GBA Lifestyle News
A travel tell-all with Kate Springer.
We’re hot on the heels of the Year of the Monkey, and I’m going to take it as a sign that we should all be a little more adventurous this year. Sometimes life gets in the way of those big bucket list travel plans, but you don’t have to cross an ocean to have an inspirational travel experience.
You don’t have to fly on a plane, ride a boat, pack a bag or even own a passport. The beauty of travel is that you can do it right here in Hong Kong. Enter the world of microadventures. A term coined by author Alastair Humphreys, microadventures are mini trips, usually outdoor excursions close to where you live.
It’s about looking at the world with soft eyes and re-connecting with those details that whiz by you on the way to work. It can be a short excursion, a hike or a simple experience doing something new, something that you keep putting off or you have always wanted to do.
Maybe it’s the going to explore the indigenous villages in the New Territories, catching the sunrise from atop Lantau Peak, or kayaking around the Geopark. Maybe you’ve always wanted to visit one of Hong Kong’s deserted islands, pitch a tent on Mui Wo, or traverse the ever-evolving streets of Kennedy Town.
It really doesn’t matter where you go. Just get out your front door and go exploring for an hour, a day, a weekend. Bring a camera and treat it just like any other adventure. Stop into a no-name cha chaan teng or sample a Chinese baked good that you don’t recognize.
Microadventures are about breaking from the monotony of everyday life and exploring a place, even if it’s somewhere you’ve ‘been’ 100 times before. Get your face out of your smart phone (we’re all guilty!) and promise yourself to look up, uninterrupted, for one hour. Chances are, you’ll likely see something you’ve never noticed before.
Invite a friend or go it alone. Traveling is as much about exploring as it is about spending memorable time with friends, family — or spending quality alone-time with your own badass self.
Need some inspiration? Here are a few dates for your calendar!
Chinese New Year: What better way to celebrate the new year than with a new adventure?
Valentine’s Day: Instead of spending a fortune on oysters and champagne, how about watching a romantic sunset on a beach under the stars?
Meteor Showers: Check the Space Museum’s astronomical calendar for upcoming solar-powered moments. Take a night hike just in time!
Any damn Sunday: I can’t blame you for wanting to finish Making a Murderer, but squeeze in an hour-long microadventure and you’ll probably finish the weekend feeling more fulfilled.
