Life’s Treasure Hunt

I had never seriously evaluated my traveling experience until asked to put it down in writing. And when I think about it, I am amazed at how extensively I have traveled. I admit that I am a very lucky person when it comes to traveling. For me, traveling is a legacy, a search for treasure and means of a self-discovery.

My father introduced me to travel during my early childhood. Delighted with his first child, Papa tried his best to spend as much time as possible being around and watching me grow. His work as a salesman demanded that he leave home and travel a lot, so he took Mom and me along in his caravan whenever possible. I came to know quite a number of towns and villages in Central and East Java, like Pekalongan, Salatiga, Wonosobo, Surakarta, Surabaya and Bojonegoro, to name just a few.

Besides Papa, Grandma would always see that my school holidays were well spent. She often took me to visit relatives in Kudus, Pati, Gabus, Rembang and Juwana. Later I had a job in an international airline company that sparked my traveling spirit. I was not a flight attendant, but I had the benefit of free and very cheap tickets on several airlines. This made traveling abroad easier – and hence more frequent – than going back to my hometown of Semarang. The job nurtured the development of my globetrotter nature.

Then there is my husband Gregory, who loves to take his wife around the world. Traveling has become a way of life for our family, so we considered it quite natural to send each of our sons to travel abroad at the age of 15, alone. Francis traveled to America, James to Switzerland and the UK and Lawrence to America via Hong Kong and Europe.

Each managed to return home safe and sound and became more confident because of his experience. Later Ampy, my Filipino daughter-in-law, joined the club. She works for a multinational company and, of course, travels as part of her job. My grandchildren, Henry, 3, and Alice, 9 months, already seem to be used to traveling, too. I suppose the nomadic hunter–gatherer inclination of our ancestors has been indulged in the way we enjoy going from one place to another, and will surely be passed on to future generations.

For me, traveling is searching for treasure.

The adventure of a treasure hunt always fascinated me. Papa might not realize it, but he was the first to teach me that traveling was like searching for treasure, both the tangible (places, people, culture, civilizations, food) and the intangible (beauty, knowledge, experience, friendship, love, joy).

My husband perfected the notion for me. These two men have helped me see that when you travel, the first thing to take is the right attitude. I am passionate, adventurous and always excited about setting off. I feel positive about all the treasure waiting to be found along the way: places to stay, splendid views to see, people to meet, food and drink to taste, music to hear, operas to watch, museums to visit, entertainment to enjoy and transportation to take. Be it an old, traditional, coal-fueled locomotive or an express modern bullet train; a horse cart or a Greyhound bus; a shaky, eight-passenger plane or a steady jumbo jet – whatever it is, I am always eager to get on.

To ensure I find the treasure, I have to do “my homework” so I am well prepared before leaving. I look for as much information as possible about everything concerning the journey as well as the destination. I bring all the necessary documents, but I travel light. I also take care to have contacts handy. Next, I make sure I am alert enough to read maps and road signs, to identify landmarks, to ask questions of the right people and to anticipate the unexpected.

I also look after myself well throughout the journey and I am open to possibilities and potential experiences that help me get to the treasure personally. Lastly, I am willing to share the treasure I discover with pleasure. It brings me happiness and satisfaction.

Having practiced the skills of my treasure hunt, I am fulfilled by getting the most out of each and every trip I make. Every destination offers a unique treasure of its own. What I have found in Orlando, Boston, New York and Los Angeles is different from the treasures of Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris, Athens and Rome. London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Geneva, Lausanne and Singapore always present a homey atmosphere for me. I keep delightful stories and memories of cities in Australia. Places like Yogya, Bali, Tahiti and Bangkok remain romantic and exotic. All in all, I feel so enriched by the experience and mostly, by the friends I made in all those places.

Papa used to ask, “What have you learned today, dear?” and I always felt obliged to share my findings. That simple question has motivated me to be a naturally enthusiastic student inside, and especially outside, the classroom every day of my life. I am definitely a good student when I travel. Traveling has certainly opened my horizons. I have a better understanding about a lot of things, but most of all, about myself. Nothing is more helpful in living my life well than my self-discovery.

From travel, I have learned that one man’s food is another man’s poison. I know Bailey’s Irish Cream makes me warm and feel on the top of the world, and MSG makes me down and disoriented. Belgian chocolate is food for a goddess and a queen nibbles Spanish olives after her siesta. A little wine is a treat, but ouzo, the Greek liquor, is too strong, and mutton is not recommended.

I have also discovered that there are no two sunsets exactly the same, so I have learned to appreciate the gift of nature by being joyful and fully present in the moment. My other discovery confirms that people I meet are not always agreeable. It’s true that each person is unique, but he or she is also vulnerable. One can get hurt and turn nasty. It’s true that the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. Most people relate to one another according to their feelings. It is better to learn how to win hearts than to complain.

“Win the heart, the rest is yours,” is my favorite relationship wisdom. I have also learned that “all good things come to an end”, so it is wise not to develop any attachment. Luckily “there is no place like home”, and I completely agree. No matter how enchanting the journey is, it is always good to come home.

The most valuable lesson I have learned from travel is how to see life from different perspectives. Some people say that life is a journey to heaven, but I see that life is paradise, for I do not allow ugliness, fear and negativity to interfere with my living.

Hit the road pal! Paradise is full of milk and honey: treasure to discover.

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