The collected writings of a Renegade Tourist

Author RenegadeTourist

Outside my house 7:31 am

The air is cold and the sky is a clear blue. A single streak of cloud, coloured pink by the rising sun, crosses the sky like a streamer. I’m walking home in the early morning, slightly drunk from the night’s escapades, my knee is hurting and I hold a bag full of bottles that I “borrowed” from a party, in one hand. It is a beautiful morning but now it’s time to sleep.… Read the rest

My appartment 7:17 am

I am standing in front of the window in a nearly dark room, only lit up by the pre dawn twilight. I’m looking out at the world in this early hour with tired eyes, I am not meant to be up this early. Outside is a series of interconnected apartment buildings encircling a sort of courtyard with one single apartment building right in front of my window. A few other people are awake, their windows glowing with amber, and down by the snow-covered ground streetlights cast an artificial white glare on the fresh frost. Here and there are short pillars … Read the rest

On the way home 2:28 pm

My shoes are leaking, my shoes are leaking, my shoes are leaking, my shoes are leaking, my shoes are leaking. It is around three degrees outside and rain is falling from a milky white sky onto the same boring old buildings as always. The rain is mixing with the slush and melting snow, forming small streams and waterfalls as it flows down hills and stairs. All I can focus on are my cold, wet feet and the sickly squelching sensation that my soaked socks make at each step. Stupid shoes, stop leaking!… Read the rest

Park Lane 00:00 am

Music is pumping out of the speakers and red, blue and green lights are moving around up high, casting coloured cones through the dance floor smoke. The amount of people on the floor is just right so that one can distinguish individuals from the throng yet not so few that it gets embarrassing. A few people are living it up on the stage, dancing wildly and showing everyone else how to move. Out in the crowd there are some men with brash clothes making vivacious, rather feminine dance moves, setting themselves apart from the rest of the male population. Yes, … Read the rest

Hairdresser on Guang fu road, 9:15 pm

All I can see is the ceiling, a corner of the air-condition and a wreath saying Merry Christmas, it smells rather much of mint and someone is rubbing what I can only assume is shampoo into my hair. On top of it all they have glued, or perhaps taped a piece of cardboard to my forehead, apparently as some sort of splash protection. Lying back in a recliner having my hair washed is an odd feeling, not bad, not particularly comfortable since the woman is rubbing my scalp with vigor, just… odd.… Read the rest

Cheap movie theatre, Hsinchu 9:03 pm

I am sitting here at the start of the second film of a two films for the price of one deal but, the pictures on the screen in front of me and the sounds coming out of the speakers hold little interest to me. It is just a stream of sensory impressions, light, color and vibrations impinging my eyes and ears. I find it interesting that when I’m stuck here in the salon, with no option to flip the channel or turn off the TV you start taking an interest in sounds and images you would otherwise avoid. Just because … Read the rest

Mountain just outside Seoul 3:15 pm

I am definitely on the edge of the city now. I am walking on a small dirt path on the forest clad mountain. The nearest civilisation can be seen some way below. I am forced to walk on the outside of the wall now, the reason being that some soldiers stopped me, apparently there is a base or something up here. The battlements look really impressive from below so I can sort of understand that they still use the wall for some purpose. So, I keep walking along as the wall as it winds further up in the mountains.… Read the rest

Near Dongdaemun 1:54 pm

I am walking along the ancient city wall as it climbs a mountain ridge at the edge of down town Seoul. I am walking through a sort of residential park with a playground and some benches, to the right and behind me is the city sprawl with its busy streets and skyscrapers, to the left an area of small, dilapidated houses. If I stop to take a photo it gets cold quickly but since it’s up hill I warm up just as quickly.  Standing here writing this is making me cold, got to keep walking.… Read the rest

Top of Namsan mountain 5:40 pm

I am on the top of the mountain, leaning on the wall of what must have been a fortress looking out over the city in the dwindling sunset. The darkening sky overhead shifts to a paler blue close to the horizon where it meets a band of yellow then one of orange. Below, the city lies in a sort of shadowy dusk. Some skeletal trees stretches their black fingers upwards, contrasting the colorful sky. The big group of women who were with me on the way up seem to have disappeared except for a few vainly trying to catch some … Read the rest

Thai restaurant near Hongik University 12:22 pm

In front of me is a bowl of red-orange soup. I have only managed to finish about one-fourth of the fiery liquid. I’ve fished out enough noodles to fill up my belly but now I can eat no more, it is far too spicy. My lips are burning, my tongue is numb, there is sweat on my forehead and I feel slightly nauseated. All the while the staff is just standing there, each of them engrossed in his own mobile phone, not noticing the foreigner greatly needing something to alleviate the spiciness. That’s it! I’ve had enough, I need to … Read the rest

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