Tomorrow I will be going to Mulu National Park, Sarawak. It will be a full week itenary involving visiting Mulu Showcaves and Canopy Walk. It will also be a physically demanding climb for it involves 4D3N Mulu Summit climb.
I hope that I can see the bats!
After living in West Malaysia and Concrete Jungle for so many years, I feel a sense of excitement as the days of going is approaching. Because the Internet connection is minimum at best or nonexistent at worst, there will definitely be plenty of time for me to just read books, chit-chat with my fellow travellers, observe the nature, and to let my subconscious mind does the thinking for me. The defining characteristics of our modern lifestyles is that we are always busy, always chasing the next thing in the name of productivity– we feel that we need to tune on to the news 24×7, we feel that we need to rush to the next meeting, next email, next appointment, we feel that we need to scroll facebook walls all the time, constantly checking WhatsApp Messages.
We feel that if we are not working hard enough, someone else– probably some guy from China or Vietnam– will eat our lunch.
Not only we impose such discipline on ourselves. We also demand the same from our kids, if we don’t whip them hard enough with Rotan, they will lost their ways and gotten their lunch eaten, too.
But what do we lost in the process?
We no longer appreciate the small things in life, we no longer marvel at the starry nights. We no longer ask why, we no longer interested in exploring new knowledge frontiers.
We are not necessarily happier than our ancestors despite living longer and have a better living condition than them. When you feel that every single day is a struggle, your brain will get defensive and you won’t want to explore new things. Your mind will shut down on you. You just want to do things the old, safe way because your mind tells you you can’t take any risks.
You stop growing.
Maybe taking a break, spending time away from urban noises and in the nature will change all that. Maybe looking at the stars at night, and letting your mind to wander can restore your childlike wonder.
This is what I hope to achieve for my Mulu trip: a mind therapy. I want to fix my brain damaged by modernities.
And of course, I won’t go alone– I will always always bring my most trusted companion with me, the Kindle I got from my partner.
Hopefully by the time I come back, the books that I read during the journey, and the quiet time I spend will allow me to come home bursting with creativities and solutions ( and the uncanny ability to see problems).
PS:
Because both of us are not around, please take note that the next kindle fan gathering will happen on 9th of June, not 2th of June as stated earlier. Do take note.
