非常老套的題目。不過最近不少友人都在做熱血的事；亦有朋友受感召而聲言要發奮向上（當然，這個「上」與一般理解相距甚遠），因此引起了寫這個題目的念頭。輕狂固然有傲慢憤世的意味，不過今日要談的，僅限於「做些別人看起來不可思議的事」這個面向。
有哪些事「看起來不可思議」？也太多了，不用一一列舉。看到有人達成了，我們會感到嘆服，卻較少問自己有沒有可能做到。為甚麼？一，因為缺乏想像力，不知有些甚麼可以做。二，因為自信不足，以為自己無法做到。三，真的無能為力。
先談第三點。真的無能為力，看似絕望了，其實未必。有些事，現在自己的客觀條件未夠，但仍可以努力達到。如登珠峰（及其他高峰）所需的體能其實是一般人能達到的，甚至有明文詳述如何能夠練成。真的有心去做，或許不如想像中難。亦有些事，現階段外界未有可用的工具來實現。這時，有生意頭腦的人會思考自設公司開發市場的可能。不這樣做的人可以等待。例如太空旅遊雖未有大量提供，但現在已接受報名，二十年內一定能夠實現。
缺乏想像力是比較麻煩的問題。其實大多數人（當然包括在下）都缺乏想像力。因此都只能靠傳媒得到二手的報導。傳媒報導的人大多是不認識的，自然不知他有甚麼資質幫助他做到了不起的 事。但你清楚你的友人是甚麼料子，能夠評估他們做的事自己能否做到。在這方面，友人是一面很好的鏡。另外，幸運的話或許會遇到一兩個做到了不起的事的人， 讓自己開開眼界。這就是說，多見世面可以補缺乏想像力的不足。見識廣了，能想像的也多了，不足為奇。
自信不足，以為自己無法做到是無救的。只有當這個人改變心態，相信努力能補救現有不足時才有轉機。有幾句話特別要跟這類人說。就是對待困難危險的事有兩種做法。一是不做。二是完美地將之完 成。兩種方法都能避過所有危險。另一個無救的情況是無法感受不可思議的事的吸引力。這點可以不談。
之後要說目標達成後的心態。自我感覺極好是必然的。但高興之餘，除了為些驚險部份捏一把汗外，大體上卻會覺得不外如是，其實也不怎麼難吧。同時，完成以往以為困難的事後，必會信心大增。對「不可思議」的要求高了，進而想做更狂的事。所謂「歷練」，就是練就這樣的心境。
人不輕狂枉少年，因為年輕時身心都最強健，能應付最狂的挑戰。沒錯，心也是最強的。只有年少多愁善感的時候，人才容易受人和事感動，才有輕狂的衝勁。隨著年齡漸長，開始自以為見過世面，思想成熟，任何事都沒甚麼稀奇，其實是麻木短淺。讓自己接受挑戰，就是令身心變得更強的嘗試，亦能避免自己的精神陷入上述的狀況。
人不輕狂枉少年。曾經出自一個我覺得「不像會說這話」的友人之口。當時我打了個突。不過轉念一想，所謂輕狂，是跟自己比的。我的輕狂在你的眼中可能不算甚麼，但這是我能做的，就夠了。
人不輕狂枉少年，說的是要趁青春做點特別的事，並沒有說少年以後不能輕狂。以往我曾經如大部份人一樣，覺得年少以後就真要醒醒定定了，甚至說過「反正往後幾十年的性命都不是自己的了，何不趁現在多縱容自己放肆」的話。現在我收回這句話，及其他意思相近的發言（如有）。往後幾十年的性命不但是自己的， 更要更加屬於自己。以往有一個疑問，到底完成一年旅行的人是如何返回現實世界的？遇到跟我同年，現在正休學一年第二次長期旅行的人，以及到五六十歲仍不斷地飛，喜歡青年旅社氣氛的人後，我找到答案。輕狂是一生事業。不論你的戰場是整個地球表面，是議會門外，還是網絡世界，都不能因年紀漸長而改變，更不能因此而放棄。不是說趁現在即管喪玩，畢業後就生生性性做人。沒有這樣的道理。生生性性做人，為的是讓自己輕狂的餘裕，不能本沒倒置。
但人無法終日都在行動。光行動的話，只會落得為行動而行動，最終被行動吞噬而迷失。一切行動都是出自內心真切的需要才付諸實行。這些感覺需要時間累積。因此在下 一次行動之前，要保持敏銳的感覺，讓自己多點經歷，然後才會找到之後應做甚麼。同時，不斷提升心法和技法，在思想和體能上勝過從前，才能做更高難度的事。
這就是腳踏實地的生活。這裡就是現實世界。不需要收拾心情。
p.s. 以我的標準來說寫得太熱血了一點，雖然大家可能不這樣想。個人來說牽涉情感的程度往往是思考>語言>文字，到了白紙黑字時大概只剩下冰冷的分析。不過今次是分析些很熱血的事，而且是罕有地站在煽風點火而非潑冷水的一面，就另作別論了。
2010-08-05
Fauna and Flora
People who go hiking with me may think that I like bugs very much, because I can always spot insects at unnoticed places and quickly take a picture for them. Yes I like watching bugs, but they quickly become annoying when they come too close.
