A Quick Excursion to the Great Wall
Hello. My name is Brooke. And I’m confessing here and now that I’m a 5 minute tourist.
I’m the one who, with best friend in tow, journeyed three days by train across China to see the Great Wall. It happened to be January, which is the worst time of year, and we were so frozen that we had to hang out in KFC (yes, there’s a KFC at the Great Wall!) just to get warm enough to attempt the climb. The steps were so steep and uneven and the weather so cold that by the time we got to the top we only walked down the “lane” for about 15 minutes before we made a speedy return to KFC, afraid we might collapse from weariness and our toes fall off from frostbite. The Terracotta Warriors were also an awesome sight to see in Xian and a dash warmer as they were inside a huge warehouse, but that was also a quick run through as it just so happened to be renovation time and half of the facility was closed
This same friend and I drove 2,000 miles to see Mt. Rushmore in the US. We stared at the mountain for about five minutes, visited the gift shop for another five minutes (but didn’t buy anything) and went on our merry way to the original “Little house on the Prairie” for another quick stop. Due to our unexplained hurry we almost didn’t even notice the sign for our turn off.
I’m the one who visited all the tourist sites, castles, forts and museums in Delhi and took pictures of the outside but never bothered to go in. I do have to confess that at times I have also refused to go in because I resent being charged 500 times the local price just because I am a foreigner. But that is really no excuse. I’m ashamed to say that although it would have been free, I was satisfied just driving past Gandhi’s grave. I did not even go up and touch the stone. On occasion I have been known to hang out a bit longer. Like when I stayed at the India Gate for five extra minutes, but that was only because my other friends were taking pictures from every possible angle.
I’ve never tried it but I think my worst nightmare would be to go with a guided tour. You know the kind where the guide tells you two things you want to know and 74 things you don’t care about? The ones where, due to having 25 other people on the tour, it takes two hours to go through the whole museum because intelligent people keep asking intelligent questions?
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against people who like to stroll leisurely and soak up every molecule of history and tradition. Honestly, I’m happy for them and wish them goodwill in all their travels. I just don’t want to travel with them. I’m fortunate enough to have married a man similar to myself. Although he is Filipino and I am American, we share the same point of view. Speedy touring equals more places seen and the local cuisine tasted sooner.
It might surprise you to know that I’m an anthropologist. I actually love details. I especially love cultural details. It’s just that I prefer to learn about them by talking to people one-on-one rather then walking around cluelessly or having headphones explain their significance to me. I once had a very enlightening three-hour conversation with an elderly Chinese man in KunMing who had lived through several world wars, civil wars, prison and the Cultural Revolution. That meant more to me than my trip to the Great Wall ever did.
And yet, I’m very glad I went to the Great Wall. I love to travel and there are many places around the world that I hope to one day see and experience first hand. You never know, we just might run into each other somewhere sometime. That blonde who takes a photo and then runs off with a happy smile on her face? That will be me.
My name is Brooke. And I’m admitting here and now that I’m proud to be a Five Minute Tourist. I used to be embarrassed about it. But now I know it’s just my own way of seeing and appreciating the world around me.
I’m headed off for a quick excursion to Nepal next month. Anyone care to join me?
*Brooke Morgan is an American but considers herself a Global Citizen as she has spent over half of her life in Asia. She is currently experiencing a life of adventure and fast, but meaningful touring with her Filipino husband and their two inspiring daughters.
*In a new weekly feature Today’s Zaman will be bringing you stories of international travel and real life experiences for those expats who count the borders beyond Turkey their home.
P.S. for multiply - Brooke is my pen name =)
