I can look serious too

One life

On a long bus journey through Tanzania, "Why did you get that tattoo?" I asked Michael, pointing at his tattoo on his right arm that reads One Life.

"...because my right leg grew deformed and I had tons of surgeries around my knee", he replied as he rolled his shorts up to show me the scars, "the doctor said that I cannot do any sports anymore, but 3 weeks later, he saw me running on the beach".

He said that it still hurts when he does exercises, but he still perseveres. He wanted to climb Kilimanjaro and he did. This is one of the reasons why I look up to him in a way. I also have back injury and I've felt like a victim for a long time, thinking that life was really unfair to me.

Michael comes from a smaller city in western Australia. He is a very active person and loves mountains and the outdoors. I once looked through his phone and saw his list of goals to accomplish and skill sets to acquire withing 2.5 years. The skills that he wishes to acquire include sailing, and other things that I don't remember. His goals include purchasing a house, becoming chartered, finding a good girl. He tells me that he's never been in love, he's always been the heartbreaker and none of his relationships lasted longer than 8 months...but this isn't because he is not serious, but because he is too serious...

"What if you don't fall in love even at 80 years old?" I asked.

"Then it's just not meant to be." he replied. "Have you ever been in love?"

"I don't know..."

He really inspired me, and I haven't met many people who can inspire me to change my life. His perseverance, the way he approaches life, his strength, etc...I once was so broken that I settled for someone who I thought would be more appropriate for me at that time...and I don't totally regret, but I shouldn't have went back again and again after breaking up. I just thought that I would never fall in love, but at least I'm with someone who's a good friend. Michael inspired me to not settle unless I fall in love, and if it never happens, then it's okay...it's just not meant to be. He inspired me to find someone who has clear goals and plans to accomplish them...

Meeting Michael and all the incidents that happened in Africa makes me feel shiny and new, and everything suddenly means something different; it made me realize that it might not be too late for me, and I don't have to be so obsessed about people from the past. I'm someone who believes in fate, and Africa has given me many signs to move on and to start over. 

I love travelling, and sometimes, I think about how my life could've gone in a total diffrerent direction and I imagine looking at my life from a distant future. Sometimes, I have dreams of flight, to live a different life in a different world, to never come back...
 

...and to be honest, I also want to relocate to Australia. It used to be a place where I had no interest to visit, and I'm not exactly sure why I want to go there, maybe I just want to escape some thoughts? Maybe I'm still on vacation mode? Most of my decisions are not based on reasons...same as the fact that I still don't know the reasons for which I decided to go to Africa...but somewhere inside, I knew I had to go...and I don't regret.

The reality is that I cannot just leave Montreal like that. Other people can, but I can't. My parents rely on me financially, and I cannot just go work on the beach or in a restaurant for a living. This is my biggest concern at the moment.

I don't know how things will go, and I don't know if I'll be happier there either. The truth is that, I don't always follow through; maybe I will, maybe I won't...but I believe that if I'm meant to go there then, it will happen. If not, I will find what I've been looking for here as well. 

Mont Mégantic, Victoria and Saint-Joseph

The hike itself really isn't that hard, it's more the fact that I went with a group that is known to be aggressive. They walk fast like machines; I don't even normally walk that fast on flat surface. I also didn't know that we were going over 3 mountains of more than 1000m each in less than 6 hours. It was really challenging, especially on the way down because my knees were hurting and I had to keep going. I now know what it feel like when endurance is barely enough to carry your body; I felt humbled.

Nonetheless, I'm really happy that I made it through and I met a bunch of awesome people...but my legs are hating me now.

Here are pictures of me trying to catch up with a bunch of dudes...

Good girl

"What was your impression of me when we were in China?" I ask Antoine. Antoine is someone I met when I was studying in China 5 years ago. He is a pilot, has climbed some of the highest mountains, and has been all around the world. He is quite similar to me because we both like to take the least traveled roads, and he is also very open-minded.

"You were a good girl, and you still are," Antoine says.

"Really?" I was surprised since not many people think that way. People say that I look like someone who graduated from high school, works in a restaurant and goes to club every night.

"Yeah, you did your own things and you never tried to impress anybody."

Finally, someone who thinks I'm a good girl. I'm happy that there's someone who doesn't judge me using the same standards as other people would.

"Did you ever go back to Hangzhou?"

"No, Hangzhou is a sacred place, we should go back when we're old."

"I might cry if I go back when I'm old."

Le P'tit Train du Nord

It's my first weekend since I got back from Africa today, and I kind of recovered from the jet lag, so I went cycling. Le P'tit Train du Nord is 230 km long, but I only did a short 34 km. The scenery and all the colors were so pretty, had lunch in a nice little place at Val-David with some friendly people, visited a random gallery, and the weather was perfect!

The perfect Saturday...:)