/portfolio.jpg){kind=small}
inner peace – no more walking
day 145: 平凉 (pingliang) = 0km
Almost 2000km, some fantastic 5 months – and now I’m not going to walk anymore.
All you guys have been so supportive and so kind, thank you!
So many friends I’ve made on the road and so many on the Internet.
…but now I am not going to walk anymore.
It’s not only that my feet are killing me:
It’s not that.
Also on top of this, I have achieved something that I could have never hoped for:
I have found inner peace. Do you know what I mean?
I know this might sound totally silly…
…it’s so hard to put in words or pictures.
It’s like…
…for example, all this worldly stuff; the cookies, the soda pop, the potato chips, the gallon of pear juice (hm… pear juice!):
- I don’t need all this anymore, it means nothing to me!
This walk has given me so much…
I’ve stood in the presence of the Buddha – massive Buddha, heavy snow
I’ve walked the way of the Tao – mountain temples
I’ve talked to the Father and to the Son – watch my back, Lord
I’ve felt the peace of the Prophet – Muslims and water fountains
…and I’ve grown something like a beard:
My dear friends, please forgive me…
With this new peace of mind, I just can’t continue my walk – it would be meaningless!
So what am I going to do now?
I am in my hotel, and I still have some money left:
If push comes to shove, I can always sell some of my equipment and live off that for a while.
Like, for example, the computer should get me a couple of months rent. Then there are the cameras.
Or I could get a teaching job…
No, I don’t think that’s what I want.
I want to stay here for a while and meditate. Maybe join a temple and become a monk.
Or a Muslim. After all, I already have a beard!
Soundtrack: Serj Tankian – “Lie Lie Lie”
—total: 1904,9km
Print This Post
April 2nd, 2008 at 09:39
Haha!
April 2nd, 2008 at 09:53
Ortszeit 16:52 / Münster / 2. April – Bisschen spät für einen Aprilscherz. Macht aber nix. Die ersten zwei Zeilen habe ich dir geglaubt. Woher kommt eigentlich dieser Drang, den ersten April als Verarschtag zu nutzen?
Grüße
HErmann
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:51
L'Aventurier, à la recherche d'une nouvelle aventure…
It's an amazing journey you've already made…
Thanks for contacting us!
We look forward to hearing about your future plans…
:-)
Lorraine
April 2nd, 2008 at 11:59
I hope this is an April's Fool post! I would miss the daily news of your progress very much! But then (Zen) again, you should not give up your search for enlightment for the benefit of others.
April 2nd, 2008 at 13:03
:(
I has been fooled……………… wuwuwuwu.. sobsob…
April 2nd, 2008 at 13:08
haha.
ich hab dir geglaubt bis zu dem songtitel. kein witz. ich dachte: "oh nein, das war ja abzusehen. jetzt ist er einer dieser spirituellen feifen, wie es sie in chile überall gibt, die, die glauben, eins zu sein mit der welt, der natur." und dann der titel. und ich dachte: "puuuuh…. glück gehabt!"
April 2nd, 2008 at 14:15
o.k., also bis zum "inneren frieden" war ich nicht ganz sicher ob du das jetzt ernst meinst (obwohl ich mir des datums bewusst war…). spätestens das foto von dir hat mich dann endgültig zum lachen gebracht! glaubst du man zieht so ne schnute wenn man den inneren frieden gefunden hat?!?
seeehr genial!!! :)
April 2nd, 2008 at 16:40
Tja, — Du kannst es ja nächstes Jahr nochmal ein wenig weniger plump versuchen ;-)
Bin überrascht, Du bist doch sonst nicht so trampelig! :-)
Gruß,
C.
April 2nd, 2008 at 16:57
I have a question for you before you disappear into a monastery: what are your sources of information about sights worth seeing along the road? It sounds like you get a lot of advice locally, is it just from people you talk to? And when you planned your itinerary, what sources did you use?
I have used old buildings as an excuse for most of my best trips off in China (I have never had the guts to do what you are doing, and I have limited myself to trips to "specific places"). My device is to read an architecture book, find a description of some obscure old temple that has survived forgotten somewhere in the folds of Wutaishan (or a variation of that), and go there. Some of the buildings are actually very good, but the real reward is getting out of the cities and the turist circuit.
So I was wondering if you are aware of any good sources of information about "historic places"…
April 2nd, 2008 at 19:03
Buddha !
Tao !
Lord !
Muslim !
………….. !
April 2nd, 2008 at 22:19
Wow, what happened? April fool joke or serious mind?
April 2nd, 2008 at 22:20
I just noticed the slippers you were wearing, they are exactly what I was talking about. :)
April 3rd, 2008 at 03:00
bitte mein das nich ernst!!
:-0
April 3rd, 2008 at 06:50
Must be an April 1st day joke!
I believe you will keep going:) , 'coz I've already taken the site as one of
my favorate websites. It gives me lot of impact…
But I am wondering if I was travelling in Germany ,could I get the kind
treatment as U:)
Anyways, keep going! my man.
April 3rd, 2008 at 07:10
你现在的头发和胡子很有形~~ lol
April 3rd, 2008 at 07:59
我觉得你该理发了；而且你需要一顶帽子。
April 3rd, 2008 at 08:30
harhar, seeeeeehr gut.
und überhaupt, ich mag deine seite.
April 3rd, 2008 at 09:49
I really really hope this is a joke, I love getting an update every day as to where you are at. Have you tried any of the blind chinese medicine guys bout your feet?
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:36
Ich glaub`s nicht! Das ist doch ein Aprilscherz. Machen Sie weiter!
Grüße aus Köln.
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:00
Lol!
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:49
Lilu: Der smarte Sinologe durchschaut alles.
Hermann Mensing: Vergib mir, ich wurde praktisch gezwungen!
Lorraine: Hope you like the video with the song! :)
Alfredo: Haha, so were you fooled or weren't you? – About the sources… I just go with the flow, make out a route on maps, ask people on the street, keep my eyes open for interesting stuff; and then there are the few landmarks that I HAVE to see. Pingyao was one of them. And Xi'an. My greatest dream is Samarkand, I hope I can make it!
froggyfrog: Don't be sad little frog…
Rubi: Haha, du wirst dir noch eine Degradierung zum Kampfzwerg 2. Klasse zuziehen wenn du so weitermachst! (Außerdem, wenn dann schon "Fleife")
jule: Hehe…
Corinna: War ich wirklich so jämmerlich?
Steven: It's all good I guess!
Maggie: As serious as the slippers!
claudia: Haha, was ist wenn doch?
Achille: Chinese 老百姓 are very warm-hearted and kind towards a guest from afar. The tradition of hospitality is has very strong roots in the Chinese mindset. I honestly believe that it is not the same in Germany. We could probably be considered more "cold" towards strangers.
Tal: 那个是骂我还是表扬我的？
kev: 我不！！！
Christiane: Da bin ich geehrt! :)
Muriel: I tried a massage once, and I couldn't stand the pain. That is entirely due to the fact that I am a proven sissy.
Maria Flink-Schütz: Ich tue mein Allerbestes! Sehr schönen Gruß zurück aus dem kleinen sommerlichen Pingliang!
Marten: De Moffen haben einen kartoffeligen Humor, was? ;)
April 3rd, 2008 at 15:05
Bloß gut,dass ich das erst heute (3:April) lese!
April 3rd, 2008 at 23:05
I was fooled partly, was I the only one? haha…