There are so many benefits to travelling somewhere new or different. There’s a reason why travel is often referred to as ‘the best form of education’. It opens our eyes to perspectives on people, places, culture, and unique experiences we probably wouldn’t seek out in our own cities or neighbourhoods. Travel makes things memorable through serendipity, sense of self, and the connections we make.
I’ve been very fortunate to go on a few travels recently, including to Japan, the United States, and China (Hong Kong). I ended up being on the move for nearly 2 months, the longest time I’ve been away from home for many years and indeed the most distances I’ve travelled in one go since about 1997. The insight that has really stuck with me isn’t about the distance or the new places; it was about my attention to detail. What made these travels powerful were the smallest moments, the fleeting glances that made me smile, and the pauses staring in wonder. I think in all the hectic movements that come with travel and life in general, it was the stillness and calm that resonated most. I found myself wishing that my brain could take permanent photos, because I knew photographs probably wouldn’t cut it. Regardless, here are some of those moments…
This first one is going to seem almost unbelievable, but to me it was probably the most mysterious and powerful encounter of them all. While in Japan, I went on a week-long road trip with my daughter, stopping at random but beautiful spots along our route through Gifu Prefecture. We happened to stop in Gujo the day their Spring Festival was on. Apart from being the most amazing town, absolutely packed with details everywhere you looked, we were watching the procession of drummers and a long white dragon perform in the streets. The white dragon’s head was flicking around as the performers settled it in front of men playing flutes, and a young boy twirling a staff as he danced. Then out of nowhere, I saw a little dragonfly zoom in and land right in front of the white dragon, facing it head-on. I could tell others had seen it, as audible gasps and fingers were pointing at this bizarre scene. But just then, the dragonfly took off, zoomed around the crowd, and came to land on top of my hand! I was speechless. I don’t know what it meant, but to have a dragonfly somehow show respect to the village dragon and then connect with a visitor like me was beyond description. A few bystanders also took photos of the dragonfly on my hand. I’m going to interpret it as a sign of making a connection with culture and nature that transcends our understanding… and one that can only mean good things. It was like it was staring back at me… staying there for at least 5 minutes before zooming away into the sky.
The other little details seem far less prophetic, but still hold special meaning. One of these is a family afternoon spent making our own artefact out of pure tin, while in Japan. We found a place in Takaoka called Nousaku, a modern tin factory with a gallery, gift shop, cafe, and workshop. The workshop expertly guided us through the entire process, carefully layering and packing our dry-clay moulds, pouring in the liquid-hot tin, and then removing, refining, and engraving our tin sculpture. It was an afternoon immersed in step-by-step details, leaving each of us with an artefact that will always have a deeper story attached to it.
This next one was quite surprising. We were out walking in a Japanese park and spotted one lone cherry blossom up on the hill that still had flowers on it. Naturally, we went up and took some family photos together, when suddenly my wife let out a huge scream. Right on the branch where we had gathered sat a 2-metre-long Japanese rat snake! It was quite still and seemed very calm, unlike us! Apparently, it is the largest snake in Japan outside of Okinawa, and feeds on small animals and insects (hence its name). It was a striking moment that, amongst the final cherry blossom tree on the hill, perched this snake, as if defining the very spirit of Spring.
This detail comes from my trip over to Harvard University in Cambridge, USA. The day after my arrival was the only relatively free day in my schedule, so I took a long sunny walk around the Harvard campus. I ventured inside the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East expecting to see lots of old Egyptian artefacts. Indeed, there were, but they weren’t the details that struck me. It was that most of the Egyptian artefacts were imitations – a showcase of how academics and students have perfected the analysis, process, and recreation of these artefacts over many decades. Using traditional techniques and modern scanning and 3D technology, this work ensures the artefacts can be studied while the original is protected or returned to its rightful place.
While on the trip home, I ended up being stuck in Hong Kong for two days after a flight was rescheduled. Not wasting time in a hotel, I ventured around the steamy suburb of Kowloon and wandered through the Hong Kong Museum of Art. It was a fascinating place of history and expression in many forms. I was especially entranced by the bamboo craftsmanship of Inkgo Lam. Her intricate bamboo-woven sculptures communicated movement, structure, and fine details. Art is such a good way to lose yourself, slow down, and find all sorts of thoughts being stimulated.
These two contrasting places below reflect the details that come with changing routes and times. The image on the left came from getting a little lost while walking around Saitama in Japan. Along a narrow street with modern homes and apartments was this old house, nearly completely covered in green vines. The greenery had now defined the home itself, reclaiming its vacant structure, and reflects the cultural challenge Japan has around abandoned homes. It was oddly melancholic and reassuring at the same time. The image on the right is from Zuiryu-ji Temple in Takaoka. I happened to be there during a week-long period where the Temple is illuminated at night, filled with various artwork and lanterns. We arrived at dusk, watching the sky grow darker, the stars begin to appear, and the colours around the Temple begin to glow. Even with people there, everyone was quietly moving about, so the stillness and richness of the colours made it very special.
Of course, the details of travel are also about the smells and tastes too. While there could be whole other stories that stimulated my senses on my visit to a strawberry farm, a tulip festival, and an eel restaurant, it’s a whisky bar that rounds out this ‘detail series’. While walking around Omiya after dinner, I came across a place called Bar R. It was a small, dark bar with big, soft chairs and a decent whisky selection. It also offered cigars to go with your whisky. Now I rarely have cigars, maybe once every 5 years or so. But there’s something special about how a cigar slows you down, coupled with a dram of Balvenie Doublewood followed by an Ardbeg Corryvreckan. These rich, spicy and smoky flavours in warm and dark surroundings made time almost stop, just for a while, and all those little details came to much sharper attention.
