Traveling in Asia

Malaysia, North Vietnam, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Singapore, China … My year abroad has offered me the best travels and the craziest adventures. Backpacking in South-East Asia is exhilarating, intense and incredibly different every time. I have discovered so many cultures, experienced so many lifestyles and met so many people that I wonder how going back to gloomy, freezing London will feel like. I have everything but a routine here, and every week is different from the one before. I am always on the move, rushing to the airport with my camera in one hand and my visa in the other. 

I flew back from China two days ago, after 10 days backpacking with a group of 10 international friends. We landed in sunny and warm Shanghai. Shanghai was very different from what we expected: although there is 24 million people, the city is so widespread it feels empty. We explored the city hidden corners, walked around the Bund and the Old City, and tasted all the dumplings and steamed buns we found on the way. I also managed to see my very good friend from UCL, on exchange at the University of Shanghai, and grasped a taste of her life in Shanghai: we went out with her and her friends in local clubs, and experienced the famous nightlife of the city. 

Next stop: the Yellow Mountains. We were welcome by a very unpleasant surprise: a thunder storm was on its way. We were planning on camping in a small summery tent for 3 people (being a group of 10) that was flooded within a few minutes. The night turned into a nightmare, but the sunrise in the mountains made it all worth it. We woke up in the most astonishing landscape I have been given to see, and spent the day hiking. Final stop: Beijing. Again, Beijing turned out to be a genuine adventure. There was a sudden snow storm on the city, and the group of unprepared tourists that we were was really not equipped for such a weather. But it made our stay unforgettable: we hiked the Great Wall snowball fighting, and visited a snowy Forbidden City. One funny thing about China is that although we were tourists, we felt like we were the attraction to local people. They kept on taking pictures and selfies with us, and tried talking to us in Mandarin. Overall, China was a very intense, exhausting and amazing experience. 

After rushing through an exam and a couple of group projects, I am now leaving to Ho Chi Minh to visit a friend from home. This is another great thing about Asia: it is a popular destination and you will have friends from every horizon to travel with. We are planning on staying in Ho Chi Minh for me to visit the city and its strong historical past, and then go to Mui Ne or Nah Trang for two days. 

I feel incredibly grateful about all the travels I have had the opportunity to make, all the adventures I have shared with my new friends, and the souvenirs I have. Every destination is a new story to tell, and a new experience to learn from.

By Charlotte de Klopstein