Thomas Lim's travel page

Chasing Shadows Across the World (2001 to 2011)

2011-12-31T11:16:00.000+08:00

I was born and raised in Singapore. After university in 2001, I became a theatre actor in Singapore, and also fell in love with backpacking at the same time. So, I did a 6-month trip, overland on buses and trains from Singapore to Japan via Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Macau, Hong Kong, and China. The part from China to Japan was done on a 50 hour ferry.
Then, I lived in London from 2002 to 2003 to study acting and worked as a theatre actor. During this time, I also travelled to countries such as Ireland, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Czech, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Mexico, as well as the USA.
After London, I moved to Beijing and lived there as a TV and film actor from 2004 to 2008. For work and leisure, I travelled to 16 provinces in China during this time, and re-visited a few of the places previously mentioned. Then I also went to new places like Korea, The Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Laos, Tibet, and Mongolia.
I don't have many achievements in life to speak of, but one accomplishment that remains precious to me, is having backpacked through 25 countries by age 25, and then 5 more before I turned 30.
In 2008, I relocated to Hong Kong and Macau and directed my first independent feature film in Macau, where I lived from 2008 to 2010.
Next, I made a bold attempt to return home after almost ten years abroad, and lived in Singapore from 2010 to 2011. Although film and theatre work was all right at home, the reverse culture shock was a little much for me...
So, I moved again, this time to Japan in July 2011. I currently live and work in Tokyo, and have been lucky enough to have worked on two good Japanese film projects in the last 5 months.
It's the last day of 2011. Ten years ago today, I was in Singapore packing my bags for the 6-month trip overland to Japan - a trip that started ten years ago tomorrow, which in many ways has yet to end. So I can't help but look back at the past decade, and think about how I would never have expected life to unfold this way. The people I've met, and encounters I've made in the past ten years were beyond my wildest imagination as a kid. These experiences help me remember the years clearly, and they were very emotionally fulfilling years. Living life with an open heart, will indeed teach us everything we need to learn about life.
Here's to peace and good health, as well as many more safe and successful journeys for us all in '12.
Happy New Year! -- T.L 31-Dec-11.

A flag for each country visited as a backpacker

Japan 2011

2011-10-05T08:41:00.001+08:00

Tokyo is the place I call home now.

October 2011 - Asakusa and the Tokyo Sky Tree. Oct 2011

November 2011 - Enoshima, Kamakura　江の島

Seoul, South Korea (Aug 2011)

2011-08-30T22:41:00.004+08:00

I was in Seoul, Korea in August 2011 to research for a dance-film that I would direct in summer of 2012.

Japan + some Beijing (Mar/Apr 2010 & Apr 2011)

2010-05-20T03:31:00.014+08:00

2011, Komono, Mie

2011, Yamachan restaurant, Nagoya

All images below were taken in 2010.

Berlin, Germany Feb 2010

2010-03-04T01:39:00.003+08:00

Prague, Czech Republic. Feb 2010

2010-03-04T01:36:00.003+08:00

Taiwan 09

2009-09-20T03:50:00.001+08:00

台北西門町

淡水漁人碼頭

台北車站

花蓮

鯉魚潭

太魯閣

燕子口

九曲洞

七星潭

台北夜晚

台北麵包漢堡店

台北車站國光機場巴士

30 before 30.

2009-04-05T03:06:00.023+08:00

The 30 countries that I travelled to before I turned 30.

THAILAND 08

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TAIWAN 07

2009-01-13T04:26:00.012+08:00

Taiwan is number 30, and it came one day before I turned 30.

JAPAN 07

2009-01-13T04:23:00.014+08:00

THE PHILIPPINES 07

2009-01-13T04:17:00.003+08:00

MONGOLIA 06

2009-01-13T03:51:00.014+08:00

If it sticks to your tongue, it's a DINOSAUR bone.

TIBET 05

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Mudslide blocked our road.

Altitude sickness!!!

KANGXI, CHINA

BEIJING, CHINA 04, 05, 06, 07, 08

2009-01-11T14:21:00.008+08:00

Hallmark TV movie 'Marco Polo'

Hallmark TV movie 'Son of the Dragon'.

Sony Pictures TV series 'The Game'.

American indie film 'Foreign Devils'

Then, regular Beijing, where I lived from 2004 - 2008 to work as an actor, and to learn Kung Fu.

SHANGHAI

HANGZHOU

Kobeeeeeeee Bryaaaaaaaaant

2009-01-11T14:12:00.015+08:00

I know this is completely random, and I seldom get all hyped up seeing famous people. But here's one - Kobe Bryant, when Team USA visited Macau for an exhibition game before the Olympics in 2008. Macau is where I lived in 2008.

MACAU 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08

2009-01-11T14:03:00.015+08:00

My solo show 'The Rat-Ox Diaries' in 2006

My Island Man Pictures banner.

The Olympic torch came to town.

HONG KONG 00, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08

2009-01-11T13:52:00.014+08:00

'The Wizard of Oz' 2008

'Taiji' 2006

Then, other details of Hong Kong, a place that I've lived on and off for several years.

LAOS, THAILAND & CAMBODIA 04

2009-01-11T13:47:00.012+08:00

Michael and I went to Cambodia, Thailand and Laos to shoot a low budget feature film 'Last Seen At Angkor'.

LAOS

KOREA 00, 05

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INDONESIA 03

2009-01-11T13:38:00.017+08:00

ENGLAND 02, 03

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LONDON, ENGLAND 02, 03

2009-01-09T16:11:00.027+08:00

I lived in London from 2002 - 2003 to read theatre.

FRANCE 03

2009-01-09T16:11:00.011+08:00

AUSTRIA 03

2009-01-09T16:10:00.019+08:00