Fear

Have you ever feared for anything or anybody?

You may say I’m a stupid when asking this question because nobody in this world is free from fears.

Both men and animals know well how to fear and keep away from the people and things which threaten us. It’s a basic instinct. Fear is the combination of worries, anxiety, obsession and even stress. Fear is varied among individuals and at different stages of age in terms of its level and nature.

My mon says that I feared nothing when I was a child. I could go out with any strangers, wandered at night or coped with a much taller rival. When I grew up, fear was still a vague concept to me. I could watch people digging tomb at night or hanged out with friends to any risky places. I made fun of anyone who was worried about death.

But it doesn’t mean that I didn’t fear. The fear began to grow in me when I saw my grandparents get older and older; when my mom had a surgery and when my Dad was diagnosed to get Hepatitis B.

The fear crushes my heart when my daughter got a high fever. When I saw her, so tiny lying on the bed at the paediatrics, I could feel how big the fear was. It shadows any joys and any ambition. All I want is her recovery so that she can smile and talk all the day.

Now, I understand why people always fear death. We need to live not only for us but for our beloved people. We live to take care of our parents, to enjoy love with our partners and to follow the growth of our children.

When you understand the fear, I think, you are truly mature.

Chat with Ludovic

I had an online interview with Ludovic while he is hurrying for the deadline of his book.

1/How is the site important for you, especially during the world trip?

The web site was a wonderful way to share my journey and what my trip has taught me along the way. Without internet, my tour of the world wouldn’t have been the same.

2/Who made the site for you and are there anyone assisting you in maintaining the site during your trip? 

A friend of mine helped me to build the structure, I was the one keeping it up to date. First in Internet cafés, then with my laptop that I bought in the US.

3/What do you like the best of your site, and what do you dislike? 

I like that I can write articles with photos. I dislike all the technical problems I had and still have. I like that it is well done, I mean beautiful.

4/After returning to France, what are you doing now?  

Writing my book, having a hard time writing it well…much harder than hitchhiking around the world… 5/Have you gained weight again?  Yep, I don’t move much in front of my compu. 

6/Have you had your girlfriend now?(sorry but many people want to know this)? 

Yes, a girl I met in Panama 3 yrs ago, we kept in touch, she’s now studying here, we are together, all well.

6/Will you continue developing the website?  

I will change it, update it…and I want to start another web site I’ll explain later…

7/Tell me everything if you want to share with the Australian guys!

Just that it’s a shame people are so afraid to pick up hitchhikers because of this guy who killed many people 7 yrs ago or more. Picking up hitchhikers is a great way to meet new people. Except that, cheers mate, have a good beer for me.

Thank you Ludovic for still remembering me.

A big guy

Ludovic Hubler

From dreams to reality, that’s only a step…but how big it is for most of us ! Some envision the way they want their lives to be, me, I’ve decided to fulfill my dream by touring the world primarily by hitch-hiking via car and boat.

These are the words on the front page of a French guy, Ludovic Hubler. At the age of 25, Ludovic began his tour around the world only by putting thumb up on Jan.1, 2003. He successfully completed the global tour on Jan.1, 2008 and is called the world’s craziest hitchhiker.

The site is written in 3 languages, French, English and Spanish. No one but Ludovic is the writer and editor for the site because he can speak those languages and German. He updated the site whenever he found an internet cafe with wireless during the 5-year tour.

Just by clicking in the British flag, you have the site in English.

Ludovic shares everything with the world: his desires, his family, childhood, education and work experience (except for his girlfriend but I know). He has the necessities for a global travel: sponsors, visa, insurance, medicine or things to bring along illustrated by photos and various links to significant websites for a hitchhiker.

The website has many sections for you to log on but trust me if you want to get the best parts in the short time.

Follow me

Here, you can read many news letters when Ludovic ended a trip to a country. Hitchhiking enables Ludovic meets with various sorts of people and witnessed what tourists on an airplane can never see. Therefore, Ludovic’s writing about the developing countries like India and China is vivid and unexpected. You can understand what’s going on in North Korea or Tibet, where very few Western people can enter. Or you can encounter Daila Latma in Ludovic’s extraordinary encounter. The best newsletter, I think, is the “Never again” last letter wrapping up his tour. His words touch my heart and impact in my mind when thinking about this world and human being.

Photo gallery

This part includes 89 photos of Ludovic depicting how he tried to hitch-hike cars, boats, donkeys, horses…over 59 countries, across the ocean and desert. The photos with detailed explanations paint an overall picture of how hard the guy overcame challenges to get his adventure done. Imagine if you can travel on a budget of 10 dollars a day? Can you hitchhike to Antartica or hitchhike through Colombia or Afghanistan safely? Can you wait for 28 hours along the side of a road to get a ride? No, sorry. But Ludovic could.

