活在當下 | LIVE IN THE PRESENT / 雙語部落格 Bilingual Travel Blogs

Kowloon Peak, Hong Kong

香港－飛鵝山

一直都很想利用這個page來寫更多東西，但是就是沒有恆心和膽量。我實在有太多沒有機會分享的故事，心底的想法和感受需要表達。但是一個postcast推動到我，令INFP的我不得不寫。

I’ve always wanted to use this page to write more, but I never had the discipline or the courage to do so. There are so many stories I never had the chance to share, thoughts and feelings inside me that needed a place to go. But a podcast I listened to recently pushed me, and as an INFP, I feel like writing something.

其實2019年香港的轉變，2020年我突然離開澳洲回到香港，2022年再突然離開香港去英國之後，我開始有了一個新的人生觀－「活在當下」。三件事情都是沒預計之下發生，在沒有完全的掌握之下渡過，和沒有準備地適應。我完全沒有想過今天的香港，沒有想過突然要腰斬澳洲的生活，也沒有想過要忽然連根拔起地離開香港。還沒有心理上接受一個新現實時，另外一個新現實就已經等著我去接受。正想throwback昨天的經歷時，又要適應今天的新事物。想計劃明天時，明天的circumstance又變了。彷彿經常沉醉於以前，和過度為明日幻想這個習慣不切實際。

Looking back, the changes in Hong Kong in 2019, my sudden move from Australia back to Hong Kong in 2020, and then leaving Hong Kong for the UK in 2022… all of these completely reshaped my worldview. They taught me something I never expected: live in the present. All three events happened without any warning. I got through them without full control, without preparation, without even having time to process one reality before being thrown into the next. Just when I wanted to reflect on yesterday, I had to adjust to something new today. When I tried to plan for tomorrow, tomorrow changed again. It made me realise how unrealistic it was to drown in the past or over-romanticise the future.

我已經數過，總結以上三件人生大事時，實在有太多失去了的東西。其中，自己的「時間」和「青春」是感覺失去最多的。有很多曾經心裏想做，但又不敢做，覺得不可能或不切實際的事情和想法都沒有趕及活出來。因為正想把它們活出來時，或是在計劃中時，命運已經將我帶去另一個國家了。這幾年突如其來的經歷，都令我反省我有沒有真正善用時間？有沒有浪費我的青春？我安於看著青春和夢想要每天被uncertainty充滿和奪去嗎？

When I sum up these three major life events, I realise there were so many things I lost. Most of all, I felt like I lost my time and my youth. There were so many things I once dreamed of doing but never dared to try, things that felt impossible or unrealistic, and plans never lived them out in time. Because every time I tried to, life suddenly pushed me into a different country. These unexpected experiences made me reflect:
Did I really make good use of my time? Did I waste my early 20s? Was I just letting uncertainty take away my dreams?

Kalbarri, Western Australia

西澳洲－Kalbarri

感恩我很快就已經學會了「活在當下」的功課。到了英國沒久，有天我突然接到一份在意大利西西里島的工作。我從來沒有去過歐洲（當時我也是剛剛到步英國兩個月），我從來沒有自己一個人去一個當地完全沒有朋友的國家，我亦沒試過沒有翻譯／朋友陪同下自己一個人在非英語國家生活六個星期。正當我在fantasise西西里有多危險、家人怎樣想和猶疑是否應該take offer時，心裏突然一把聲音「不去就沒有機會了」，我立即回了電郵說 I am available

I’m grateful that I learned the lesson of “living in the moment” quite quickly. Not long after arriving in the UK, I suddenly received a job offer in Sicily, Italy. I had never been to Europe before, I had just arrived in the UK two months earlier, I had never traveled alone to a country where I had zero friends, and I had definitely never lived for six weeks in a non-English-speaking place without any companions who speak the language. While I was busy imagining how dangerous Sicily might be, worrying about what my family would think, and hesitating about whether to accept the offer, a voice inside me said: “You better go for it” So I emailed back immediately: I am available.

到了意大利兩星期後，有天公司問我明天要跟同事去馬耳他看看嗎？同一天晚上，有個在住在北非的朋友IG問我想去突尼西亞跟她玩嗎？我心底是想去的但是我很hesitant，因為我當時不是個P的人，而且我還是個學生，去馬耳他和突尼西亞的兩個船票都不便宜。但當我想起以前在2019－2022年學到的，我不想再浪費時間，不想再有後悔，不想錯失機會，我下一秒就答應了公司和朋友了！

Two weeks after I got to Italy, my company suddenly asked me if I wanted to join a colleague to travel to Malta the next day. That same night, a friend living in North Africa messaged me on Instagram asking if I wanted meet her in Tunisia. Deep down I wanted to go, but I was hesitant because I wasn’t a spontaneous person back then. Plus, I was still a student, and the ferry tickets to Malta and Tunisia weren’t cheap. But I remembered what I learned from 2019–2022: I didn’t want to waste time anymore. I didn’t want regrets. I didn’t want to miss chances. So the next second, I said yes to both my company and my friend.

結果六星期後，我連原本計劃起飛返回英國的地點，日期和時間都改變了。因為，我在意大利生活時突然掌握「活在當下」，六星期內我活出了很多很即興的想法，在沒有理會別人的目光和批判之下，我做出了很多即時又果斷，但又令自己活得更快樂和無悔的決定。

Six weeks later, even the original departure airport, date, and time of my flight back to the UK had changed because during those weeks in Italy, I really embraced “living in the present.” I followed my thoughts, made quick decisions, didn't care how others think about me, and it made me so much happier and freer.

Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia

突尼西亞－Sidi Bou Said

六個星期的旅程真的很難忘，當中有很多對人對事的insights，有很多獨處的時間和自己需要面對的困局。當然意大利的建築物、馬耳他的Valletta港口和突尼西亞的Sidi Bou Said真的很美，認識的新朋友和智識很棒，亦有超多搞笑moment，但我仍然覺得那個travel experience和生活體驗是令我最難忘的。我發現當我沒有（過度）回想以前和幻想未來時，我活得很快樂。反而懷感恩的心接受現實，和專注於當時當刻的moment會令自己活得更輕省。

That trip was unforgettable. I had so many insights about people and life, so much time alone to face myself and my struggles. Of course the buildings in Italy, Valletta’s harbour in Malta, and Sidi Bou Said in Tunisia were beautiful; the new friends I met were amazing; and there were countless funny moments. But what I truly remember the most is the feeling of living, of being fully present. I realised that when I stop replaying the past or imagining the future too much, I feel genuinely happy and satisfied! When I embrace the reality with gratitude and focus on the moment, I feel lighter.

回望過去從意大利回到英國之後的一年，我在英國的日常生活不多不少也多了「活在當下」的元素；想練習意大利文會話，就去了意大利餐廳打工。想去倫敦看看，就早上買車票即日來回倫敦。想再（窮）遊歐洲，就拼命申請歐洲短期老師合約（被聘請了！還去了幾次！）。想去看我最喜歡的Band的演唱會但沒有夥伴，就自己一人去看。發現自己對語言有興趣，就報讀一些Linguistics課程。

Looking back at the year after I returned to the UK, my daily life here naturally became infused with that same “live in the moment” mindset. I wanted to practise Italian conversation, so I worked in an Italian restaurant. I wanted to visit London, I booked a same-day ticket and went. I wanted to travel around Europe, I applied for short-term contracts across the continent and got hired. I wanted to see my favourite band's concert but had no one to go with, I went alone. I realised I loved languages, I signed up for language courses.

「活在當下」讓我感覺我更加享受我的生命。

“Living in the present” helped me enjoy my life so much more.

一年後，我「終於」大學畢業。由於這個大學證書得來十分不易，我很想送自己一趟畢生難忘的畢業旅行；起點為英國，終點站為澳洲，我要見我大學的朋友、在學校拍畢業照、和做回一切以前在澳洲沒勇氣／沒決心／沒時間／後悔沒做的東西。我帶著這個「活在當下」的心態，沒有顧太多的情況下（當然有個budget的），我為自己買了十一張機票和多張巴士及船飛。我出發前已經知道這個旅程應該會比西西里島那次的旅程誇張／刺激／難忘很多很多倍，為了製造更多（與畢業一事有關聯的）美好回憶，我出發在Amazon訂購了一套£8的畢業袍，並計劃在每一個會經過的國家拍一幅畢業袍照。

A year later, I finally graduated from uni. The degree wasn’t easy to earn, so I wanted to gift myself a once-in-a-lifetime graduation trip. I made my final destination Australia. I wanted to see my uni friends, take graduation photos at my school, and redo all the things I once didn’t have the courage, time, or confidence to do in Australia. With that same mindset, and without overthinking (though still within a budget), I bought eleven flight tickets and countless bus and ferry tickets. I already knew this trip would be even more intense, exciting, and unforgettable than the Sicily one. To create more meaningful “graduation memories”, I bought an £8 graduation gown from Amazon and took a graduation photo in every country I visited.

Big Ben, London, the UK

英國－倫敦大笨鐘

九星期後，我終於回到英國。但這次和第一次來英國很不同，因為這次歸來我沒有帶著任何後悔，反而是美滿的回憶。有朋友說我用錢很恨和膽量好大，一個人、兩個背包、一口氣、三個大陸、十幾個國家... 其實想說我膽量一般，更不是富豪（我這個旅行究竟有多「窮」之後再寫），我只不過不想再失去更多「時間」和「青春」，我一定要把心底想做的想法活出來，否則後悔又會來找我。另外，我亦發覺這些「體驗性」的獎勵是遠比物質的禮物正，我清理背包時才發覺原來沒有買任何手信給自己，亦沒有帶太多東西上路。三件t-shirt三條褲的循環已經為我帶來無限的滿足感。

Nine weeks later, I was finally back in the UK. But this feels nothing like the first time I came to the UK. I brought with me no regrets, just beautiful memories. Some friends thought I was so brave and rich (...?), myself, two backpacks, three continents, 10+ countries... Honestly, I don't think I'm that brave, and I'm definitely not rich (will write more on how shoestring this trip actually was)... I just couldn't bear to waste any more time or opportunity. I just wanted to put my dreams and desires into action because I couldn't face regret coming back to haunt me again. I also realised that experiential rewards mean far more to me than material gifts. When I was unpacking to wash my backpack, I discovered I hadn't bought a single souvenir for myself, nor had I brought much with me on the trip. Living out of three t-shirts and three pairs of trousers was surprisingly fulfilling.

幾年後，在edit這篇文的今天2025年12月，我仍然十分回味這趟旅行。人越大，要考慮的自然多，現在叫我去多一次這樣的旅行，我怕我想得來都已經被殘酷的現實打消念頭了... 慶幸幾年前自己有瘋狂過、嘗試過。

A few years later, editing this post in December 2025, I still miss that trip deeply. As we grow older, naturally there are more and more things we need to spend time and money to commit and invest in. If I had to go on that kind of trip again now, I think reality would probably break the idea before it even formed… but at least, once in my early 20s, I lived it, I tried it....