Hong Kong in that sense is conveniently located, with its proximity to so many beautiful cities just a couple of hours away.  From Cambodia, Bali to Vietnam and Thailand…all can be accessed on a long extended weekend. Discovery Bay, with its predominantly expat population, becomes very quiet during holidays with almost everyone leaving for a vacation, says Suveera, in the weekly column, exclusively for Different Truths.

I am amazed at the energy reserve of my son even though it is hours after his bedtime. Switching programs ten a minute. My soon to be teenage daughter looks uninterested, busy exchanging the last few WhatsApp messages with her friends, before the plane takes off.  We are on a very late flight to Kuala Lumpur, visiting dear friends and hoping to catch some attractions while we are there. It will be a nice escape from the mundane and a much-deserved break for us.  

Hong Kong in that sense is conveniently located, with its proximity to so many beautiful cities just a couple of hours away.  From Cambodia, Bali to Vietnam and Thailand…all can be accessed on a long extended weekend. Discovery Bay, with its predominantly expat population, becomes very quiet during holidays with almost everyone leaving for a vacation.

I for one have always loved my little escapes into unknown lands. The joy of seeing unexplored places and bringing back with you a part of their culture is unparalleled.  From early years, when we moved within the country, from state to state, with my father, who was an Army officer, my childhood memories abound with meeting new people and making new friends every few years.  The adventures continued even later during my sailing days when travel was a way of life and exploring new exciting shores was a routine, rather than an exception. There was a joy in a forever changing horizon. All these escapades have formed a rainbow of memories and experiences which have shaped me into the person I am today. 

Now, I try and reinforce it with my kids. They enjoy packing and planning the trip ahead. My daughter googles the things she absolutely wants to do. And we try and cover that. We as a family believe in experiential travel, of imbibing the culture and take away a part of it home.

The more I see and travel to unknown lands, the more I realise that however different and diverse the cultures and lifestyles are, of people, no matter how different the landscape might be,  we all are inherently the same deep down. Life is still governed by the same wants and aspirations and existentialism. We might have a different family, a house, a career, but are still moving towards and pursuing the same common goals of happiness and a secure future.   It is even humbling to see what a small part we are of the universe and that there is so much still left to be explored and uncovered.

It has been over three-hour in flight and the captain announces that we shall be landing soon. Thankfully the children have become bored and eventually given way to the demands of their tired bodies and succumbed to some much-needed sleep.  Long and exciting days await them and I am sure it will broaden their minds and will give them a taste of a slice of life different from their regular palate. They will have tired bodies but enriched minds.

The plane touches down and I am excited to experience the days ahead. A new destination and a newer way of seeing things. The thrill of different a scene, and the hospitality of great friends.

©Suveera Sharma

Photos from the Internet, sourced from the author

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Suveera Sharma

Suveera Sharma is a postgraduate in English and a qualified software trainer. She is an avid reader and writer. Being the daughter of an army officer, she spent her childhood in various cantonments all over India. At present, she is settled in Hong Kong. She runs storytelling sessions for little kids and writes in her spare time.

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