Sunday, June 1, 2008

A map for Saturday

I just watched the documentary: A map for Saturday. I am sure glad I stumbled upon this documentary because not only did it take me travelling for two hours but it also explain how I feel about travel. It also explain long term travel very well. Most people who haven't travelled just don't understand... no matter how much I try to explain to them how it feels it just doesn't compare to being there and living it.
When I leave to visit family in Winnipeg or even on my latest trip to Hawaii, I bring my backpack, the same one that I travelled around Australia with when I was 18 (4 years ago!!) and a familiar sense of comfort and calm falls over me. I know that no matter what happens, everything will be alright because my backpack and I have made it through lots, have covered a lot of ground and seen many things. Where ever my backpack is, is my home.
Brook, the guy who did the documentary, explained why he travelled and though I wasn't able to quote him, this is basically what he said:
I travelled to get something out of my system... but that didn't work. Instead going back to a normal life, having a normal job, doesn't seem like something I want to do.
I feel that same way. I really do. No matter what I do now it doesn't seem to be the same as travelling. You're always looking to get your next fix, dreaming of your next destination.
Hawaii tickled the itch for travel. Now it burns and since I've come back, I've been feeling like something is missing. I want to travel so badly because when I am at home I feel like I am tethered down and I am struggling to stay grounded. I want to travel, stay in hostels, meet strangers, see so many breath taking sights that eventually I become immune to them and don't find them that amazing any more, I want to be away, get lost in an other country where I cannot speak the language. But that'll have to wait. At least until I graduate and become registered. Then I can travel for a year or I can move to a foreign country and live in their lifestyle for a while or maybe I can do both.
In the mean time, I am going to go make Channa Masala (for real this time, I won't be distracted by awesome documentaries) and pretend that I am cooking in India... ha ha well no, no pretending... I will most likely blast my music, sing and dance while I cook... cuz really, that's what I do.

In fifty or sixty years I am dead. I want to say, "I had a good life."

Jens: 27, Germany

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been in the same sort of rutt for over 2 years now... I think this is why this job at VIA was working for me for a little while, it was getting me away from the familiar, and with every trip came a new adventure. But now days (after three years) it's starting to get a little familiar, (I always end up in the 3 same cities, I never leave the country) and I find myself looking for the next great adventure. I Should watch this documentary, seems wonderfully interesting...

Janelle said...

Yeah it's well worth watching, however it might make you want to travel even more. That's what it did to me so to ease the need for travel, I've started going though my photos of Australia and putting them in a photo album (it's been 4 years since I've travelled there, I havn't even finished putting them away). It helps but it's not the same as travelling.

thelastkingofscotland said...
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