Traveling to the wilderness - what's the fun?

Priceless lessons from nature

When I decide to travel to remote, deserted places, knowing for sure that there will be no modern conveniences, phone signals or internet, I mentally determine that I will focus completely on reality. So my five senses will be fully active and from there, the way I perceive and observe an object/event will also be more thorough and meticulous. For example, when I go to a deserted island, I admire the scenery there longer, see what shape the rocks are, how rich the vegetation is, whether there is anything new there or not... Just like that, I always discover new angles of view, never get bored.

On a trip without the hustle and bustle of life out there, you will have more time to learn and experience “real” things. You will learn how to climb trees faster, how to find water like a local, or learn interesting tips from the people there after spending a lot of time and sincerity to interact with them.

I remember the trips to the border, to the highest landmark 79 in Vietnam, the second highest landmark 42 in Vietnam, I stayed in the deep forest for many long days. Those were all places where there was absolutely no internet, no phone signal... Those were also the times when I had to concentrate to learn. The La Hu ethnic people and the border guards who accompanied me on the journey showed me each type of grass, which ones were edible, which ones were not. I was taught how to distinguish which plants were poisonous, how to look at the wind direction to know when it was going to rain, or how to choose a location when camping by a stream, how far from the stream to the campsite... Throughout the trip, I had to listen and remember with all my heart. When the journey ended, I realized that not only did my body become stronger, but I also gained a lot of knowledge and skills, and I also understood many beautiful things about nature.

Profile

• Full name: Ngo Tran Hai An
• Date of birth: October 29
• Hometown: Bao Loc, Lam Dong
• Lives in: Ho Chi Minh City
• Job: Worked in the IT industry. Currently running a private image company, working as a photojournalist at Zing and contributing content to many travel newspapers and magazines.
• Number of countries visited: More than 40 countries from Asia to Europe and part of Africa
• Plans from now until the end of 2019: Explore the islands of Thailand, return to Hokkaido, Japan, visit Inner Mongolia, Spain & Italy, Singapore, South Africa

Accepting human love

The deserted and isolated places are often the places where people are very hospitable. Because they only interact with their neighbors every day, and rarely meet strangers, they will always be happy and joyful to welcome you attentively.

I still remember that in 2004, I went to Meo Vac for the first time. When I arrived, it was very late. I went to a local's house to ask to stay overnight, and they immediately welcomed me into their house. They were so hospitable that they took the initiative to move the blankets and pillows to the floor to sleep on, leaving the entire bed for me. They even cooked a chicken to treat me to a meal. But today, perhaps that will hardly happen because Meo Vac has become a tourist destination, although wild but no longer deserted. People are used to the fact that tourists from all over the world who come here will have to pay to stay overnight. Perhaps they no longer have the same joyful or strange feelings as in the past!

There were times when I went to remote areas, not just one house but the whole village came out to welcome me. These lovely characteristics are not only found in Vietnam, but when I went abroad, people in other places were also hospitable. On my recent trip to Pakistan, when I arrived at a village right at the border junction of Pakistan - Afghanistan - China, the whole school - from the principal, teachers to students - enthusiastically welcomed me. They invited me to eat barley cakes and drink Chai (milk tea). When I left, the students ran out to stand in the school yard just to wave goodbye, which made me both surprised and overwhelmed with emotion. These are all emotions that you cannot find on normal trips.

It is in the trips with less noise and bustle that I learn more lessons about nature, about people and about humanity. If we were in Saigon, you and I would live every day in anxiety and vigilance... for fear of being robbed, afraid of being cheated. But in the deserted lands I have passed through, people do not have any vigilance or suspicion when dealing with each other and with tourists - even though they do not know who I am. I used to think that in those remote lands, people must be backward, but it turns out that they behave much more civilized than people in urban areas.

Sometimes miracles happen

The wilderness and deserted areas are often places that few people have set foot in, so it will stimulate a sense of pride in you to be there. That feeling will urge your body and mind to explore. Your hearing, taste, sight, smell and touch are ready to work at maximum capacity. And from there, miracles sometimes appear.

One afternoon, I visited landmark 69 on the Vietnam-China border. In the afternoon sun that day, I suddenly imagined a lot about my ancestors in the past, how they fought and sacrificed to keep the land for their descendants, so that now I have the opportunity to stand here. Just from that moment, later, when I returned to my present life, I still sometimes remember it to take it as motivation to live and try harder.

In every wild land I went to, I encountered many difficulties and obstacles due to the lack of infrastructure as well as dangerous roads. But once I had used my thinking, senses and skills to the fullest to overcome those difficulties, I always returned with a belief that I had enough courage and ability to overcome all difficulties in the future.

Ngo Tran Hai An