cheap is not always bad
a Hungarian beekeeper, china-ottoman relations, and small tables
It is 8.30 am. I am discussing China-Ottoman relations with an old Singaporean couple. Then, they speak about the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Why? I don’t know. We are in an old military truck with seats facing each other, going to a tea plantation. Why? I don’t know. Some people I met in Penang recommended stopping at Cameron Highlands to see the tea plantations, before moving to Kuala Lumpur. I have time but no plans, so I said why not? I always find myself in exciting conversations in these old trucks in Southeast Asia.
One day in Laos, I joined a tour to visit the famous Kuang Si waterfalls. This time, we had a nice minivan with AC and comfortable seats. I was surprised. For the first time, I wasn’t going to hit my head on the ceiling made of steel in an old truck on a bumpy road. How lovely it was! Soon as we began our 2 hour ride, I felt something was wrong. We didn’t have those random conversations with other travelers and I couldn’t stick my head out to watch the landscape.
Why does a cheap old truck with little space make the trip more enjoyable?
After spending 2 weeks in Bangkok, I was ready to go to Chiang Mai, my second destination in Asia. There is an incredible train trip between 2 cities which takes about 12 hours and you can travel in the sleeping cabin. Of course, life is not that easy. I went to the train station to buy a ticket 1 day in advance, and surprise, there are tickets only in the compartment with fans and regular seats. Small note, the weather is 30 degrees at night in Thailand this season. When I went back to the hostel and showed my ticket to the people, they all felt sorry for me. A once-in-a-lifetime experience they said.
Surprisingly, it was. I sat on my seat and started to wait for the fun. Shortly, a Hungarian family arrived in my compartment, namely, a father, his daughter, and the daughter’s boyfriend (i appreciate your bravery man). Shortly, we got drunk (yes, they brought 12 beers). While watching the stunning landscape, I listened to the stories of the bee-keeper father.
Cheap is not always bad. The thing is, constraints connect people. More capital gives you more space, your own private space, a safe space, whereas less capital results in constraints, and constraints create intimate spaces which connect people.
When I think about how I meet people while traveling alone, it’s either commuting in an old vehicle with seats facing each other, sitting in a modest commonplace, or eating at a small table.
The magical round table, red plastic stools, and a delicious noodle soup. It’s all that it takes to have a great dining experience and meet strangers in an unknown place. This is a defacto of many street food vendors in southeast asia, where there are only a few tables and people eat together on little stools.
Again, the lack of facilities creates an intimate environment, therefore a conversation naturally starts among travelers and locals.
Next time you wanna connect with people, go cheap, you may be surprised.
love.
can