and, most importantly, money were not an issue, I would travel the Silk Roads with my family.
My fascination with destinations that are historically significant started when I was about fifteen. I was in Pakistan standing right in front of the Jhelum River, and it hit me like a ton of bricks... this is the place where Alexander defeated Porus. This was the beginning of the end for his quest to conquer the world.
I closed my eyes and imagined soldiers camping on the embankments, grumbling about how their leader had finally gone mad... men who were tired... wondering why they had to follow someone else just because he was king... why they were here... missing their family... and, most of all, lost in a state of unknowing about what was going to become of them in the next few months... and when I opened my eyes I realized that though they were gone and the deeds of their great leader lived only in books, the world was still here.
Humankind was still here. Still trying to answer the same questions and still struggling with the same unknowing. I realized that as individuals we are short lived, but as a species... the threat of nuclear annihilation notwithstanding, we might just be eternal. And, wow, we might be worth saving, too.
That moment. It’s why I love history.
So, I like the idea of Bora Bora, but I crave the idea of The Silk Road.
As its name implies, it's best known as an ancient trading route between China and Rome, but it was far more extensive than that in both geography and purpose. Over three thousand years old, this entity represents the truth that we are all truly connected in some way.
Specifically, that we all not only need to be connected to one another, but that we desire it. As if this need and desire is, in fact, an imperative within our being.
Whether because we need silk for spices or want to know why the sun moves across the sky... we need each other. And we always have.
There is comfort in this piece of history.
And for the sake of argument, we will ignore that various peoples also used these routes to travel far enough to decimate their enemies.
The Silk Road!
It was... like... the Internet!!
It was the ancient Internet, connecting the entire civilized world. In addition to facilitating commerce between nations, it was also a conduit for ideas, culture and art. Islam, Christianity, Buddhism all traveled the known world via the Silk Route. Think about this... before a person came stumbling to your town via this road, all you could think and be was one way. And then this person brought something with them... new ideas... you could pick, you could choose... you could become different or stay the same. But, you had a choice, now.
You had a choice!
Given that it spans something like four thousand miles, I would most likely start in Central Asia.
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are supposed to be great places to experience. It’s not on the immediate agenda, but one day...
So. That would be my “dream destination.”
*Special thanks to Dave2 for asking, “Where is your next dream destination?” in response to this post, and great starting point for writing this one.
Everyone’s parameters for definition are obviously different.
For example, to me, Pakistan or India are vacations. But, China? Is an adventure.
I suppose my definition resides somewhere in how familiar the customs, faces and food are for me. An adventure constantly challenges, forces one to grow, and to acknowledge that there are infinite worlds within this world.
Between you and I, if time, small children and, most importantly, money were not an issue, I would travel the Silk Roads with my family.
My fascination with destinations that are historically significant started when I was about fifteen. I was in Pakistan standing right in front of the Jhelum River, and it hit me like a ton of bricks... this is the place where Alexander defeated Porus. This was the beginning of the end for his quest to conquer the world.
I closed my eyes and imagined soldiers camping on the embankments, grumbling about how their leader had finally gone mad... men who were tired... wondering why they had to follow someone else just because he was king... why they were here... missing their family... and, most of all, lost in a state of unknowing about what was going to become of them in the next few months... and when I opened my eyes I realized that though they were gone and the deeds of their great leader lived only in books, the world was still here.
Humankind was still here. Still trying to answer the same questions and still struggling with the same unknowing. I realized that as individuals we are short lived, but as a species... the threat of nuclear annihilation notwithstanding, we might just be eternal. And, wow, we might be worth saving, too.
That moment. It’s why I love history.
So, I like the idea of Bora Bora, but I crave the idea of The Silk Road.
As its name implies, it's best known as an ancient trading route between China and Rome, but it was far more extensive than that in both geography and purpose. Over three thousand years old, this entity represents the truth that we are all truly connected in some way.
Specifically, that we all not only need to be connected to one another, but that we desire it. As if this need and desire is, in fact, an imperative within our being.
Whether because we need silk for spices or want to know why the sun moves across the sky... we need each other. And we always have.
There is comfort in this piece of history.
And for the sake of argument, we will ignore that various peoples also used these routes to travel far enough to decimate their enemies.
The Silk Road!
It was... like... the Internet!!
It was the ancient Internet, connecting the entire civilized world. In addition to facilitating commerce between nations, it was also a conduit for ideas, culture and art. Islam, Christianity, Buddhism all traveled the known world via the Silk Route. Think about this... before a person came stumbling to your town via this road, all you could think and be was one way. And then this person brought something with them... new ideas... you could pick, you could choose... you could become different or stay the same. But, you had a choice, now.
You had a choice!
Given that it spans something like four thousand miles, I would most likely start in Central Asia.
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are supposed to be great places to experience. It’s not on the immediate agenda, but one day...
So. That would be my “dream destination.”
*Special thanks to Dave2 for asking, “Where is your next dream destination?” in response to this post, and great starting point for writing this one.
Reader Comments (40)
I would love to travel the Silk Road. There was actually talk of me having the chance to visit Uzbekistan w/ Dr. Crepeau as part of a UCf thing, but in the end, it didn't work out. I hope we can both experience the Silk Road one day!
Haha. We are exact opposites. I long to visit places with insular cultures. I am deeply fascinated by folks who assimilate, if at all, on their own terms. I am especially interested in language preservation. If I were to start graduate studies at this point in my life, it would be in cultural anthropology.
For me, it's a toss up between Peru, Egypt, and Italy - three places where the childhood dreams of SciFi Kid becoming an archeologist could be realized.
Where DON'T I want to go might be a better question.
