The Joy of Travelling Comes in Many Forms

There was one evening when we had nothing to do (which seems to be getting more frequent these days) that we went on the balcony and did some plane spotting. There was a perfectly clear sky and the number of planes that were criss crossing the airspace was amazing. We could track where the planes were flying from and where they were going with the mobile phone. It was indeed a very pleasurable activity.

Ah…the joy of travelling.

‘Which city would you like to visit?’ would be one of my ice breakers when facilitating a group discussion.

Paris, Rome, London…usually far away places and hardly any mention of a city in the same country that they live in.

So we get a job that takes us places or we work hard, save and with that little bit of extra on the side we travel. Family money or old money is handy and I could do with plenty of that but nothing gives me greater pleasure than to enjoy one’s success or the fruit of one’s labour.

Travelling is a strange thing. There are some who choose to travel and have little savings. There are others who have money but will not travel.

The daughter did a voluntary teaching stint in Poland last summer, after which she travelled on Eurail pass to five different cities in Europe before returning to home base. As for lodging, she couch surfed. Now that is one way to see the world.

Couch surfing is something novel to me but is apparently the rage these days. As of summer 2011, there are nearly 2.9 million couch surfing members in 246 countries and more than 80,000 cities on all seven continents (yes, there is even a woman at McMurdo research station in Antarctica). The median age is people in their twenties—though there are more than 610,000 in their thirties, 21,500 in their sixties, and more than 520 octogenarians. As with all types of travelling, there are the usual security measures to take. 

I have long given up on itinerary-driven tours that span over a few countries. I prefer relaxed trips with time to visit the places that I want to see and breathe at the same time. The same goes for ‘rent-a-car’ travelling. Why get stressed over new routes, driving on a different side of the road when it is usually more convenient to take public transport?

I find that when we are busy pushing new frontiers, making friends, enjoying new food and most of all giving our bodies and minds a good and needed rest, we are rejuvenated. I love the challenge of browsing through city maps, making mistakes, getting lost, seeking help and finding my bearings again. There is a certain level of achievement and satisfaction that beats a level attained in Candy Crush.

Just when I have settled down to some routine, the mind gets busy and the feet get restless and it is time to pack those bags again.

When one of my friends wanted to visit me the other day, she asked whether I was at home, I said ‘yes’.

So another friend quipped, ‘When are you ever at home?’

My answer was ‘once in a blue moon’ and the last time I checked the moon was quite blue, by my standards anyway.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES  5/4/2015 :http://digital.nstp.com.my/nst/books/150405nstnews/index.html#/25/