Another kind of 'unusual' objects at my photographs are plants. In a normal hike or trip, I spend much more time on plants than anyone holding a camera, while some of them are so small that you won't notice them even when walking on grass.
Everyone (referring to those mentioned above) is surprised by my strange observation for being able to find out these little things at corners. Personally I am quite proud of such ability, but I think it is not the most important factor for finding bugs or plants.
What really important is, very few people have such things in their mind. When people never think of seeing interesting bugs or plants, it is not surprising that they can't find any. When traveling at somewhere far away, besides places to visit, it is a totally different aspect to know something about the local fauna and flora. It is much easier when go hiking, however I find a lot of 'experienced' hikers
pay no attention on their surroundings, but simply walk and walk. What a pity that they paid so much effort on walking, but spend no time just to have a look on the surroundings.
Bagan, Myanmar Green Arabia
To find the bug/plant to take photo is not easy in a first place, but to take the photo is easy, if you can
1) wait
2) feel comfortable even when you/your camera get dirty
These two principles are perfectly demonstrated as shown below
As a reminder, especially to those who own expensive DSLRs, no need to be so kind to equipment. What the price represent is the ability for enduring harsh environment, instead of the need of caring.
To me, maybe I can never follow principle 2 in such an extreme way. But I am always patient, best demonstrated with this photo. I have seen hundreds of lotuses in the trip, while I found none of them in satisfactory condition, besides this one. On the flower, sometimes there are bugs while sometimes there are not. The bugs fly or stand still, so you have to wait till they stay at good positions long enough for pressing the shutter. Therefore it becomes one of the only two pictures of lotus in the whole trip.
On the other hand, creatures sometimes bring funny combinations with the environment.
Some may think I just ridicule on Siddhartha, just like mocking all other 'saints' as usual. Not at all. I take these photos will full respect. I find temples with bats and swallows nesting in, or with kids playing with cats divine. It is because plants, animals and kids are all innocent. They find nothing important or unimportant, just like any divine beings. What the world view as divine are actually artificial and sterile. But mother nature is not like this. Growth itself is the holiest of all. Chaotic, but lively.
Another kind of 'unusual' objects at my photographs are plants. In a normal hike or trip, I spend much more time on plants than anyone holding a camera, while some of them are so small that you won't notice them even when walking on grass.
Everyone (referring to those mentioned above) is surprised by my strange observation for being able to find out these little things at corners. Personally I am quite proud of such ability, but I think it is not the most important factor for finding bugs or plants.
What really important is, very few people have such things in their mind. When people never think of seeing interesting bugs or plants, it is not surprising that they can't find any. When traveling at somewhere far away, besides places to visit, it is a totally different aspect to know something about the local fauna and flora. It is much easier when go hiking, however I find a lot of 'experienced' hikers
pay no attention on their surroundings, but simply walk and walk. What a pity that they paid so much effort on walking, but spend no time just to have a look on the surroundings.
To find the bug/plant to take photo is not easy in a first place, but to take the photo is easy, if you can
1) wait
2) feel comfortable even when you/your camera get dirty
These two principles are perfectly demonstrated as shown below
As a reminder, especially to those who own expensive DSLRs, no need to be so kind to equipment. What the price represent is the ability for enduring harsh environment, instead of the need of caring.
