A sentence I just read in a book got me thinking.....
I just started reading David Nicholl's 'One Day'.
On the very first page a line made me sit up and take notice. My friends, knowing that we travel around 7 months of the year, all laughed out loud, but offered no comment. I'd love to know what people think of this statement....
'Travelling, she sighed, 'so predictable'.
'What's wrong with travelling'?
'Avoiding reality more like'.
Reply to this It depends on how people define it. I personally do not agree. I think travelling around and experiencing different cultures is living our lives. And the thing is Earth is too big, life is too short. Why not go out to see something?
Reply to this I agree with Tham Soon. What is reality?
Some prefer suites, professional careers, big homes, multiple cars and fancy dress parties, others prefer adventure, learning various cultures and arts, walking in someone else shoes or visiting picturesque locations. And there is a whole range of people in between those, some (like me) live both lifestyles.
There are also some less fortunate realities of homelessness, drugs, violence. So I guess the question really is, what is your reality and what reality do you want to make for yourself?
Reply to this Right on Tham Soon!
Reality is your reality.... what you have seen, what you have experienced
the world you have created for yourself--
No avoidance of reality--- maybe "someones" notion of reality.
There are times when we choose to work so that we can choose to travel. A means to an end.
Ralph, As you say there is a wide range people and lifestyles and we can move from one lifestyle to another. To each his own!
The Big Blue Marble requires all kinds and this is a venue for those who love to wander and explore. I say, "go forth and have a look!"
Reply to this I think traveling for short periods of time ('vacations') is the unreal thing. We, as humans, find our niche in the food chain not with tool-using, but by our ability in long-term travel. That's what we do best in all the animal world. We can't run as fast as almost anything, but we can outlast almost everything on foot. We can pursue prey until it literally dies of exhaustion. No other animal on earth can go for 20 hours a day, day after day for months on end. Big brains was almost an accident after this.
Fast forward to the Middle Ages. Everyone lived their whole life in a tiny little area, usually not venturing more than 20 miles from where they were born from one year to the next. Pilgrimages were the holidays of times gone past. "I'm tired of the farm" says Joseph Harvester, and spends the next eight months on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or Santiago. A fortnight in modern times? A pittance. A modern invention of the age of jetways, a wholly accidental byproduct of the industrial era. Your ability to experience the world is measured by months, not minutes. Anything less is the unnatural.
[Edited: 2011 Sep 08 05:06 - Dag:162885 ]
Reply to this So, has anybody any ideas as to why traditional traveling people are given such a hard time?
Reply to this Reality is what you make of it. Personally, I find the idea of spending my whole life in an office to be much more artificial (and much less desirable!) than spending it exploring the world around me.
Reply to this It all about what do you define as "real" life. When we left our jobs, flat and things behind and started our trip so many people said they were "jealous" and saying they wish they could do it as well.
But they CAN but its not easy and comfortable, it takes effort and work. Depending what and how you want to tackle.
We saved for 3 years so that we can now travel for a year. In those three years we didn't buy things we didn't need, we controlled ourselves with expenses, did not go on our "yearly trip" and so on. Asking people if they are prepared to sacrifice their shopping, drinking, going out...taking the risk with the job and so on more often than not they will say "no".
On on the trip itself (we love it, no questions about it) you don't enjoy the same comfort you would at home. Rooms are often small and hot, you need to watch your money, make plans, eat at food stalls that could never be allowed in Europe etc. In some ways it's more "real" that the routine we had at home!
And while traveling you learn about the "real world" and not just about the privileged world most of us live in and that opens your eyes a lot!
Reply to this I once did a philosophy course where we debated the nature of reality - so many different ideas on the subject! I think that real life is whatever you are doing at the time you do it - if its traveling - well, that is real, if its sitting in bed in the morning with a cup of tea - that's real too! Its fantastic that so many people save for and value their travels and get such a lot from the experience. Just reading the blogs gives a new view on the world for those of us who enjoy sharing them so thank you all you travelers, I hope when we join you our blogs will be as entertaining.
Reply to this I personally think that people who work all the time so that they can accumulate property and possessions while they are in full knowledge that they are finite and certain to die are avoiding reality. Knowing that today is just as important as a possible tomorrow…….that is reality. It is just plain ignorance to keep acquiring more property and possessions when they already have more than they can use, consume, or enjoy. I retired early and am enjoying myself now knowing full well that I can do things today that I will not be able to do later.
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Well said William. I love your blogs and I'm glad you are out there writing about your travels.
Reply to this I would say travelling is experiencing reality not getting away from it. The things we learnt while we were way about all manner of things really opened our eyes and made for a life changing experience.
Unfortunatley our 'reality' at the moment largely consists of saving up again to go away again next year so we can escape some more!
Reply to this It seems to me that there is a dislike on the part of the majority for people who choose to do things 'differently' especially with travel. Maybe they feel threatened, or maybe it's just plain envy. In Britain, councils are supposed to provide sites for traditional traveling people but a of them don't! They seem to think the answer is to provide council houses which breaks up the travelers traditional way of living and sense of community. Yes this is probably not relevant to this forum blog, but I think it's worth thinking about. The thing that worries me about modern travel is that some of the beautiful unspoilt places are turned into tourist destinations and loose what made them precious in the first place - ie the Galapagos Islands,although for many locals tourism and travelers are vital to their local economy. Sophie and Dale, you mention the word 'escape' - the question is escape from reality or too reality!
Reply to this I don't travel very much but I do tend to move from country to country and settle wherever I go. Personally, I wish I could afford some of the wonderful trips that some of the bloggers on here have been on and experienced, but for me, that will simply remain a dream.
I know I will get slapped down for saying this, but at the end of the day, I believe that we only get one chance at life, so why not make the most of it? Living in the same house, doing the same job and having the same routine every day, year after year simply isn't my idea of living life. Spending 8 hours a day, 5-6 days a week earning a pittance just to pay bills and make a few select individuals rich is in my eyes, bonkers.
Many seem to think that the accumulation of wealth makes you rich when in fact this couldn't be further from the truth. I believe it is the accumulation of personal experiences and knowledge that makes us grow as individuals and is in itself worth more than all the riches that have been stashed, stored and hidden away by those who from my point of view anyway, are living a shallow, vacuous and unreal life.
[Edited: 2011 Sep 29 09:54 - Cockle:46288 ]
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