A drifter’s travel show with a “death list”

Ding Hong (pen name: MANTIS) Profession: Illustrator, writer, game art designer Hobbies: Comics, novels, movies, music, etc.

　　Listening to MANTIS tell her own story is like opening a fantasy novel — you need to be ready to embrace a whole new set of “values, views, and outlooks.”

　　The death of her grandmother changed how MANTIS saw the world. She began to accept life, death, good, evil, pain, and joy equally, stopped arguing with the small miseries in daily life, and started seeking a way to make her own life valuable again. From then on, she began living what some might call an absurd and unrestrained life, while others might see as wisely feigning foolishness.

　　In the late spring of 2008, she left Shanghai, where she had struggled for six years, abandoned almost all the physical possessions she had accumulated over those six years of settling down, and kept only a backpack weighing less than 15kg. That marked the beginning of a life where she would sleep wherever she happened to be each night. Time flew, and now it’s 2014. In the years that followed, she traveled on and off, visiting many countries — France, Italy, Vatican City, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines… Looking back, she realized she hadn’t rented a place to live for over five years. Her entire belongings during that time fit into a backpack that never weighed more than 15kg. “In the days without renting, I always slept wherever I ended up each night. For me, travel and life have become inseparable concepts.” Even when she took up work again between travels, she didn’t rent a stable place to live. Instead, she stuffed her backpack under her workstation and slept on the company meeting table at night.

　　During her travels, MANTIS met all kinds of people, each with their own past. She became more and more convinced that birds of a feather flock together. Those who shared similar values and could connect with her all had one thing in common: they were all more and more absurd, more and more wildly imaginative, and all followed their hearts. “Many of them have gone much further than I have on this journey of life. When they came into my life, they didn’t need to use words, patience, or tolerance to reach me — we could still achieve a spiritual connection.”

　　Traveling Italy with a “death list”

　　After six years of a relationship came to an end, MANTIS, struck by the blow, entertained thoughts of suicide. She wrote a bucket list, arranging the items from easiest to hardest, and set off with it.

    Her debut European trip began on Valentine’s Day in 2009. Over 14 days, she entered from Germany and visited Italy... “I laughed and danced with warm and kind strangers at the Venice Carnival, celebrated my birthday in Florence, met an incredibly caring ‘granny’ in Rome, woke up surrounded by birds on the steps of St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, and finally arrived at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where I kissed the gravestone of Oscar Wilde — the handsome man whose tombstone I had long admired and which is said to be the sexiest in the world.” The snow-covered city of Munich in the sunset stunned first-time traveler MANTIS so much that she forgot to take photos. “It was like paradise in a storybook.” When she looked down at Venice from the plane, she said her cells came alive.

In the Venice Carnival parade, locals dressed in costumes and wearing masks celebrated exuberantly. Shops and cottages along the route were beautifully decorated, and even the alleys were as exquisitely cinematic as scenes from a movie. Warm-hearted Italians, seeing this shy Eastern woman wanting to take photos but hesitating, actually pulled her into the parade. “The moment before the camera clicked, a ‘king’ over sixty knelt beside me and kissed the back of my hand.” Several uncles played jazz on the street, pedestrians stopped to dance happily, and an elderly lady opened her window to enjoy the scene leisurely. It was such a captivating night. “Even in this place full of tourists, some locals can even introduce their goods in Chinese. They’re warm and polite but not overwhelming. Even if it’s obvious you’re not buying anything, shop owners won’t hesitate to greet you with a friendly smile. And the seagulls by the docks are friendly and approachable — toss some cookie crumbs in the air, and they’ll catch them mid-air.” Just MANTIS’s descriptions are enough to entrance anyone.

　　In Venice, “my originally empty heart began to be painted with new colors by the vibrant scenery. My hollow body was embraced by the splendid beauty around me, and I even felt my own existence again — humble, tiny, fragile, yet still breathing. When I finally made it to Venice, the city of my dreams, through my own efforts, I suddenly felt that I might still be of some use, that I’m not entirely worthless.” Driven by her death plan, MANTIS fulfilled her first wish, and those things she never dared to imagine before turned out not to be as out of reach as she thought. “Whether a person feels lonely depends mostly on the sense of security they give themselves through inner strength, not on being accompanied by someone. There are so many people surrounded by others every day who still feel lonely because their hearts are empty.”

　　“The moment I got off the train, I knew I was in Rome.” Every street and building in this ancient city felt so Roman — everywhere were magnificent palaces and statues in classical Roman style, horse-drawn carriages ran on the streets, and even private residences didn’t deviate from the Roman aesthetic. Windows, corridors, and even the mailboxes by the doors were all classically designed. You could feel the glory of Italian Renaissance art and the locals’ pride and protection of their culture. “Even the beggars here are artists,” which could be considered one of the sights of Rome. They dressed up in all sorts of amusing costumes or pretended to be statues by the railings. “So lifelike — if you drop a coin into their money box, the still statue will move just to show you.”

　　In the quiet countryside of Italy, there were few people, let alone tourists. “While walking on an ancient path, the locals we met would greet us kindly, and even patrolling police officers would say welcome to us.” Trees and flowers remained green even in winter in the south, and there were aloe plants taller than people by the roadside. There were lots of cats here that weren’t afraid of humans at all — call out, and they’d run right up to you and be affectionate. The mountain villas were full of springs, and the sound of flowing water could be heard everywhere. Lying on the sofa in the villa room and looking up, you’d see the ceiling covered in oil paintings.

　　“Spending the night at Rome Airport was my first time ever sleeping at an airport. In the following years of travel, I became a frequent airport sleeper.” In fact, many veteran backpackers occupy spots to sleep overnight at airports. Only inexperienced newcomers have no idea what gear is needed or where the best spots are.

　　Painful memories from the southern slope of Everest

　　Another trip MANTIS remembers vividly is her journey to the southern slope of Mount Everest. At her sister’s suggestion, MANTIS decided to climb Everest. After pulling crazy overtime and finishing a month’s worth of work ahead of schedule, she earned 20 days of paid leave. She headed to Nepal with gear sponsored by friends from all over. “My sister and I still decided not to tell our parents.” To avoid worrying them, one said she was going to Tibet for fun, the other that she was on a business trip to Zhengzhou.