To me, maybe I can never follow principle 2 in such an extreme way. But I am always patient, best demonstrated with this photo. I have seen hundreds of lotuses in the trip, while I found none of them in satisfactory condition, besides this one. On the flower, sometimes there are bugs while sometimes there are not. The bugs fly or stand still, so you have to wait till they stay at good positions long enough for pressing the shutter. Therefore it becomes one of the only two pictures of lotus in the whole trip.
On the other hand, creatures sometimes bring funny combinations with the environment.
Some may think I just ridicule on Siddhartha, just like mocking all other 'saints' as usual. Not at all. I take these photos will full respect. I find temples with bats and swallows nesting in, or with kids playing with cats divine. It is because plants, animals and kids are all innocent. They find nothing important or unimportant, just like any divine beings. What the world view as divine are actually artificial and sterile. But mother nature is not like this. Growth itself is the holiest of all. Chaotic, but lively.
2010-07-03
那麼就要出發了
「你又是忽然拋下一句『離開一會兒』就一個人去一個月吧。」
其實沒有一次「離開一會兒」是忽然的。只是盤算已久但不對外公佈罷了。多年前意識到城市漫遊這種遊戲的趣味後，便決定總要一個人到別處走走。
想走些甚麼地方，心中大概有個譜。但算盤是否能打得響，也不是「想」就足夠的。因此次序方面其實有點奇怪。越感到應多作準備的，反而墮後了。
很多人一聽到「一個人」便會感到驚訝。說甚麼危險呀，怕悶呀，卻不知寂寞才是最誘人的。對個人來說，與生活相較，再長的旅程也不過轉瞬即逝。因此大部份日常生活不可缺少的事都可以暫時拋諸腦後。只能抓緊時間，將所有注意力放在肉眼和心眼之上，認識陌生的地和人。
那危險又是甚麼回事？走過一趟，遊，與漫遊還是有一段距離。事先計劃，不過為求放心。到了真正實行，自己也不肯乖乖按劇本做事。那不如邊走邊學，以不負「隨機」之名。
這不是在自找麻煩嗎？是的。一向都喜歡走多一點路，看多一點。但察覺到「不清楚眼前的路」的吸引力不過是近一兩年的事。大抵是受身邊經常胡鬧的友人影響。不過說真的，安全地站在玻璃罩後觀看，又怎及得上用雙手觸摸的感覺來得真實？對自己有一點信心的話，何不做著看看？
手上已有的，是去程和回程的交通。剩下來的，是完全的見步行步。
說不害怕是在騙人。
但不做就總不會知道能否做到，因此再說甚麼都是多餘。
去吧。
其實沒有一次「離開一會兒」是忽然的。只是盤算已久但不對外公佈罷了。多年前意識到城市漫遊這種遊戲的趣味後，便決定總要一個人到別處走走。
想走些甚麼地方，心中大概有個譜。但算盤是否能打得響，也不是「想」就足夠的。因此次序方面其實有點奇怪。越感到應多作準備的，反而墮後了。
很多人一聽到「一個人」便會感到驚訝。說甚麼危險呀，怕悶呀，卻不知寂寞才是最誘人的。對個人來說，與生活相較，再長的旅程也不過轉瞬即逝。因此大部份日常生活不可缺少的事都可以暫時拋諸腦後。只能抓緊時間，將所有注意力放在肉眼和心眼之上，認識陌生的地和人。
那危險又是甚麼回事？走過一趟，遊，與漫遊還是有一段距離。事先計劃，不過為求放心。到了真正實行，自己也不肯乖乖按劇本做事。那不如邊走邊學，以不負「隨機」之名。
這不是在自找麻煩嗎？是的。一向都喜歡走多一點路，看多一點。但察覺到「不清楚眼前的路」的吸引力不過是近一兩年的事。大抵是受身邊經常胡鬧的友人影響。不過說真的，安全地站在玻璃罩後觀看，又怎及得上用雙手觸摸的感覺來得真實？對自己有一點信心的話，何不做著看看？
手上已有的，是去程和回程的交通。剩下來的，是完全的見步行步。
說不害怕是在騙人。
但不做就總不會知道能否做到，因此再說甚麼都是多餘。
去吧。
On this lonely planet
Besides those who like memorizing maps (not a strange hobby indeed), it is almost impossible for us to find out where to go in unfamiliar places. Therefore everyone bring a guidebook when traveling. Lonely Planet (LP) and Eye-wittness (DK) are the most famous.
