If you are wondering where to go...
Go wandering!!

Travel Story by Dan Mueller

China

Have you ever looked for an alternative to crowded, overpriced tourist locations and wanted to see the true culture of a place in a short period of time? Do you look for adventure and are curious to meet friendly people from a host country? Well, if you answered yes to all of these, then come with me on a walk. My wife has grown to accept my little walks, though not always to enjoy the work involved in getting there. The destination…oh yeah, that is the catch. If you are wondering about where you are going, you are going wandering. China is the place we have spent most of our time in so we will look at this from a Chinese perspective.

I know most traveling is about setting a location, researching every aspect of it and having a guide to show you and explain everything. Well, this is anything but that. Imagine walking into a village or town that has changed little for hundreds of years. Druing one of our first months in China, we took a bus to the end of its line and walked down paths over the mountain and found a village that until years ago was living in the stone age. The next week our students invited us to go to a place that we certainly had never been to before and we ended up back there again. Bring your camera as the children you see and the things you find will have a lasting experience.

I have to say most of my favorite traveling experiences have been where there was no plan and no destination or setting aside time to 'get lost' in a city or small town (make sure to have along a card to get back to your hotel though or a trusty map). I remember the time my wife wanted to find Wal-mart in Kunming without street signs and a good map and we wandered through minority markets, found small parks, and never found Wal-mart but had a great time and got a better understanding of the city and its people. Eventually, I caved and we asked for a taxi back, only to find out we had wandered to within a block of our hotel.

Wandering is also great for pets. Rural China or almost anywhere in Asia where there is countryside is a new place to explore for the whole family. Our dog loves to go for walks in the countryside where you do not need a leash, but also do not have to worry about wandering off. Just follow the paths and see where they lead, but watch your step as you might just land in all kinds of sticky places. Our dog has fallen into all kinds of fun messes—from lakes to fields of mud, sewage holes, and all kinds of waterways.

I recommend setting aside one day of every trip to find the path less taken and to see what you can find along the way. I would recommend stopping in a rural place and walking out in the countryside…follow the narrow paths through the fields and see what the farmers or villagers are doing, follow the paths through the villages where people have trodden for hundreds of years. Stop to say hello to the children (they will probably chase you saying hello anyway!) or take pictures of them. We have gotten to know a bunch of kids in a village by taking pictures of them and then returning to give them their pictures. Or even use your phrase book to communicate with the super friendly people of the villages.

If you are looking online for a great place to visit or an intriguing new place to go, find a location in the countryside and take a day to go wandering. Spend time in nature, see parts of the culture, and get a feel for the country you are visiting in a short period of time. Come on, pack some water, a camera, maybe some small gifts for kids or villagers and let's go wandering. I promise you - each trip will bring you something new.

Illustration by Bob Veon
(Bob Veon's Website)

Read more about the author of this story:
Dan Mueller

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