April 13, 2012For anyone who might still come across this (Sarah?), the posting will continue at theserestlessfeet.com (which is, at this point, still a work in progress)
& these restless feet shall wander and wonder whereis.garethbedford
What makes a destination more important?
I’ve been thinking about the way I’m mentally prioritising locations. It seems that I’m a fan of ‘important’ spot – where something momentous happened. Europe is full of these and it’s the opposite of new Zealand. Maybe that’s why it’s so fascinating to me. In new Zealand we grow up with space, freedom from class barriers, and the belief that anyone can just go ahead and do what they are good at. What we don’t have is anywhere that anything happened.
Sure, we signed a treaty at Waitangi … But Florence has the whole fucking renaissance.
I think some people are drawn to things of beauty (buildings, views, beaches etc) and some are drawn to uniqueness (the biggest tree, castle, building), but I think it’s a perceived importance that draws me. I’m currently planning to go to the location of the battles of Waterloo, austerlitz, and Normandy. There’s not much at any of these places other than fields, but something big happened there and I want to catch an echo of it. Perhaps.
Drinks break.
I’m of the opinion that one o the most enjoyable things in the world is a quiet corner you can sneak away to sit and read while consuming a cup of tea.
Especially if that place has a window that opens and a bit of sunshine.
Travellers FOMO
I think I have travellers F.O.M.O. (Fear Of Missing Out).
I’ve been adding little pins to a maps of europe (virtually, of course) of places that I wouldn’t mind visiting. They’re mostly little places or sights or towns I’ve heard are pretty. Just the sort of things that you come across in your internet browsing and think ‘I’d love to go there one day’.
There’s no way in the world I’ll be able to visit them all in one trip. That’s not really the point though. What I’m really worried about is there might be something that I would really love to see, but I just didn’t know of it. Knowing something is there and choosing not to visit is quite a different matter than not even knowing it was an option.
It’s all part of a more underlying fear that this trip to Europe may be the last chance I ever have to make it there, and I need to make the most of it. Of course, I don’t really have to, and it’s quite likely it won’t really be my last visit. But it feels like it.
Maybe it’s just the curse of finally doing something you’ve wanted to for years… and the accompanying desire that you want it to be all that you dreamed it would be.
It’s got a lot to live up to.
