Course Well Trodden

The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to. - Alain de Botton

In a very general sense, there are two types of travellers. Ones that blaze their own path and ones that follow the trail set by others. The focus of this entry will be on the latter. Suggestions, solicited or otherwise, inevitably come your way once you announce a trip. “You must go here!” “This is definitely a must see.” “Make sure you eat this while you’re there.” This can come from family and friends that have visited these places before and are wanting to impart their knowledge and wisdom unto you. It can also come from doing your own research, whether it be online material on travel blogs or forums and any of the countless travel books available. Regardless of what medium or source this material came from, it all originally came from a genuine human experience. It came from the heart. In the end, it is only natural for an individual to not completely agree with all the things suggested by another. A friend may have recommended a “nice hike up a mountain” while, in reality, it was actually a couple loose rocks away from certain death. A blogger that suggested that this hostel will have all the makings of complete paradise will seem banal and unoriginal after even just spending one day at the place. Travel guides nominating a certain activity as “the most authentic aspect of this country” may seem overly commercialized. Everyone has their own preferences coupled with different definitions of what adventure means to them. Now for a thought experiment that I have come to occasionally ponder about. While taking a moment to reflect and approach this concept from a different perspective, sometimes you can see the subtle nuances hidden in between the lines. An insight of what they went out in search for and what they were intrinsically seeking. You see into the priorities they had; what they wanted their focus to be. You can catch a glimpse of the lens they were seeing the world through at that point in time. Their recommendations were more than just words of cordial conversation. It was a personal narrative for their recipe to happiness. The ingredients needed will unfold as you travel. It is up to you to make it your own. Maybe one day you can pass along that recipe to someone else looking for their own slice of happiness.

Kintsugi

When you travel you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth. - Rolf Potts

The practice of Kintsugi is a Japanese technique used to repair broken pottery through the process of mixing precious metals such as silver and gold with lacquer. The amalgamation of these components serves to not only restore the utilitarian function of the piece, but also to elevate it to a higher aesthetic. What used to be cracks of that once broken object are now scars of beauty for the world to see. It provides character and meaning to the history behind that object. On a philosophical level, people can also be like those broken pieces of pottery. Travel can serve as a catalyst for such a change. It is not uncommon to find backpackers searching within themselves for a cure of their maladies and internal struggles. This search inward has almost become a stereotypical trope associated with backpacking culture. Of course, not everyone that travels falls within this situation. Only the individual knows if he or she is on this path. Some of the great novelists write that travel for them can sometimes serve as a rebirth for the soul. Whether or not they were seeking to heal something deep within, they no doubt return home a different person. Tragic, though, is when the individual fails to notice the changes within themselves or the perception that any personal growth obtained on the trip was only temporary. That once they return home, a regression back to how things were will inevitably occur. The return back to the void in which they were seeking to escape; a reopening of figurative wounds. What is important to note is that regressing back to this state of mind, this mental construct, is not an immutable law of nature. It can be fought against; rebelled against. The same energy and courage utilized in taking that journey of self-healing can also be harnessed towards future forward progression. A profound change has already occurred. Evolution has taken place. The metaphorical gold and lacquer lining the scars of the soul have set, transmuting with it beauty and strength.

Impermanence

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light - Dylan Thomas

Time. The certainty of its existence is undeniable; a law of physics that, at the present day, cannot be broken. Yet, the perception of time is something that can be altered and perceived differently by the individual. Backpackers have a unique outlook on this concept as they often go through their journey in a world where time seemingly stands still. The accumulation of memories grows with each passing day, yet there seems to be no expenditure of this precious resource. No longer needed is the notion of what day of the week it is. Weekend transitions seamlessly into weekday and vice versa. Any agenda that you may have can be accomplished in whatever timely manner you see fit. There are no deadlines. No time constraints. A complete polar opposite to the normal Monday to Friday 9-5 that average society participates in. Time seems infinite in the mind of a backpacker. It is when you reach the end of your trip that you come to comprehend that the time you had really was limited. Regardless of how long your journey may have been, there will come a time where that figurative chapter will come to a close. The ephemeral nature of the moments that you experienced will become unquestionably evident; fleeting just like time itself. Understandably, the sudden realization of detachment from this lifestyle can be depressing in the beginning and can prove difficult to address. But really it’s this distinction that makes it so special. The limited amount of time afforded to experience those things will make you appreciate it that much more. Understanding this concept will enhance your interactions with the people you meet along the way, whether it be the locals or fellow backpackers. Friendships will generate with a heightened sense of intensity. Conversations will flow with increased focus and engagement. Sunsets will be seen through a lens of gratitude. Sunrises will be welcomed with energy and vigor. You will laugh a little louder, hug a little longer and dream a little bolder. This all occurs because a thorough understanding of this concept is really a fight against impermanence and entropy; our attempt to extend this given moment to infinity. While it may be a futile attempt, our lives and experiences are forever enriched because of it.