I want to see places that are far, far older than anything here - places where so much of history happened. Where we were born and where we wandered to. And maybe even where we'll go next.
I wanna go. My Dad's been. He's been all over the world. All but one continent and great pictures and stories to prove it. Even places you'd never go today, like Kabul. China though? On my to do list.
Good answer.
GREAT answer. Thanks. :-)
My idea of an adventure is Ireland. There is something about the knowledge that 80 percent of my family came from those shores, I just have this bone deep need to stand on that island. I think I would find some missing part of me there.
I don't know. Can you get good Chinese food there? I won't go anywhere unless I can get good Chinese food.
I love history too. One of my dream vacation/adventures is to visit all the ancient sites in Greece, Turkey, Italy, etc...
Bora Bora sounds nice as well. ;)
WOW! Way to come back from Lack of Inspiration Land Faiqa! You are too fabulous for words :)
mom was 60 when she saw an ad in the triple a newsletter about a trip to china. in january. like BRRRRRRRRRRR winter. she talked to no one, just whipped out her checkbook and booked the trip. then went out and bought a floor length down coat with a hood and told everyone about her upcoming adventure with 11 friends she had not met yet. she, like you, felt that china was a grand adventure that must be had. i'm thrilled that she had the opportunity and the means to fulfill her desire to see china, to stand on the great wall.
may all your dreams come true, dear faiqa.
@nancy, I'm sure we will... we totally deserve it, since clearly we GET it!! (And won't ask if there are any McDonald's nearby...)
@Kailyn, I can see how that would be very interesting, too. I'd be curious to see if there were similarities between cultures, despite the insular nature of some of them.
@SciFi Dad, Who, I ask you, who did not want to be some version of Indiana Jones when they were a kid?!
@Finn, So. Not going to Disney World any time soon, then...
@Hockeymandad, Wow. Was your dad in the CIA? Wait. Don't answer that. I do not want to know. Do not kill me. Please. I have a family.
@Dave2, Great questions deserve great answers, and you're welcome.
@Faiqa, I took it a step or two further than most, I think. I actually took a March Break archeology course at the local university when I was 16... it was an intro to post-sec program. I still have the text. It was awesome.
@Becca, Ohh, yes, I get that very much. You may also find, as is the case with me, that after having gone there and come back, you'll feel that you found the missing piece for a while, but that it's still in Ireland when you're home... if that makes sense.
THis would be a great adventure for us right before N. gets ready to go to college. InshaAllah. There are travel-adventure companies that specialize in itineraries like this.
@SciFi Dad, So, you're telling me that when I used to try and roll under the garage door while it was closing and pretend I was Indie in Raiders of the Lost Ark that I was NOT taking it a step further...
@B.E. Earl, The Chinese built it. Knowing them, there's a takeout stall every fifteen feet. You'll be fine. I think we might be going to Turkey in the next few years, it's definitely on my list, as well.
@Courtney, Thanks Courtney!
@hello haha narf, Awww, what a wonderful story and EXAMPLE of living one's dreams.
@Tariq, I know, I know!! It's a date, then?
See, I don't like history at all, so that has no real relevance to where I'd want to go.
I'd like to go to Australia and go into the outback. That would be my idea of an adventure. Also, driving more than an hour away from my house.
@Faiqa, you got it!
I really want to go to Greece and Rome - and now, China. I'd go damn near anywhere, as long as I can eventually stay at a hotel.
I bet you a thousand dollars my mom would go on this exact trip for this exact reason. Seriously, it's eerie how much you sounded like her in this post.
I, on the other hand, will meet you in Rome when you're ready to return to civilization.
@Faiqa, totally makes sense!! :)
Great story!
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Have you read "China Road"? If not, it is a must read if you are interested in the Silk Road. We lived in China for nearly two years and I have mixed feelings about the country. It is entirely fascinating yet cold. I tend to enjoy experiencing cultures that have more warmth to them, if that makes any sense.
When I think back on places in the world I have traveled to, I think of them in terms of colors.
Boise (my home town) and probably much of the US = brown, green in spring.
India/Mexico = vibrant and colorful,
Tropical places like the Maldives, Caribbean = turquoise,
China = grey with brief twinges of red
Cambodia = green
I guess I don't really have colors for some of the places like Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand.
Anyway, to answer your question, I love visiting the colorful places. The next places on my list right now are Peru and France.
For me, its Japan, the Austrailian Outback, or the African Savanahas.
one day...
After reading your post, I realised that moving to USA from India is really an adventure. I never looked at it that way. Hunh! Very interesting post, I like it. Now, I can say that I am an adventurous women :). Thanks!
I love history, and I hope that someday I can travel to other places. I definitely want to travel the States, but there are so many other places I want to go, because of history and my own curiosity.
I clicked over from an irreverent retweet and found myself struck stupid by the beauty of your writing. Thank you.
So apparently you went there and stayed there eh?
@RW, <---And this is the Internet person that loves me the most. You win, RW, you win. The rest of you are in so much trouble for not noticing.
@Faiqa, I think my wife beat both of y'all in the "take it a step further" contest by getting a PhD in archeology and actually digging up people. But, I could be biased.
We like adventurous vacations. I resisted Hawaii for years because I thought it was where people went to sit in the sand and stare at blue waters for a week--not my idea of fun. But then I found out about live volcanoes! And hiking trails! And snorkeling! So, I liked it. The Mrs did ask that we spend a few hours one afternoon sitting on the beach, so I let her.
We want to do India and China sometime after the little ones are a bit older, too...in addition to the rest of the world.
I noticed! I noticed! RW isn't the only one! I came by today with the very purpose of asking you where the hell you've been and why haven't you called?
I hope everything is okay. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you on FB either.
Just taking a break?
I miss you, dear Faiqa.