ooAsia Introduction

From Japan to India

This is the first post of the ooAsia trip, which kicks (kicked) off February 1st 2013. I think it propitious that it is announced on the day of the Chinese New Year, Feb. 10. Gong hei fat choi!

There is so much to say, and yet I’ve had so little time – things have been hectic, and as I write now, in the wee hours of dawn, the pinks of skies both mourn at the all too sudden, and rejoice at the all too anticipated, departure.

Soon we’ll be in Japan, and from there to Seoul, and from there to Beijing, and from there down, south into China and South East Asia, and from there on to the Himalayas, Nepal, and India…

I hope to post the first pieces of the story soon, and don’t doubt that Asia will yield its wild share of beauties, adventures, encounters and of course, surprises.

Though different in its spirit and nature, the ooAsia journey will again be governed by ‘flexibility’ – a trip of no return it may, or may not, in fact become (read more About).

And, as always, the physical journey will be a mere reflection of the journey within, and a measure of our own ability and openness, but is that not true of the one, and only, journey we all undertake?

A word about my beloved fellow traveler? Ah, soon I promise, you will discover more about her…

Continued – From the Shinkansen and Mount Fuji

I haven’t even had time to post this introduction, and now continue to write from the Shinkansen, Japan’s high-speed ‘Bullet Train,’ as we pass the venerably world-famous Mount Fuji (its equally renowned snowy peak currently crested by clouds, but I’m grateful enough to get to see its base, on this nice sunny day, for I hear this is but a chancy sight during these winter months).

There have already been some dramatic turn of events, which I will be sharing soon. For those who’ve followed ooAmerica, you may expect a similar mix of photos, videos, writing and art, and hopefully much more!

Continued – About the ooAsia production, ‘concept’ and other ideas

We’re now a week into this trip, and I sit cross-legged on the tatamis of a Japanese-style room, a few paces away from a miniature Zen garden in the heart of Kyoto – all of which make me none the wiser, but even a brash restless soul cannot help but feel the soothing serenity infused by these surroundings – typing the last words of this introduction on a shiny silver laptop.

In a way, this delay has also been beneficial, since it has enabled me to come to a better understanding of the kind of production which will be feasible during this trip, and the possible challenges and limitations to be encountered. So here’s a short overview of the kind of content I expect to be able to produce:

– Photos, photos, photos: at first glance Asia will be generous and profuse in both sights, sites, and openness to photo-taking.

– One of the main focuses of the project will be a movie asking people we meet along the road one common ‘question’: “Tell me a story.”

– The “What’s your philosophy of life?” question of ooAmerica will also be asked punctually.

– I hope that the “Tell me a story” angle will be even more open-ended, and just as revealing, if not more, about the people we meet, their beliefs, and personalities. Their philosophy should become apparent in the way they choose to answer, whether they choose to tell a joke, sing a song, share their philosophy, talk about themselves or other people, etc.

– Videos will likely be about specific local themes, short and to the point.

– I’d like to have more short stories in writing, about and from the people we meet. However, writing these are time-consuming…

– Art and drawings, to the best possible extent.

– Diaries, if there are any, will mostly consist of short observations about the places we visit, or focus on specific events.

– A new ‘travel’ category which will feature some more practical tips and ideas related to our travels, or possibly more generic pictures of well-known sites and landmarks.

Feedback is welcome! I hope we can all share this adventure. Lastly, if you think you can help us out during our trip, please feel free to comment or contact us!