Gather Round

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. - English Proverb

A journey of a thousand miles starts but with a single step. While this classic adage still holds true, the start of every journey, in my opinion, is a list. Are all vaccines up to date? Check. Did all the appropriate clothes get packed? Check. Passport and finances in order? Check. Naturally, the list will vary from person to person as I have alluded to in my entry about Minimalism, but the core concept is the same. Everything must be copacetic before the long awaited departure date. Still, despite even a high level of meticulous preparation, there is always the possibility of things not going as planned. Even the most thought out of itineraries will invariably come across setbacks where you can’t possibly have thought of preparing for. Travel just has too many external factors that are out of the traveller’s control. Hopefully, any incident that may occur will lead to no permanent damage or, at the very least, a full recovery back to normalcy in a speedy manner. Regardless, a positive light can always be seen with any outcome. That moment in time has now been transformed into a gift in the form of a story. It can now be recounted endlessly over an infinite variation of settings whether it be during dinner with family, drinks at the bar with friends or over a campfire with whoever are interested in hearing the tale. Some may choose to quietly transpose it onto paper for some personal introspection and, maybe, joyful recollection. A select few may even choose to publish these experiences for future generations to live out their journeys in vicarious bliss. There truly is magic in those words. Insignificant, too, is the level of grandeur needed for a story to be of any worth. If it is told authentically and with passion, it can be used to inspire; a beacon for someone to head towards what they most desire. After all, the best travel stories don’t come from a monotonous stream of favourable outcomes, but as a byproduct of unfortunate events experienced personally by the traveller.