One of the gadgets in my wish list is the Global Positioning System, or simply called GPS. Not because I often lost on the road, but more to impulse buying. Besides, it might be useful to mark interesting place (such as diving spot), or to map an area that no one has mapped before . So, before make the buy, I’m comparing it with “GPS”

The GPS I’m considering is small in size, and need bluetooth technology to connect to mobile phone to display the map. It has the accuracy of 3-5 meters, and has verbal instruction and warning to advise where to go at the next traffic light. If you miss it, it will recalculate the route.

The “GPS” has different fun. It does not need fancy bluetooth phone. Any phone will work, as long as you have enough balance. It accepts verbal instruction, and also provide verbal instruction. Accuracy depends on how detail you can describe your location and destination verbally. The best of “GPS” is its capability to warn you about one way road, and advise the next turn, and also advise you a good restaurant nearby. The advise are most of the time good

So.. do I still need a GPS?

I once post about my definition of traveling here. And now, I’ve gained another level in my traveling experience. We just returned from backpacking trip (2 of us, with 2 backpacks), to one of the most challenging part of Indonesia, with nobody we know, and most important, with no reservation (Except for the airlines ticket). We just returned from 6 days backpacking trip to the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam

No reservation means that we have a super flexible itinerary. When we found a place we love, we stay longer. When we running out of interesting attraction in one place, we move to another place. When we found out of interesting place from the locals, we put it in our itinerary.

The locals are also great people who made our trip much more unforgettable. We know nobody in the city, and the lack of information forced us to make new friends. Those locals are very wonderful, and welcome for an evening chat in all coffee shops, which is available in every corner. We even think that, if we spend 3 days in a coffee shop, we will know all the latest gossips in the area .

Not only the locals are wonderful, but also fellow backpackers we met along the road. We met traveler from Czech Republic, Spain (who has been 5 months on the road), Germany, and many more, which we don’t have the time for a long chat. Together with the locals, we have a communal dinner in one of the restaurant.

So yes, we have gained another level in our traveling. We have gained new philosophy, new values that would add to our old values

• Talk with people. Not all people are honest, but the risk is worth taking for the information you will gain. Seriously, the information they have and gratitude they give well worth the risk. Not to mention the experience of making new friends
• Have an open mind. No matter how good your plan are, reality does bite. We did end up in a hotel below our expectation, or public transport that is canceled, or overrated attraction. But with an open mind, and talking to locals and fellow traveler, you might get a better option. And that bad experience will make a good story to laugh at home

So, where to go next?

The trip report in Bahasa has been (finally) completed and uploaded at http://scalarae.multiply.com/journal/item/11. English version is still work in progress

There are many cases that, when we are under severe threat, human body can do extraordinary things that they normally can’t do. For example: When chased by a dog, a man can run faster and longer than what he usually capable of, or to help their loved one, one can lift a heavy object which is normally can’t. The situation apparently also true for non physical threat.

Few months ago was tough months for me. The word deadline was enough to describe my days. During that days, my body seems to switch into hypermode the mode of extraordinary power. I have all the power I need to work until 2am, sleep, woke up at 8 and get ready for the day. Then going to the gym at 7, or meet some important person, then work with my colleague to finish my thesis. And all the ordeal finally ends few weeks ago.

Now, the effect of the hypermode creep into my body. I finish my thesis, no more needs to stay alert until 2am, and my body back to normal mode…. and even worse. As if my body recovered from the damage during hypermode, I now feel tired and sleepy at 11pm. Even then, I have problem waking up at 8.

Wish that we have control for the hypermode, but are we going to overrun our body, if we had such control?