First horrid story

Well, indeed, I began to appreciate that I am a Chinese. This means that I do not stick out like a sore thumb as compared to me travelling in India or Pakistan. Hey, at least I dun glow in the dark!

As I was happily thinking that I don't look like a tourist-which therefore will reduce the attention from the locals, I still got my stuffs stolen. It happened in Chong Qing ferry terminal. I was waiting for my cruise to come.

I was actually going for a 4 days, 3 night’s journey along the Yangzte River. Heard that after the dam is completed, the water level will rise up to 750 meters to generate enough energy (70 megawatts) to cater to the ever-increasing population of China. This mega project had caused a lot of those coastal villages will be submerged underneath the water. Hence, a great movement of the villagers was initiated. This was a much talked about issue, however, I wasn’t so interested in all these. All I could think of was my lost ipod, my SLR camera, my tele-zoom lens (that cost me about $2000), my wallet, my handphone and my 14 rolls of film.

That was actually a great loss, not only in terms of monetary aspect, but also, my mood to continue with the travel. What affected me most was the entire process of making a police report. It took me 3 hours to settle on that report, with 2 fat and sweaty policemen who smoked like factory chimneys throughout the entire process. I was in a small enclosed room in a dodgy-looking police station with them, trying hard to convince that my stuffs was stolen and NOT misplaced, which they insisted so. So I was really smoked out, by the smoke from their mouth, both figuratively and literally.

It was raining quite heavily that night, and I was also encountering a big storm within myself.

I was blinded with my personal material loss and therefore, wasn’t so appreciative of the surrounding scenery and the severe hardships of the villagers whom I have encountered along the way. I cannot bother if they are suffering or not, because deep inside me, I have hardened my heart. I thought that it is their retribution that such suffering came upon them. I just wanted to find something to gloat at them, to make myself feel better.

Guilt soon overcame me. I felt remorseful about my thoughts and the way I reacted. What is my 'suffering’ compared to theirs? I felt sore because I just cannot swallow the fact that people steals. But, who am I to judge them? If I am given with their living conditions, will I resort to stealing as well? With the temptation of having more money to feed my family, to provide education for my children, to buy myself more cows and sheep to make my life better, will I do it? Will you do it?

However, after losing all those so called 'precious' things in my life, I became simpler. Sometimes things that are important to you don’t seem that important anymore...without all these, I am starting again from square one. I guess when I fewer possessions, people and friends have become my treasures. I am glad that I have a friend who will always stand by me when shitty things like these happen. Thank you Cui'e!

I used to take a lot of pictures when I saw many beautiful things because I want to capture all these moments with my lens and share the beauty with those who are precious to me, yet not with me for this trip. However, since the lost of my camera, I began to take pictures with just my eyes and mind. Now that the pictures are printed on my mind's negatives and I don’t know how long will they stay inside my head?

I have learnt that everything happened for a reason. I thank God for my health and the health that He blessed my parents with. And soon, I forgot about my loss and move on with my journey. I learnt to be thankful that I lost my material objects and not a home, just like those who have stayed along the Yangzte River for many generations.