| Sometimes you just have to make a jailbreak. Not that I was planning anything over the top or risqué like bored Felice Benuzzi who, on January 24, 1943, escaped with two other bored compatriots from their prison camp with the aid of a skilfully copied key and some deceptive costuming. Their ambition: to climb Mt. Kenya and return back to the prison undetected. (Escape was not an option; neutral Mozambique was more than 1,000 km. away through British and wildebeests-held territory.) Anyway, that wasn’t the point. This was for boredom’s sake. Seventeen days later they were triumphantly back in their cells. Besides I’m afraid of heights. Boredom is a powerful motivator, making us reach for something, anything, for a world unraveled from the familiar. But this may not be necessarily better, though; because boredom can prompt all kinds of unhealthy behaviours, like burning chilies to ward off evil spirits to eating a whole tub of jujubes in one sitting – except the black ones. If you’re after a reset, or just plain bored of looking at your drapes (which incidentally should be replaced), a solo trip may be just what the doctor ordered. Again, I’m not suggesting feasting in Italy, praying in India, and finding amour in Indonesia. Just somewhere, anywhere, because sometimes NOT going isn’t really an option. There are so many reasons to say yes to a peripatetic adventure. That said, a nomad at heart, my ideal trip is one with no turbulence and a safe landing. Meaningful, productive and spectacular. Not that that has ever happened. For one, traveling solo automatically makes me of a certain quality, a certain ambience, a certain joie de vivre. i.e. a very arousing person with a cache of exhilarating stories to tell anyone who will listen, so I always capitalize on that. (I made a vow early in life to make others happy.) And I always make sure to tell the story from my point of view. Secondly, I am free to ignore all street signs and landmarks. I can double-dip my chips in the guacamole. I can sing to my favorite tunes with no one asking to change the playlist or to please stop singing. It’s cathartic. |
| I’m “the Emirates effect” companion for myself as I don’t argue with myself and I don’t disagree. We’ve grown to enjoy each other’s company with vibrancy and care. Although sometimes it’s a breeding ground for competition. Hobo traveling allows me to reenact my reclusive tendencies and be as antisocial and ornery as I want to be. Or more than usual. Sartorial success can be minimal. I just tend to keep away from “uninteresting” floral blouses and tarantula-like fake eyelashes. I also prefer to seek diaspora populations where I can stay in one place and consume. Like six latkes. No one rushes me; I can be as pokey as walking with a turtle on a leash. Traveling alone gives us the capacity to develop our “real” likes (seeing 10 museums in a weekend) and dislikes (seeing 10 museums in a weekend). Gypsying can manifest in becoming a trenchant problem-solver exacerbated to imagine a kinder, gentler reality. It can give you a sense of optimism, of determination, of unity. And judge away, but sometimes there’s often nothing more restorative than causing a little light carnage along the way…it’s more than a little intoxicating. |
 |
Nonetheless, solo travel does have its own baggage. For one, it gives you ample time to consider what you need to work on to improve as a person. And who needs that? Though it may sound like something you’d find inside a fortune cookie, bad Wi-fi, getting attacked by bandits, the importance of a colourful hotel gym and a deep longing for room service; sometimes traveling like a gypsy is just not that much fun. Anyone who tells you differently, is lying. Traveling alone can test a person’s sense of whimsy and sparkle, cunning, intellect, and the realization that their study of German did not actually make them useful at communicating in the language. People ask me all the time – don’t you ever get lonely? No, not really. I’ve never had a bout of loneliness that lasted more than a few years. Also, in a world of 7 billion people, you’re going to meet someone you connect with eventually. So go. Now. Wide-eyed wanderers. |
Recent Comments