Mission

Ludovic didn’t only travel for himself but on behalf the dream of young people around the world. He has the mission of traveling For a better world so he talked with kids and teenagers about environment, peace and dreams. He is also the “big brother” of children from the Strasbourg - Hautepierre Hospital in France. Kids can log into this part to colour the pictures of Ludovic’s tour and eye his interesting logo.

I must say that though I’m a regular visitor of Ludovic’s site, I still dislike it in some ways. To tell the truth, the site is not well designed. It looks boring. The site has a big technical problem when it doesn’t work in different computers. It works on Internet Explorers but is limited in Mac. It’s not easy to send comments to the Golden Book. Ludovic has many useful websites for hitchhiker but he forgets links in his newsletters. Also, I hate the too fast appearance of advertising site when clicking in a part. Maybe, Ludovic has very quick sponsor. There’s no “return to home page” so it takes me some time to find way back to the home page.

However, I still like reading Ludovic’s site. It is the site of practical experience and knowledge which I can trust without any hesitation. I respect the man who is very determined, strong willed, brave and intelligent. He dares to do what he wants. He never surrenders but tries endlesly to find the way out of all problems. Ludovic is a big guy.

At the moment (Sept, 2008), Ludovic is writing a book about his hitchhiking tour. He has gained weight. He has a girlfriend. And he is involved in various activities for the people in the developing countries. A happy ending. Congratulations to a guy who has done a lot at the age of 20s!

Thien Nhan is excellent in US

Good news about the trip of little boy Thien Nhan for surgeries in the US.

Thien Nhan has had his new leg in the US. Nhan is now able to control his pee after two years suffering severe pain and fear whenever he wants to pee.

More importantly, Nhan is getting happier and opener with the people around him. He smiles and talks a lot with the people in US. Nhan and his parents received warm-hearted welcome and tremendous support of the Vietnamese community and American friends.

Nhan now has friends everywhere as his name has spread around the world, on media and on blogs. People call him The Miracle Boy or Kung Fu Thien Nhan.

You can see Nhan playing after a successful surgery in the video.

I also found Nhan’s blog where you can make friend with him or show your support.

Congratulations to my boy! You are so good! Keep going, boy!

Mid-autumn festival

The festival of Asian children

If you come from China, Hongkong, Singapore or Vietnam , you must know mid-autumn festival.

The festival of Chinese origin is attached with the childhood of all Asian children. The festival falls on every 15th of August, lunar calendar. It is believed that this is the special date of autumn when the moon is the fullest and brightest of the year. Aldults enjoy admiring the moon while children play with lanterns and enjoy fruits. Unicorn dance is an indispensible part of the festival.

If you want to know more about full moon festival, check this website or just read my writing.

Mid-autumn festival has another name, mooncake festival because we eat moon cakes this time. The cakes are so delicious and I always wait for eating the cakes whenever the autumn comes.

Moon cakes, yummy!

If you log in the googles of Vietnam or China these days, you will see the the goole logos dedicated for this grand holiday of Asia people. Here in Sydney, you don’t have the Full-moon goolge logo but you can go to Chinese garden or any Asian communities in Bankstown or Cabramatta to see how the festival is celebrated.

When I took my daughter to the Chinese garden last Saturday, she was amazing to look at the unicorn dancing in the bustling sound of drums.

Mid-autumn festival in Sydney brings me back to my childhood in my home country. I really miss my grand parents, my parents and my friends their. I miss the busy streets in Hanoi which are filled with lanters, moon cakes and mid-autumn presents for kids.

I wish I could be in Vietnam at this moment, with my parents!

Selling lanterns for mid-autumn festival in Vietnam

May Lane, the graffiti lane

If you go to St Peters, remember to visit May Lane, you will enjoy an open-aired exhibition of graffiti paintings.

The small quiet lane has few houses and companies. But the people don’t come here to look for houses, they look at the beautiful pieces on all walls and gates of May lane. I’m one of May Lane graffiti’s fans. I like the vivid colours, the idea of the artists and the smooth lines of the paintings.

Tugi Balog initiated the idea of persuading residents and employers to allow graffiti artists creating in May Lane. The businessmen of Croatian origin spent his efforts, money and time to develop the idea into a project, May Lane Project.

Graffiti artists in Sydney and from Indonesia, the US, Europe have been in May Lane to tell their story.

