Journeys and destinations

---

Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.
You must travel it by yourself.
It is not far. It is within reach.
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.
Perhaps it is everywhere - on water and land.”
― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

Just in case my travelblog followers have thought I have disappeared in preparation for a trip to the outer galaxy with a one way ticket to Mars, sorry to disappoint you, I am still on the Blue Planet. Ok, I could start a few crops in a hothouse to help establish the settlement while singing Space Oddity by David Bowie, but I think the lyrics of this well known song will eventually drive me scatty as much as I enjoy listening to it, besides I don’t like the idea of being stuck on the Red Planet, I prefer the colour blue!

Just in case you have forgotten the lyrics:





Space Oddity"

Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills
and put your helmet on

Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown,
engines on
Check ignition
and may God's love be with you


Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Liftoff

This is Ground Control
to Major Tom
You've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule
if you dare

This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating
in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do

Though I'm past
one hundred thousand miles
I'm feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much
she knows

Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit's dead,
there's something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you....

Here am I floating
round my tin can
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do.



Now that I have embedded the song into your head as well, lets return to why I haven’t written a travelblog. I had a few other pressing issues taking my time and haven't gone on any trips lately. I am also sitting with a dilemma, trying to find some old photographs for my next instalment of our past travels. Truth is I need some of those photos to jog this middle aged mind about what we did. Sure, I can remember the highlights, but it's those finer details that escape me. Another problem: I can’t remember if we took old fashioned photographs or had switched over to digital by that stage.











That doesn't mean travel is not on my mind. My little brain is always thinking about travelling, busy dreaming, reading or tweeting about it and when time allows blogging. Just a glance at a photograph, listening to someone else’s stories, reading an article or spotting an advert about a place makes me yearn to make another journey into a country unexplored by me or revisit a place I've been to before. That inspiring quote ‘Patience is a virtue’ pops into my head but being virtuous in this case is not always easy.







The big question: Why do we travel?



There are many reasons for travelling, some obvious and others not. The first that comes to mind is usually for recreation, next business and another migration, but not only for those reasons. To take it even further, one can then divide them into other categories or reasons for taking that specific journey. The little word 'travel' could be discussed at length leading to so many sub topics. Many journeys are for pleasure and others are not so delightful, for instance when there is a war or a national disaster that has occurred where aid is required. Some journeys are short and others are lengthy or indefinite. Many of us have embarked on some or even a few of these trips or have family members or friends that have done the same.







Something that has always intrigued me is historical travellers or explorers and their stories. Why did they go? For adventure, of course, for necessity, yes many. This poses the question: why do we go in this day and age? For the exact same reason, although there are very few areas that have not had an indent of a travellers footprint at some stage. What they had to endure to even make a simple journey makes our explorations look like a walk in the park. But we do find ourselves with our own pitfalls e.g. Civil unrest or even possibility of a war breaking out and that niggling doubt if we should still visit that country if it is on the brink of disaster. Some of us take the plunge and others choose another destination for the time being.







Then we have the so called expat communities which is also a form of travelling with an end destination and purpose in mind. Why has it become such a commonplace thing to do, albeit exciting and apprehensive. I have often heard that it is something we have had to contend with especially in South Africa in the last 20 to 30 years because of our political situation. Not true - there have been ‘expats’ since people started exploring and could find a way to travel or move from country to country. Many people returned home and others made their home elsewhere. It is just so much easier to do it these days with the transport we have available to our disposal. Expats are often misused earning better salary than in their home country but others have been given wonderful opportunities that they would never have had before.







I could ramble on and on but I won’t, because the sooner I find those photos I am looking for the sooner I can write an authentic travelblog.







Until then I shall continue tossing all our horded possessions over my shoulders till I find those photos and whatever your next journey entails and encompasses, whether you are a new or well seasoned traveller, go forth, experience, enjoy and make your own adventure! I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity and I hope that I will still be afforded the chance to explore many more countries.

---

Photos

Sierra Leone
Regent Road, Freetown

Comments

[Home and Away]

Great placeholder...
until you find your pictures!

[roamingfox]

One step closer
Thanks Bob, still hunting but I have at least discovered they are digital, so now it's to find on which external hard drive they have been stored.