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.

Reflections

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it's not open. - Frank Zappa

The backpacker lifestyle can often times move at a frenetic pace. Early morning sunrise hikes, meetups for lunch with recently made friends and late night motorcycle rides fill up one’s itinerary rather quickly. Experiences come and go and the emotions associated with those moments are fleeting. That’s why I have always made it a priority to sit down and journal on all of my trips. I find the transposition of heart and soul onto paper by pen to be greatly meditative. This practice serves a twofold purpose. First, taking a break every now and then will help prevent travellers burnout. This lifestyle will take its toll physically and mentally on even hardened veterans. A mandatory reprieve is necessary to recharge the mind and body. Second, this is also a time to reflect on what has transpired throughout your trip thus far. Where you have been, who you have met and all the emotions that have been attached to those moments. More importantly, this could also be an opportunity to ruminate on things at a much deeper level. This will mainly apply to individuals that are travelling for some form of personal development, but I wholeheartedly think that every traveller is on some form of an intrinsic journey. You just need to be open to the teachings that being on the road can provide for you. Lessons are constantly present, albeit abstract at times. You just have to go and seek them out. They are hidden in the conversations you have with the locals, the setbacks that may arise on the journey, or bartering at the local market. It can come from profound conversations during late night sessions by the fire or from moments of quiet introspection on solo motorcycle rides. The world is a classroom and the teachers can come in many forms. Take the time to reflect and contemplate about what travelling has taught you.The knowledge and wisdom imparted unto you may prove invaluable in the future growth of your inner self.