Though they are important reference on local lives, neither of them are good guidebooks. Or I should say, there is nothing called a good traveler's guide.
Those who are conscious enough may have already noticed that tourism is a form of soft colonism. Though LP has its set of idealistic claims for boosting economic growth, respecting local culture and promoting democratic ideology to developing countries, it also encourages westerners to bring their night life like pub and disco to foreign countries. A large number of tourists then reshape the local economy and the local people slowly change to the way foreign guests expect themselves to be. (Those who do not understand what this paragraph is talking about should go to the shopping centres at TST to have a look.)
Some may think that it is not related to them. Maybe yes. But it is not the only reason for asserting there is no good guide at all. In the editors' point of view, what they have to introduce are things that they expect tourists would find interesting, which do not mean those places would really interest you. So how can I find interesting sites besides relying on books? Two answers provided as follows. Point number one, ask someone who had been there. Point number two, not really an answer, which is to rethink whether it is necessary to have "sites" visited in a journey. Afterall, the city itself is the finest site to dig on. So please consider spending sometime on meaningless wandering.
On the other hand, a guide is not necessarily a physical guide but also a mental one. Some covers the technical side while others serve emotional purpose. You know much more on how to appreciate what you see after reading the technical guides; while other books may give no practical information, but provide an exotic atmosphere to bring yourself the mood of traveling, which can be pure observational, joyful, or introspective. Several examples are listed as follows:
玄奘, 大唐西域記
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities 看不見的城市
梁思成, 中國建築史
原廣司、槙文彥、黑川紀章, 都市地球學
Orhan Pamuk, The Black Book 黑色之書
So how about travel journals? Personally I never read these things, including photo albums similar to the reason of not reading prefaces not written by the author. It is not because they are in low quality, but simply because I do not want to be have some second handed first impression on what I am going to meet.
After all, what I would like to say is that there are something equally important to be read. They are read not for reliance, but to help oneself to become his own guide.
Some online practical guides
Wikitravel - The Free Worldwide Travel Guide
Hitchwiki - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Hitchhiking
Though they are important reference on local lives, neither of them are good guidebooks. Or I should say, there is nothing called a good traveler's guide.
Those who are conscious enough may have already noticed that tourism is a form of soft colonism. Though LP has its set of idealistic claims for boosting economic growth, respecting local culture and promoting democratic ideology to developing countries, it also encourages westerners to bring their night life like pub and disco to foreign countries. A large number of tourists then reshape the local economy and the local people slowly change to the way foreign guests expect themselves to be. (Those who do not understand what this paragraph is talking about should go to the shopping centres at TST to have a look.)
Some may think that it is not related to them. Maybe yes. But it is not the only reason for asserting there is no good guide at all. In the editors' point of view, what they have to introduce are things that they expect tourists would find interesting, which do not mean those places would really interest you. So how can I find interesting sites besides relying on books? Two answers provided as follows. Point number one, ask someone who had been there. Point number two, not really an answer, which is to rethink whether it is necessary to have "sites" visited in a journey. Afterall, the city itself is the finest site to dig on. So please consider spending sometime on meaningless wandering.
On the other hand, a guide is not necessarily a physical guide but also a mental one. Some covers the technical side while others serve emotional purpose. You know much more on how to appreciate what you see after reading the technical guides; while other books may give no practical information, but provide an exotic atmosphere to bring yourself the mood of traveling, which can be pure observational, joyful, or introspective. Several examples are listed as follows:
玄奘, 大唐西域記
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities 看不見的城市
梁思成, 中國建築史
原廣司、槙文彥、黑川紀章, 都市地球學
Orhan Pamuk, The Black Book 黑色之書
So how about travel journals? Personally I never read these things, including photo albums similar to the reason of not reading prefaces not written by the author. It is not because they are in low quality, but simply because I do not want to be have some second handed first impression on what I am going to meet.
After all, what I would like to say is that there are something equally important to be read. They are read not for reliance, but to help oneself to become his own guide.
Some online practical guides
Wikitravel - The Free Worldwide Travel Guide
Hitchwiki - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Hitchhiking
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