Replacing Memories

Six years ago, I met a guy who introduced me this place - 張家界 through his stories as he was doing a side gig as a tour guide on top of his family business. During our get to know phase, there was a time where he would be out of the country and will assist the tourist or something like that. He would then show me pictures of the places he went and the activities that he did.

I admit it was a very beautiful place. It became even more famous when the place became the basis of someone's inspiration of a movie directed by James Cameron. So famous and beautiful that when things ended in a somewhat bitter end, it pains me that the place would always make me remind of him. During that time all I wanted was to go there for the sake of forgetting the place associated with him. I think if I could say I was a bit wrecked that time. I think I tried searching how to go there... it's like there's so many questions that pops in my head on how to even go there and who would be on board with it and I think I was at the stage where I am not confident enough to spend my own money to go there. Then pandemic came, which made travelling even more impossible to achieve and it's also harder to forget a place that was attached to someone since those were just few months off at the start of the pandemic.

Then fast forward to this year where I was able to achieve a lot of things in relation to my travel, then I felt I was more financially comfortable enough that I was ready to spend money to go to a more expensive place such as in Canada. In addition, I met a lot of friends especially in my community. Until one of my friends in the community kept on exploring the parts of China. That time all I wanted was to go to any place in China as a full-time tourist. Not merely get stuck in a dormitory of a university for most of the time of your stay. I subtly tell my friend if there was any tour available if she could introduce me to... then she just told me that she would be glad for me to join her.

Until this trip happened. She asked if I was available on the said travel dates, and I said yes without caring where it was - even if it was in Xiamen where I've been before. After I said I was available in her said dates, I just learned it was in 張家界. How coincidental right? Then what's funny was this friend of mine was also linked with the same guy before we got to know each other and we both know it.

After learning it, I just told this friend, what a coincidence, now I get to replace the memories of what he told me of the place with my experience of going to the place.

Looking back, I'm so happy that the timing was right. I guess we should say that one shouldn't doubt the timing of the Lord. If I probably use my impulse in going there without anybody, without my mom's approval of going there alone or not being able to make your friends spend on something that they are not interested in going, I think it's going to be a disaster overall. I know I end up spending in China more than what I was supposed to spend in my 11 whole days of stay in Canada due to ending up in compulsory shops that I don't know why I end up buying - hopefully it was worth it in the end. Lol!

Also I realized that everything has to work in God's favor and probably my parent's favor so that I would be able to go there. I mean my mom doesn't want to allow me to go to the place she doesn't know who I was with. Then it was really helpful that last year's Chinese New Year my mom and I randomly met this said friend and her mom so somehow my mom was able to converse with my friend's mom - I think it was a big factor for them to allow me to go because she was able to meet them in person. So once she allowed me to go to Canada on my own (also knowing that my Ah Ku and Ah Kim are living there), I felt like everything was easy.

Lastly, as much as I am aware at the back of the mind the things the guy I met six years ago said about the place, I was able to see the place in a different light without any trace of the fragments of his experience he shared with me. It's basically a whole new experience for me. I am so thankful for the timing. I guess when they say God will give it to you, it just has to be in His time and when you aren't looking for it, that's the time the Lord would probably give it to you and you'll just have a lightbulb moment of "Oh, I used to say that I wanted to go on that place.". Also I think He just want to make sure I get to make the most out of the trip - and I surely did!