This piece by Chor Boogie is my favourite.

You can see how Chor created his piece in May Lane here.

Tugi has made May Lane well known in Sydney as a destination for graffiti fans and tourists. For the local people, he made May Lane a beautiful and safe place.

Tugi has a well-designed website where you can tour around for just looking or registering in his short list of artists.

You can even meet him in his monthly outdoor exhibition when he displays his graffiti collection which may number to a hundred.

Tugi says he loves all of the pieces in the collection. He wants to bring the graffiti art to everyone and he hopes that May Lane will be put on the tourist map of Sydney in the near future.

To have babies, prepare!

One of my friend in Australia phoned yesterday to tell the surprising information: she’s pregnant again, the 3rd time with a twin.

A twin, that means she will have 4 children at the age of 29. It’s a record for me.

I said: Congratulations! You are so lucky to have a big family with a twin. Stop working hard to prepare and welcome the kids!

She said: No, I’m very worried. This is far far beyond my expectation to have 4 children. How will I care them? Where is the money? Will I have to stay at home for years with the kids?

She’s quite right. Unless you have a baby, you will never understand the most challenging part of life. Babies are not only like angles on commercial programs who always drink milk, play with toys and smile. Babies are with sickness, worries, sleeplessness, efforts and finance.

I have experienced one-month mom stress several years ago. It is like depression and shockness at a big turn of life when you are not warned after spending 27 years in freedom and without much worries. It’s not easy for me to overcome the stress but it did gradually whenever I saw my daughter smiled, jumped and talked with me.

5 years have gone after that sad period. I have learnt the way to control mysefl with changes. My daughter is an indispensible part of my life. I begin to share the stres experience with other mothers. Then we laugh at it.

It’s hard to raise a child but mothers never remember the hardship because they’ve got the sweetest thing, their babies.

Sexy leaders

Putin, the sexy man

This year, former Russian President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is not the sexiest leader of Russia(surprised!). He is second to a younger and more handsome opposite leader, Boris Nemtsov.

Don’t think that I’m a Putins fan. I’m a journalist, who is curious about all leaders in the world. And I’m lucky to have a chance seeing Putin outside top-secret meetings of leaders.

I will never forget the experience of reporting the farewell ceremony of APEC leaders in 2006. I was crammed among dozens of journalists trying to film last images and ask questions before the leaders flew away. I could see all 21 APEC leaders, one by one, very closely.

I was strongly impressed by 2 leaders, Philippines President G.Arroyo (she was small but beautiful and very confident) and Russian President V.Putin. With so much good news about Putin, I have a mixed feeling about him.

He has the skin of a physically strong man. He is not tall and a little bit large in built. Of course, he doesn’t have much hair. But he is always smiling, even his eyes. He looks at all the journalists and keeps smiling. Putin’s eyes are unforgettable. They are with around dark ring and not as big as those of European men. But, Putin’s eyes are bright, determined and friendly.

Putin is not an ordinary leader. He has plenty of talents and confidence to directly contact with the surrounding people. Whenever he appears ahead or after a summit, he is cheered by young volunteers. Putin doesn’t hurry but welcomes the admiration in a very polite and manly way. The last day in Hanoi, he blows a kiss to the shouting fans.

I’m not lured by names in the “sexy rating” list, Putin’s fishing photo or his skiing talent. I saw Putin and I judge him with the sense of a journalist and of a woman; Putin is not handsome but he is truly the man for women to adore!

Happy to my Chip!

You are 6 years old now, my little girl. This birthday will be a sweet memory for you and very special for me.

It’s still vivid in my mind when you shouted and jumped at me to see the big cake. You had a great days with your little friends at Blackfriars and a long night with your neighbour friends on Aug 29.

6 years old. You say Sorry and Thank you more oftenly. You can dress yourself and do things in bathroom everymorning. You can stay at home alone.

6 years old. You begin speak English. You have more arguments with parents. You always stick to your choice and deliver comments on friends and adults. You re curious at the kiss of adults. You ask me to have 2 more sisters. You want to become a Mum. You choose the most handsome boy in your class to be your future husband.

But you are still my little daughter. You are sad when I shout at you. You love to stay in my arms and listen to night stories. Just few days before your Birthday, you made me so worried when you were sick for 2 days. You were in the bed without any food and smiles. Those 2 days are longer than any days. You looked so small. Thanks God, those two days are far now.

6 years ago. You are eager waiting for the 1st school day to become an adult girl (as you say). You will, very soon, Chip. But you will always be my little daughter, the best of my life.

Happy birth day, Chip! I love you!